By: Sig Fredriksen
At the time of writing, the original Kony 2012 video has over one hundred million views online, proving that it has truly touched the international community. The video promotes the organization Invisible Children’s campaign to make Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony famous by spreading awareness about his criminal actions throughout social media and the younger generation. Kony, an African warlord who operates mainly around the Central African countries of Uganda, Sudan, Congo and the Central African Republic, has been on the top of the International Criminal Court’s list of war criminals to be detained since it was first released in 2005. By bringing Kony’s history of crime to light, the campaign aims to put pressure on the world to have him found and arrested.
After it was published, initially on video sharing website Vimeo.com and later on YouTube, the video has spawned an incredible internet phenomenon, trending for several consecutive days on social networking website Twitter and being heavily shared on Facebook. But as its popularity grew, Invisible Children came under scrutiny from various sides for both the video itself and their handling of the aftermath of the release. Although most people seem to agree that the goal is a noble one, many have criticized them for misleading its followers about scale of the LRA’s brutality and where it actually is present, as well as for inciting American involvement in a Central African conflict. Not long after the campaign’s fame exploded online, the film’s director Jason Russell was arrested and later hospitalized for a psychological break down on the streets of San Diego, believed to be related to the pressure surrounding the sudden popularity, causing many to question the calm of those in charge of the whole operation. A sequel was released on April 5, responding to a lot of the criticism and specifying what might have misled people initially.
Right now, over three and a half million people have pledged to help in what the video calls Cover The Night, an operation dedicated to spread the word through hanging up posters, banners, stickers and anything else that can carry on the message. All supporting merchandise offered by Invisible Children is completely sold out and on back order, proving the amount of people who has decided to contribute. The goal of making Kony famous has undoubtedly been a massive success and the world now waits to see if he can be brought to justice within the not too distant future, something that seems very probable considering the sheer magnitude of the movement. Although it has been criticized, Kony 2012 has brought massive awareness around a notorious man few really knew about, and that is absolutely a big step in the right direction. This matter has shown how the internet and social media can be used to enlighten the world and spread the word about important issues. The world has never been closer to Joseph Kony’s arrest.
By: John Ottoson
With every big event that seems to come up in the American public, there is always a good side and a bad side to the dispute. Some people may say that the tony Kony 2012 controversy is nothing but a scandal. Actually there are very many good things that come because of this viral video. Due to Invisible Children Incorporated(ICI), many Americans are taking their first strides in order to eliminate the evil of Joseph Kony, the world’s most wanted man. What Kony does in Uganda is hard to stomach. In the middle of the night Kony, and his gang of rebels sneak into camps, to capture children to join their resistance group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The goal of ICI is to make Kony’s murders and children abductions known and to inevitably capture Kony before he can destroy more children’s lives.
President John F. Kennedy stated, during his inaugural speech, “ To those people in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required.” President Kennedy understood the importance of helping civilization as a whole to free itself from bondage and captivity. We are at a point in the human race with advances in technology so great no one should have to live as the Ugandans do. Overall, making Kony known, and what he is doing is the main goal of Kony 2012. Who says we, as a society, cannot stand up against the tyranny and bondage of men. Although only 32% of the $8,676,614 is going to help people in Uganda, almost 3 million dollars is still going help the effort of saving kids from the bondages of Kony. Although the 43 full time staff members of ICI make, on average, $40,000 (which is less than the average American makes a year), they are not coming away from this with loaded pockets. The producers making money is not what we should take away from this though. What should be taken away is how people from across the globe can unite to support a cause. If anything Kony 2012 has taught America how it is now possible, due to the advances in technology, to hold a single front on something that is unjust in society, or even the world.
By: Avery Jones
Kony 2012— the video that reached 100 million views faster than any other Internet video ever created. (And that is saying something if you take into consideration Charlie Bit Me— that was one hilarious and viral video!) Millions of viewers spent 30 minutes staring intently at their computer screens with tears welling up in their eyes like they were watching the final scenes of The Titanic as they were bombarded with a deluge of heartstring-pulling images of little Ugandan children. The video made use of social media like no other foundation has before. Watching the video, I myself was astounded by all the facts that were behind the images. I figured, “Hey, this has to be the real deal.”
However, once I wiped the tears away and looked back at the video prepared for the harsh facts it would give me, I realized that the video does not, in fact, give that many reliable and real facts. Sure it shows a map and gives a few numbers, but the video is not nearly informative enough to justify dedicating your time (not to mention your wallet) to its cause. Despite this fact, many people watched the video and immediately proclaimed their loyalty to Invisible Children.
Why? Why would someone watch one video and decide their new life goal goes hand in hand with what that video is promoting? Because they are being preyed upon. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that these people are too weak to realize when they are being taken advantage of. It’s no more their fault for being sucked into the propaganda than it is a baby antelope’s fault that has succumbed to the lion. When something that strong is flung at you, what can you do but give in to it?
The Kony 2012 video took of persuasion to its limits, preying on emotions and using pathos propaganda to an extent that is cruel. People are caught off guard and rendered helpless by misleading pictures and a narrative that may or may not be true. To many people, this video was the very first they had ever heard of Kony or possibly even Uganda. The first exposure of an event of this magnitude should be entirely factual. It should provide the viewer with fact and truth so that they can be informed about the cause. Bring on the rallying later, but first give some basis on which to rally. The video was too much emotion, and too much little fact.
Perhaps it is the viewer’s responsibility to research the cause before they jump right in. But who could blame them for being so enthusiastic and not wanting to waste a second before spreading the word through their Facebooks, Twitter, Tumblr, or blog? The video ruined the cause. It made the cause all about emotional retaliation instead of the worthy and noble (and factual) cause Invisible Children is in reality.