1551: Game Change

[Zaumaum]

Here's a good article written by someone who has worked in Uganada and has studied the war there for over 10 years: Dangerous ignorance: The hysteria of Kony 2012 - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

He talks about why he is frustrated with Invisible Children, and why he believes the hype around 'Kony 12' is dangerous. He believes it is a symptom of a greater disease, that it is being taken advantage of for ulterior motives, and that it ultimately hurts people more than it helps. It is a short, direct article. Please read if you are at all interested.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by denden

The fact this guy makes around 90k a year(not quite sure where this was found, but I'll take your word for it)...

Interesting that it's that you'll take someone's word for.

Originally Posted by denden

... plus, as far I know, they don't have family, they seem fairly young after all, so they would only need to support themselves.

Be honest, did you even watch this video?

[denden]

Originally Posted by Keith

Interesting that it's that you'll take someone's word for.

Kinda being sarcastic, Keith, I was just getting my point across that even if these guys DO only make that much per year, its not like you cant live quite comfortably off it.

Originally Posted by Keith

Be honest, did you even watch this video?

nope, but I just did, and I apologize, I agree wholeheartedly now that Kony must be stopped.

[Keith]

Good talk.

[JaymztheKing]

Originally Posted by denden

Again, reports say that over 70% of their income go to things like raising awareness(by making these movies and soliciting celebrities), as well as high amounts of travel costs, compared to other organizations where only 5% or less go to that. I'll say again there are much better ways to donate your money to help the people of Africa, from my own research I think BRAC is a great one for example.

The fact this guy makes around 90k a year(not quite sure where this was found, but I'll take your word for it) doesn't mean much. Not everybody is obsessed with money, and you'd be surprised how well you can live off of that much. Plus, as far I know, they don't have family, they seem fairly young after all, so they would only need to support themselves. [Edit: Sorry this is wrong, didn't watch video until Keith called it out, hopefully this doesn't invalidate the rest of my argument in anyone's eyes]

Charity Navigator Rating - Invisible Children

no shit they are spend 70% raising awareness through films. They are an awareness organization. They aren't the "let's give everyone in Uganda haircuts and puppies" people they are "Bring Kony to justice" people. Also travel costs are high because they go to Africa. If they find Kony in Nebraska I'd assume those costs will go down a bit.

[denden]

Originally Posted by JaymztheKing

Charity Navigator Rating - Invisible Children

no shit they are spend 70% raising awareness through films. They are an awareness organization. They aren't the "let's give everyone in Uganda haircuts and puppies" people they are "Bring Kony to justice" people. Also travel costs are high because they go to Africa. If they find Kony in Nebraska I'd assume those costs will go down a bit.

Yeah thanks for making me sound like a hippie. They can cut their own hair, and they are probably so hungry that their first instinct when seeing a puppy would be to eat it(same with the unicorn).

The travel thing is pretty much a non-issue to me, they can travel as much as they want, for all I care.

Alright, they are an awareness group, so I suppose it stands to reason that they'd spend money on awareness, however I'd like to say that maybe solving this through awareness is not the right way to fix things.

After watching the movie, I'm starting to understand some other peoples earlier points(make no mistake, I'm no expert, I have only learned of this particular situation in the past few days), they put a lot of time and effort (and money) into raising awareness about what this guy did, but it took too much time, the guys a relic now. This "awareness" didn't go anywhere, he was free to do what he wanted for those 10 years. This campaign WOULD probably have helped if it had happened earlier, when he was still a gigantic threat. He's nowhere near as powerful as he once was, but the fact is, he's a fucking mad man, he lives off of this attention and giving him it is not going to make him any weaker, it can only make him more dangerous. I just see it as irresponsible to focus all their money on the awareness of one single warlord(face it, there are a lot of them). Maybe I'm just missing something.

[Omni]

Just wanted to say that if you are in or near New York, PLEASE do yourself a favor and go see Viva Patshiva. I saw it whenever it was that it was last done and it was AMAZING. I saw 3 Broadway plays while I was there and they couldn't hold a candle to the experience I had seeing Viva Patshiva. Don't miss it, dudes.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by denden

After watching the movie, I'm starting to understand some other peoples earlier points...

Aye yie yeesh...

Originally Posted by denden

I just see it as irresponsible to focus all their money on the awareness of one single warlord(face it, there are a lot of them). Maybe I'm just missing something.

On April 20th post YOUR most hated warlord on a wall. Or post them all. I'm gonna focus on this guy for now.

[Robotron]

Originally Posted by denden

Yeah thanks for making me sound like a hippie. They can cut their own hair, and they are probably so hungry that their first instinct when seeing a puppy would be to eat it(same with the unicorn).

The travel thing is pretty much a non-issue to me, they can travel as much as they want, for all I care.

Alright, they are an awareness group, so I suppose it stands to reason that they'd spend money on awareness, however I'd like to say that maybe solving this through awareness is not the right way to fix things.

After watching the movie, I'm starting to understand some other peoples earlier points(make no mistake, I'm no expert, I have only learned of this particular situation in the past few days), they put a lot of time and effort (and money) into raising awareness about what this guy did, but it took too much time, the guys a relic now. This "awareness" didn't go anywhere, he was free to do what he wanted for those 10 years. This campaign WOULD probably have helped if it had happened earlier, when he was still a gigantic threat. He's nowhere near as powerful as he once was, but the fact is, he's a fucking mad man, he lives off of this attention and giving him it is not going to make him any weaker, it can only make him more dangerous. I just see it as irresponsible to focus all their money on the awareness of one single warlord(face it, there are a lot of them). Maybe I'm just missing something.

We are dealing with several conflicts worldwide and our attention span is low and we shouldn't sit back and wait for Kony (or a successor he has brainwashed over the past 10 years) to regain strength and become a bigger problem later. Africa succombs to warlords whos militarys run on nothing but the conflict their groups provide over and over again, and nobody has ever really tried helping except a stern scolding and sending some UN troops to give the illusion of intervention. Just look at Liberia and Generals like General Butt Naked (yes a real guy) who was brought up on war crimes similar to Kony's, but because he had converted to Christianity was allowed to not only avoid execution, but to live as a free man. No shit Africa is in bad shape when we set examples like that. If Kony is as weak as you guys are making him out to be than it should give MORE reason to go after him because it would cost us 50 bucks and a gift certificate to red lobster to have his head on a pike.

[Blitzgal]

Originally Posted by Robotron

Just look at Liberia and Generals like General Butt Naked (yes a real guy) who was brought up on war crimes similar to Kony's, but because he had converted to Christianity was allowed to not only avoid execution, but to live as a free man.

Kony is a Christian fundamentalist who wanted to create a theocratic state based on the Ten Commandments.