The "Stop Joseph Kony" Thread (campaign against Ugandan guerilla leader)

[Djent]

This is blowing up on the Internet. The things this guy has done are unthinkable. Just watch the video.

[Chickenhawk]

I agree that he is a horrible person, and does horrible things.

But who are we to stop him? Are we the world police? Should we be sticking our noses in yet another countries problems?

I wonder if this guy has made a video about the Mexican drug cartels, or the rampant corruption in political offices and major corporations. Y'know, the issues that directly, negatively impact American lives.

Hell, maybe I'm just a jaded asshole. Who knows.

Although, the level of commitment this guy has is amazing. I can't deny that his techniques are out....ingstanding. It's Nazi/WW2-level propaganda, turned on it's ear.

Out.
....ing.
Standing.

[JamesM]

I'm with The Hawk here. We have far too many domestic issues right now to be ....ing with this.

[Xiphos68]

While I agree there are many issues to focus on within our own territory.

I don't see why we can't send a few troops to help out?

Though I am some what skeptical in teaching other countries our techniques due to problems of the past with U.S. getting involved in other countries and teaching new ideas, and then they turn against us.

Prayers I have for this cause, and I hope they can find this guy. It's a great mission.

Those children don't deserve what is happening to them, nor anyone else. Slavery is a terrible thing that still happens in the world every day, even in the U.S. still. Not only to kids, but adults as well.

God be with these guys.

[Blind Theory]

Pretty cool. If I wasn't such a heartless bastard I might do something to help out. I'm with Hawk as well, though. His tactics are ....ing great. My only problem is, why the hell can't anyone have the determination to get things like this done HERE? Where are the half-million people writing, calling and protesting the White House? I'm not talking Occupy shit, either. Something legitimately organized like this. I don't understand how so many want to help another nation out more than our own. You see and hear people complain about OUR economy and OUR government and yada, yada, yada but nothing is done. Start a movement like this to end war in the middle east. Then start another to get our oil domestically so we don't have to deal with them. Then start yet another movement to reduce the power our government has. Politicians (big wigs in DC) can do a LOT of shit that non-politicians would be arrested for. Change that. Make it a level playing field. Also, if you get a law passed, you must abide by it as well. No, "I am passing this for the greater good but me and my colleagues are going to opt out of it." Maybe start a movement like this to capture powerful crime bosses, be it the mafia/mob or a gang like MS-13. Use the money saved from no war to improve schools and put us back in the top tier for education. Put an emphasis on creation and innovation and watch as we stand on the top of the technological world. A proper campaign like this, focused at home, could bring about HUGE change.

Hell, we should all aspire to start something like this. To be a little more on topic, good for this guy, he is getting shit done that he feels strongly about. Now, where the hell are the millions of Americans that want change? I think it is time for them to step forward and help get shit done.

[Wingchunwarrior]

Britain gave them independence and look what they did with it...

[Stealthdjentstic]

The US isnt in a position to be playing world police unless it is fiscally sensible. Its too bad but thats how it is.

[C2Aye]

The least that anybody can do is share the video on facebook or any other social media. The US has already committed about 100 troops as an advisory role to the Ugandan army in order to apprehend Kony - Joseph Kony - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As far as I'm aware, there is no intention to send any more troops but instead to keep the mission going until Kony is captured. So in the grand scheme of things, 100 troops isn't going to cause a fiscal collapse of the American economy or ruin the next healthcare/education bill. So for once, instead of going to the standard line of 'we should sort out our own problems first', think about the other implications. This would be the first time we have managed to get governments to do something through mass and social media. It shows you don't need to have support from advertisers or big companies to get a message out there. If Joseph Kony is brought to trial at the ICC, it shows that our generation achieved something that wouldn't have been possible even 5 or 10 years ago. As long as the awareness is kept up and the US government knows that there is public support, it will kept its current mission going.

At the very least guys, watch the video and share it if you're so inclined

[Fiction]

They actually sent the 100 troops over last year, and the video was released yesterday, so nothing has resulted from the video as of yet, other then millions of people knowing about Kony. I don't know whether something bigger will happen, personally I do think America needs to sit this one out, they've got their 100 troops, and they shouldn't send more over, I'd hate for this to just turn into another Iraq with Saddam (same shit, different smell), especially with America 15 Trillion dollars in debt, I think they need to sort their shit out before they go screwing around with international affairs of this level.

Edit: I haven't watched the video yet, so forgive me ignorance if the comment contains any, i'm going off what I've read, I also pose a question, in the video, does it say where donations go? I can't find anything on the website about where the donations are going, I'm hoping to Uganda to fix up schools, hospitals or whatever else it may be.

[ZEBOV]

So I see the argument between those who say "Do something about Kony now" vs those who say "We're not in any position to because we have enough problems over here."

I'm on the side of those who say "Do something about Kony now."

Reason: We have to start somewhere. Since Kony was the first to be indicted by the International Criminal Court, that is one of many places to start to bring about a change throughout the world. Change has to start somewhere. We have to start somewhere. SOMEWHERE! I believe that IF the world is successful in AT LEAST making sure that this does not leave the attention of the media and our governments (especially the U.S. government), it will have a snowball effect in making important changes all over the world. Taking that first step is the scariest. It's out of our comfort zone. But after taking that first step (which is for putting an end to Kony's crimes), each step after that will be easier than the previous step, and we can move on to political corruption, fix drug policies (which can play a large part in fixing our problems with drug cartels), energy, etc. I believe this could have a snowball effect in change because no one from the past several generations has seen anything like this. When we see how powerful our collective voice is, we'll use it again and again.

[Blind Theory]

They briefly talk about rebuilding schools so I think that is where money is going towards; schools, hospitals, homes.

Anyway, for just being released a day ago, shit's blown up. When I went to bed 6 ish hours ago (I hate my job), no one knew who this guy was or had seen the video. Now, every ....ing post on my facebook wall for the past 5 hours is about how we need to stop kony and all that fun stuff. I gotta hand it to this film maker/activist, pretty damn effective way of drumming up attention for a cause.

[ILuvPillows]

What's a few thousand raped and mutilated children when compared with imaginary debt?

...
The (Global) movement is to show continued support on a world scale as well as the existing US one. A push to resolve the issue by the end of the year. Counties will always be in debt, the US will always spend a great deal of money on weapons instead of Global Aid. This talk about what is and isn't feasible for 1st world countries is ridiculous when compared with this.
Feel free not to participate in spreading awareness, but try to do something more productive with the time than to sit on this forum talking about how it's all ludicrous to attempt a change in this modern day.


EDIT: The post above which makes a connection with the Iraq war- I'd disagree completely with this as the Iraq war was largely slated due to England and the US getting involved to protect their own financial backs. This whole Kony campaign is the opposite as it aims for intervention based on the principles of Human rights violation, there is no oil to be gained. Also, as stated in this Video (which I'm sure everyone who has commented has watched...) the US is already involved by creating to International Criminal list (or whatever it may be called) and placing Kony on the top. England and the US have placed themselves into this situation of power and responsibility, it's up to the public to push this into fruition.

[Fiction]

Originally Posted by ILuvPillows

The post above which makes a connection with the Iraq war- I'd disagree completely with this as the Iraq war was largely slated due to England and the US getting involved to protect their own financial backs. This whole Kony campaign is the opposite as it aims for intervention based on the principles of Human rights violation, there is no oil to be gained. Also, as stated in this Video (which I'm sure everyone who has commented has watched...) the US is already involved by creating to International Criminal list (or whatever it may be called) and placing Kony on the top. England and the US have placed themselves into this situation of power and responsibility, it's up to the public to push this into fruition.

The reason US Went to Iraq, was to end terrorism on behalf of Saddam, who was responsible for 200,000 civilian deaths + his genocidal campaign against the Kurdish which in this case, we have Kony, who is responsible for ~20,000 kidnappings + Whatever murders.

Seems to be the same story here.

[traditional]

I can't believe that people are so against this movement. That whole 'we have bigger problems' line, while it does have some legitimate reasoning, is an absolute crock. The amount of support the U.S government has shown is already enough to have sent a message to other criminal organisations, and the continuing support means that other governments can get involved so the load isn't entirely on the U.S.
And I mean seriously, fiscal problems? U.S instability? Considering they spent over one TRILLION dollars on the Iraq war and pulled out the last of hundreds of thousands troops in December 2011, what's 100 soldiers going to do? Also, the argument about another Iraq/Sadam situation seems trivial. Uganda, Africa, etc does not have the resources or wealth to even come close to possessing the same power that Iraq did.

[Lon]

to phrase it dilligently:

I am not your personal wehrmacht

[Loomer]

Worst Idea Ever? | Wronging Rights

The Educated Field Negro, We got trouble.

I'll just leave this here...

[ZEBOV]

Originally Posted by Fiction

The reason US Went to Iraq, was to end terrorism on behalf of Saddam, who was responsible for 200,000 civilian deaths + his genocidal campaign against the Kurdish which in this case, we have Kony, who is responsible for ~20,000 kidnappings + Whatever murders.

Seems to be the same story here.

We went to Iraq because the Bush administration said that Saddam has WMD's, which was a complete lie. Genocide had nothing to do with it.

[Fiction]

Originally Posted by ZEBOV

We went to Iraq because the Bush administration said that Saddam has WMD's, which was a complete lie. Genocide had nothing to do with it.

I don't even know anymore

[Loomer]

Originally Posted by Fiction

I don't even know anymore

I don't anyone truly does, nor will ever be allowed to. Too many people stand to lose a lost of money if anyone learns the truth.

[USMarine75]

We did nothing about Idi Amin... who was far worse. Why do anything about this guy?

[Alberto7]

Originally Posted by Loomer

The Educated Field Negro, We got trouble.

I'll just leave this here...

That article makes some good points that I hadn't thought about upon first watching the KONY 2012 campaign video. It also provides facts and figures with what I think are good sources that I hadn't checked out before. Definitely made me think twice about this whole campaign... I'm 150% in favor of the desired outcome of the campaign, but the means do seem kind of shady, judging by the couple of articles you provided. I need to research a bit more...

[Loomer]

Originally Posted by Alberto7

That article makes some good points that I hadn't thought about upon first watching the KONY 2012 campaign video. It also provides facts and figures with what I think are good sources that I hadn't checked out before. Definitely made me think twice about this whole campaign... I'm 150% in favor of the desired outcome of the campaign, but the means do seem kind of shady, judging by the couple of articles you provided. I need to research a bit more...

Yup. We all do, though. Here it's sadly just another case of misinformed, naive college kids with a messiah complex potentially ....ing the situation up even further.

And an NGO where only 31% of profits go to the actual cause?! That just ....ing stinks...

[The Grief Hole]

Edit:Totally didnt pay attention to the last couple of posts.

[soliloquy]

humm...perhaps the 'invisible children' organization isn't what they say to be:
Visible Children - KONY 2012 Criticism

[Xiphos68]

As far as I know the troops sent over there cannot engage in contact unless they have to defend themselves. They are only helping the Uganda Army find them.

So I don't think it's totally a bad idea. But we should keep a sharp eye out. Because there is no telling what could happen.

Mainly do it for the kids and we should. But we don't just have to send troops, we can pray as well, and show support through awareness (doing so).

Because I honestly did not know who Joseph Kony was, I honestly just found out about him when I saw the vid. Though I had heard about these kids in Africa who were handed guns and were made to fight. Didn't know there was a whole army of them exactly.

Anyway, apparently he has no real mission with this army, but to keep power?
What power does he exactly have? Fear, and money?