If you haven't taken the time to watch it, I strongly recommend that you do, but not for the reason you might think. Unlike so many people who have linked to this video on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites, I don't want you to buy a bracelet or put up a poster, and I am not interested in spreading "awareness" about Joseph Kony. It's questionable whether this video contains enough truth to be a vehicle for that.
I am once again wishing I still taught Hebrew High. One of the reasons this video spread like wildfire throughout the interwebs is that young people linked to it, tweeted about it and posted it on their Facebook pages -- most of them, I assume, without doing any fact checking or additional research first. It's so easy to click "retweet" or "share". Too easy.
In the Kony 2012 video the filmmaker says explicitly that he is performing a social experiment. He wants to make Joseph Kony famous, so famous that someone with power will finally take notice and capture him.
I can't help but wonder if the real social experiment was to see how quickly one video could take over the national conversation. How many young people would blindly sign on to the campaign. How many "action kits" (just $30!) could they sell?
It's Propaganda
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| One of the many Kony 2012 posters online. |
There are many problems with the video, and they have been widely reported. Among the most important:
Kony left Uganda more than six years ago, and though the video mentions this very briefly, the filmmakers actually make it appear as if Kony's army was growing into other countries, not fleeing to them.
His army -- the Lord's Resistance Army -- has shriveled down to a few hundred soldiers. While it is true that, over 25 years, Kony abducted 30,000 children, the film makes it seem as if there are currently 30,000 children under his control.
President Obama has already sent in 100 advisers to help the Ugandan government in its efforts against the LRA.
The video is distracting everyone from Uganda's real problems, most notably, a growing epidemic of "nodding disease" in Northern Uganda. More: Reuters
It's Calling for War
The filmmakers strike me (and others) as sanctimonious, white, Western do-gooder hipsters who know what's best for African affairs -- and what's best is apparently Western military intervention, and all its consequences. I'm left wondering what the #stopkony supporters see as the endgame.
Another war? If you knew that's what it took to Stop Kony -- more American lives lost; more foreign policy nightmares; more more entanglements with less-than-savory governments (Uganda's current government is not a paragon of democratic virtues) -- would you still join the campaign?
It's Slactivism
One of the goals of the #stopkony campaign is similar to many other internet campaigns -- raising awareness. Getting an issue in front of the people. It's happened with every single type of cancer and all sort of natural disasters.
You too can change the world, just by clicking "like" or "share". It takes less than a second and accomplishes what, exactly? For me, slactivism is much like prayer. It makes you feel good to have done it, but the effects for those who need real help are nil.
If you want to make change happen, do more than like or share -- do your research and then give. Give your time, your effort or, if you can, your money. If Invisible Children and Stop Kony still make the cut, give without guilt.
You might want to with t he articles linked below, but certainly don't take my word for it.
Articles about Kony 2012:
Kony 2012: A Lesson in Critical Thinking -- Huffington Post
Fact Checking Kony 12 -- NPR
Invisible Children Responds to Criticism
Should I Donate or Not? -- Vice.com
Kony -- The New White Man's Burden -- The New York Times
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