Comment in depth on the Kony 2012 movement. What are the different sides of the issue? Who is behind the movement and who is supposed to benefit from it? How has social media affected this movement? Analyze the different sides to this campaign and discuss it from a critical perspective.
The abuse that had been going on in Uganda is beyond despicable. However, I believe that young adults should do a little more research about a topic before hopping on the bandwagon and turning into supposed social activists overnight. A lot of people that are for Kony 2012 did nothing but watch one half-hour video and believe that watching the video would help people in another continent. How many of these young adults would actually be able to point to Uganda on a map? On my Facebook newsfeed, when the Kony 2012 hype was just riling up, I saw a post saying, “Who is Kony?” from a former classmate. Forty-five minutes later, his following status read, “Like my status if you’re against Kony!”
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, at least teenagers on Facebook aren’t necessarily posting about insignificant or ignorant topics as much anymore. They’re actually trying to get involved and show that they’re fully incapable of understanding what’s right, what’s wrong, and that there’s evil in the world. Their efforts to raise awareness, however, are affective in the sense that everyone has heard of Kony 2012, but how far will it actually go? I don’t believe that there is actually a lot a person can do from sitting behind their computer screen reblogging or liking pages, pictures, and statuses. The Kony 2012 disaster is very similar to what went on with SOPA/PIPA. This” bandwagon hopping” has turned off plenty of individuals from participating in “raising awareness,” myself included. Before Facebook, a lot of people may not have heard of Kony or what’s going on in Uganda. Yes, now they’re becoming aware of what’s going on in Africa. But is it really helping anybody with the annoying posts or excessive reblogging? Highly doubted.
Jason Russell is behind the movement and the donations they get go to the charity Invisible Children. Social media has made this problem that has been out there in Africa for many year becom viral within a couple of days. Many people believe there is something off about the charity Invisible Children and they arent doing what they say they are yet there are also people defending the charity and the movement. I think that this is great and its interesting that teenagers brought this to the attention of adults and helped them with donations and are trying to stop Kony. He is the world worst criminal and he needs to be stopped. I hope this is not just going to die out or is just another scam because people are suffering!
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction to Kony 2012 was pure sadness. I have utter disgust for this man, Joseph Kony, who likes to torture children by turning the girls into sex slaves and the boys into soldiers. Kony 2012 is a film that was created by the Invisible Children Inc to promote the main message “Stop Kony.” Joseph Kony is a Ugandan war criminal who tortures children, making them do things under his rule like kill other children. This was made to show people what terrible stuff, especially like this, is going on in the whole other part of the world. It was created so it could start a movement and make him more known so people can help to have him arrested. As people become more and more aware of this, hopefully Joseph Kony can get exactly what he deserves and the children can become free from this torture.
ReplyDeleteMy take on the Kony 2012 project is very indecisive. After over 20 years Joseph Kony has been brought to the light. Unfortunately, this kind of activity happens everyday all around the world and not just Africa. While scrolling through my new feed on facebook I came across the 30 minute video explaining what exactly Kony 2012 was. Kony kidnapped kids from their families forcing them into an army that forces them to kill their families and others around them. This is such a sad matter. Every child deserves to have a happy childhood. Living life in fear of being abducted is no way a child should live. This has become a social movement that has captured the hearts as many others. On April 20th 2012 people from all over will join together and make Joseph Kony visible. By putting up posters all over many people will know the issue. I am happy that we as the people of the USA can join together for the good of others other than ourselves. We have fought to make it known to Congress and now have American troops out there to help with the capture of Kony. I like that we are trying to help but I dislike the fact that it took us so long to realize. All of our attention has been brought to Kony 2012, we have forgotten about other places that have the same exact issues. All of our money is being put into the capture of this one guy but what about the rest? How about we work to stop child abduction in general instead of focusing on one “invisible” person.
ReplyDeleteThe Kony 2012 movement was made to raise awareness about the brutality that Joseph Kony, the world's #1 criminal, has achieved. He has made many women, men, and even children suffer due to the fact that he wants them to join the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army).Kony 2012 was started by a man named Jason Russell. While researching the movement, I found that many celebrities and politicians are supporting this campaign. In fact, the creators of Kony 2012 want to achieve the goal of having 20 celebrites and 12 politicians on their side, in order to gain popularity and make others pay attention to this issue. This has become very famous, especially beause a lot of social networks post and re-post the harsh video which portray the people affected by Kony's actions. On April 20,2012, those that are in support of the movement, will post Kony movement posters all over cities, such as NYC, in an effort to make the issue known to everyone. However, there is a controversy with the Invisible Children Organization, which is in union with Kony 2012. Many believe that it is a scam and the organization keeps the money to benefit themselves and not the injured children. Regardless, it is important that Kony 2012 act now because the damage he has created cannot be undone but it can be stopped.
ReplyDeleteKony is a very real person, and so are his actions, but are the campaigns that everyone is putting so much time and money in, real? To be honest, when I first saw Kony 2012, I sat there wondering what the internet had gotten itself into this time. I thought it was all a joke, I thought I was being trolled to be quite honest, so I never cared. Then when I found out what Kony had done, I felt bad, but I thought, why do we now care about something that had been done so long ago, how is posting helping if we aren’t actually doing anything. I believe that people want to feel important and want to be apart something for the better, to the point where they will join any campaign that approaches their doorstep, without knowing anything about it, just to say they did a good deed.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first watched the video on KONY 2012, I was 100% supportive. My love of children and my respect for human life caused an immediate reaction from me. However, while I still support the idea of helping those suffering in Uganda and other places, I would not donate to KONY 2012 for a few reasons. For one, the video makers who create the viral video KONY 2012 are now just addressing something that has been victimizing Africans for already 26 years. What people are unaware of is the fact that the Obama Administration sent out about 100 troops to Uganda to work along side the Congo to help root out Joseph Kony, who is supposedly hiding in there. So, I after reading more information other than the video, I have become quite skeptical about this movement. Yes, I do agree that something terrible has occurred in Uganda, but why bring it up now? And why wait until this man is supposed pushed out of Uganda about 6 years prior to this video. I find that a bit suspicious, as do other Ugandans as shown in this article on the Huffington post by Rodney Muhumuza:
ReplyDeleteFor some Ugandans, the timing of Invisible Children's campaign is suspicious. Nicholas Sengoba, a political analyst, said there was something "sinister" about Invisible Children's campaign.
"The issue has been around for ages," he said. "We have to ask ourselves why suddenly there is this uproar. I believe that these people have other motives that they are not putting out in the open."
Yes, I was one of those who were immediately for the movement of KONY 2012 because I am a sucker for children. But, after completing some research, I still agree that what has happened is a tragedy but is it a tragedy that is too late to be helped? I agree with Ciana that people should do more of their own research on this movement before jumping ahead and donating all their money to a cause they learned about on YouTube or Facebook.
Kony 2012 and its slogan “Make Kony Famous” is running rampant among the western world, particularly the young people. While the company behind this exposé aims to make the world’s number one criminal infamous for recruiting child soldiers, it’s a little under a decade late. Joseph Kony and his rebel army haven’t been active for years, and there is a mass assumption that he either died or fled the country. However, there is an upside to this propaganda: educating people that these kinds of things do happen around the world in this day and age, but can be prevented or limited with the use of media and social networks. I, myself, have already gotten several requests over Facebook for attending Kony 2012-related events; and it bothers me that people are so naïve to freely dish up cash for whatever charity or cause without looking up accurate information about the issue and its sponsors. The makers of Kony 2012 only appear to be for a good cause, and to some certain extent, it is. However, they addressed this situation almost six years too late and are just after gullible people with deep pockets to donate money solely for the creation of more expensive “exposés”. The public response to this movie has so far been positive in all aspects, but for all the wrong reasons. Undoubtedly, funding for this project has been increased and the amount of supporters has grown. I find nothing wrong with educating people on worldly issues, but the line is crossed when companies behind such propaganda are only in it for the money.
ReplyDeleteEmely Jimenez
ReplyDeleteKON Y 2012
My first response was shock. I was amazed that no one knew who Joseph Kony was until recently. I was even more amazed that he had been able to enslave children in Africa by stealing them away from their homes and families, making the boys become soldiers, giving them guns and force them to kill their own loved ones, and he made the girls become sex slaves. However, what shocked me the most is that he had been able to do this for twenty-six years.
I am glad that there is a movement to stop him. There are people who are saying that he hasn’t done any recent activity; that he is in hiding and hasn’t enslaved any more children. Some people say that we should leave him alone because he will die soon, because of his age. I believe it doesn’t matter. I strongly believe and hope that he should be prosecuted. It doesn’t matter if it is true that he’d stopped. He has already destroyed the lives of thousands of children for many years. He has brought death and pain to even children who are too young to spell it. What angered me further is that he is not doing this for a cause. Kony does this simply to maintain power.
I hope he is found and prosecuted as soon as possible. I want him to suffer for what he has done. If he had taken one of my children, or even one of my siblings, I would do everything in my power to find him and bring him to justice. I also know that Joseph Kony isn’t the only one who does this type of destruction. I hope that this movement brings attention to other people about people like Joseph Kony
Joseph Kony is vicious man who must be stopped. He is rated as the #1 international criminal. I feel like America does not want to do anything for the situation because Kony is not a threat to us. He mutilates other people’s faces, kidnaps kids and make them kill their own parents, and uses girls as sex slaves. The defense that he uses is that he want Uganda to have theocracy and claims to be a Christian man. He is the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army. The Invisible Children is a nonprofit organization who formed to help these kids in Africa. They vow to stop Kony in this year, 2012. They have gathered 20 celebrities and 12 politicians to help the cause. On April 20th, 2012, they plan to cover the major cities in America with posters and make everyone aware that Kony is still out there, although he may have moved from Uganda. However, there has been controversy with Invisible Children. Some people say that they haven’t seen Invisible Children do anything. Some critics even say that they only send off 30% of the money they receive to Uganda. Critics also bring up the fact that even if they do catch Kony, there is still a chance that someone else will rise up and take his place. In the end, whether Invisible Children is helping Uganda or not, people, especially teenagers, have become more aware of the fact that Kony is a brutal man. Politicians, celebrities, anyone, has now counted themselves in the movement of Kony 2012 to help the kids in Africa.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of the Kony 2012 before but I just looked it over as another attack in some country. Now that I have actually read about the situation and people’s opinions on the topic, I am a bit uneasy about it. For one, I am not shocked that something like this happened. Violence is all around, and just like Hitler, Kony used all the hands he can get to win the war. I am not saying that kidnapping children to fight a war that many are even too young to understand is right but that is what happened. People understand that they cannot change the past, but they do hope to change the future. Because of this they continue to spread the story of Kony. The internet has helped for people from all over the world to hear about the situation and to come together to help. However, I must agree with Ciana that some people just may be spreading the story because their friends agree with it. Some people are so ignorant that they do not even bother to research the topic and just pick a side, as if life decisions were that simple. Also, no matter how strongly one feels, sitting behind a computer screen as soldiers go out there and fight does not make them a catalyst in the situation.
ReplyDeleteThe organization Invisible Children founded by Jason Russell and others have started this massive social movement in which they raise awareness on the issues going on in Uganda and Central Africa. This organization filmed a documentary of the leader of LRA Joseph Kony and the horrific terror he has caused in Uganda. Millions of children have been displaced from their families and homes and unfortunately they have been forced to join armies and be part of human trafficking. Because of the movie made by Invisible Children, MILLIONS of people have become aware of the issues going on in Uganda. However, there is speculation that the credibility of this organization is shady. Only about 30 percent of their profits actually go to helping the cause. Social media has played a HUGE influence in spreading the despicable actions of Joseph Kony. However, people need to be a little more informed. The video does a poor job in giving accurate information about the situation. I'm all for getting support on issues that should be important in the world. I believe that people should be more informed and not strictly believe what one video told them about years of social injustices in Central Africa.
ReplyDeleteThere is a an intensely problematic empirical thread running through this whole campaign especially as it has taken on a life of its own on Facebook and Twitter. Sure, we'll help you capture this guy so that we can feel better about ourselves and feel like we've done some good and then we'll go back to our everyday lives while some other tyrant rises up to take his place because none of the basic problems which have allowed this situation to occur in the first place have been addressed - poverty, corruption, access to education etc. This of course applies to so many situations where conflict occurs.These are a product of society at large and our society's failure to address the needs of those who are marginalised and to ensure equality prevails. In short, it will take much more than just the capture of Kony to protect the invisible children.
ReplyDeleteFor a while, I was very unaware of the situation going on in Uganda and I had no knowledge of the Kony 2012. After doing research I noticed that Kony has actually been very inactive for over six years now and the situation is no longer as serious as it once was. I personally feel that although this may have been once a serious situation and still is because of the major impact its having on the children the random popularity of the situation is very outstanding. I really do not feel that everyone who was creating pages on social networks and making others feel like they were strongly against Kony really knew the entire situation. I think these people were just trying to be apart of something. My opinion towards this is somewhat similar to that of Ciana because these people were jumping onto bandwagons to have a common interest with others. This is shown because now recently no one is really speaking about the entire situation with Kony. It was just popular and a serious “issue” for about a week or so and now no one is no longer speaking about it anymore.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw the Kony 2012 video, it made me realize a lot goes on in our world that I don’t even realize. This video portrays children and families that are separated because of Joseph Kony. However, some people believe this video is a scam. According to mashable.com, “Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Only 32% went to direct services, with much of the rest going to staff salaries, travel and transport, and film production. This is far from ideal, and Charity Navigator rates their accountability 2/4 stars because they haven’t had their finances externally audited. But it goes way deeper than that.” Thus portraying that a majority of the profit raised did not go to the people in need, but to the people who needed to pay bills. It’s not surprising that there was a catch to this non profit group, but at least people are being informed as to what is happening outside of their home. Although, I did not research facts before I saw the video, I learned a lot. The video shows that we can hopefully try and make a difference. Kony 2012 promoted slacktivism — the idea that sharing, liking or retweeting will solve a problem. In reality, people believe they are making a difference in someone’s life, but they are just promoting the ads by posting it to Facebook. There is a difference between talking about an issue rather than doing something about it. In the end, the video has opened up our eyes and made use realize how fortunate we are.
ReplyDeleteThe KONY 2012 campaign has received some grounded momentum and I think that's the experiment in which the narrator in the video has spoken about - whether or not this video can affect people's opinions and make them support the campaign. After watching the video, many teenagers act as if they are now the greatest activists, but mind you, a week ago, they did not even know of the presence of Kony. There are accusations stating that KONY 2012 campaign may be, however, propaganda. After watching numerous videos and listening to various opinions, it may be a coincidence but what is so important about the date April 20th? April 20th, coincidentally, is also Adolf Hitler's birthday. I agree with the KONY 2012 campaign that Kony must be captured, but a whole year cannot be dedicated into finding one person. He's also been inactive for 6 years so why now? Why not 20 years ago when he first started? He is no longer in Uganda either - he's in the Congo, and another thing about this campaign is that the government may be trying to use this campaign as a way of infiltrating Uganda for their billions of barrels of crude oil. Whatever the case may be, I support this campaign only to a certain extent.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Kony is by far one of the most despicable human beings to ever walk the face of the Earth. In my opinion, he is just as bad as Hitler or Stalin, in that he goes around destroying others for his own sick personal gain. Not only does he rip families apart and take children from the only home they’ve ever known, but he then forces them to act in a way that no one ever should, making the boys kill their own parents and turning the girls into sex slaves. Despite all of this, I do not agree with the action plan or main talking point of the Kony 2012 movement. To claim that we are ‘making Kony famous’ by sharing a video on Facebook or talking about him on Twitter makes it seem as though it is easy to track down a man who has taken over 30,000 child slaves over the past 26 years without being caught.
ReplyDeleteThe way Kony 2012 was presented – a glossy, Hollywood-style video featuring popular music and an attractive narrator – was by far the cleverest idea Invisible Children has used so far to bring attention to their cause. Obviously, a quick video like this would get many more hits from the 18-21 age group than a full-length documentary featuring dry interviews with professors or government officials. Because of the stylistic elements of the video, however, I believe that many of the true facts are being lost. With the Kony 2012 video, Invisible Children, a very flawed organization, is able to skate by under the radar on the basis of claiming they’re changing the world.
I think that any person who shares a link to the video or posts about it online and thinks that they’re making a difference is delusional. Yes, you are bringing awareness to the man, but you’re also bringing awareness to a cause that does not deserve all of the attention. I guarantee that if you go to Uganda, the people there won’t even know what Invisible Children is or what they do. Joseph Kony has been building up the LRA for 26 years, why is there such a hullabaloo over it now? Why didn’t we, as pedestrians who are able to influence the government, care when he first started? Changing the world requires a lot more than simply buying a bracelet from an organization where the majority of their money goes into advertising and marketing instead of going to the actual cause. I think many of us should really think critically next time about who and what we are actually supporting.
I think that Kony 2012 was a wake up call to everyone. It was a good use of social networks making the issue aware to people of all ages. Kony 2012 was a big problem that no one really looked upon. It was a major abduction problem in the country of Uganda. Unfortunately it has been going on for any years and we are now realizing it. Kony abducted many kids making it very hard for them to have a natural childhood. It is sad that someone can dictate the life of many other children. We have fought by getting signatures and many people to support the cause. We as the people have joined together as one to make the issue known to Congress. Although we are doing well I think that it may be a tad to late. Over 20 years this has been going on and once one video comes out the whole world must stop. I’m happy that we all can come together for a specific cause but the timing is all wrong. This problem happens all over the world. However we should try and stop the abduction epidemic instead of kony alone.
ReplyDeleteI think that Kony 2012 was a wake up call to everyone. It was a good use of social networks making the issue aware to people of all ages. Kony 2012 was a big problem that no one really looked upon. It was a major abduction problem in the country of Uganda. Unfortunately it has been going on for any years and we are now realizing it. Kony abducted many kids making it very hard for them to have a natural childhood. It is sad that someone can dictate the life of many other children. We have fought by getting signatures and many people to support the cause. We as the people have joined together as one to make the issue known to Congress. Although we are doing well I think that it may be a tad to late. Over 20 years this has been going on and once one video comes out the whole world must stop. I’m happy that we all can come together for a specific cause but the timing is all wrong. This problem happens all over the world. However we should try and stop the abduction epidemic instead of kony alone.
ReplyDeleteThe Organization Invisible Children is behind this movement and the children who are affected by Kony in Uganda are who benefit from it. I didn't know about what was going on before the movement and I'm sure no one else did. The thing is that social media has affected this movement greatly. First off, thanks to the media we were able to find out about this horrible man and what was being done to these kids. One person saw the video - who passed it on to someone else - who told their cousin - who posted it up on facebook. (Not literally but as an example on how easily things can be passed along now-a-days thanks to media.) Now, it is easy to just take a video, post it up, and get people to watch it. Due to this, people on the other side of the globe from Africa were able to find out about this and do something about it. I'm thankful for media for many things - this is an example why.
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