Now I want to state my opinion on this. I am still researching but since it is a little late (almost midnight) I will not look further into it right now, because being tired makes understanding English a little harder for me as long as I am not thinking in English. So I hope you will bare with me and check in later for updates.
When you check out the KONY 2012 facebook-page, you will mainly find comments of people who disagree with the movement. Their main criticism is that the organization Invisible Children (IC) that started the movement uses most of the donated money for their own benefits and campaigns, etc. and only a small portion (I think it is about a third) goes to the actual cause. Furthermore, critics say that the LRA has not been in Uganda for a few years now and that it is not even sure if Kony is still alive (also check out this youtube video). Moreover, it seems that through the work of IC this war will be fought with war, especially since some US soldiers were sent to Uganda to help the Ugandan military find Kony.
I do believe that the founders of Invisible Children know how to move and inspire a whole lot of people. Especially through their video they show their talent pretty good. Didn't you get carried away while watching this, hearing Jason Russell's pleading voice, seeing a boy tell us how his brother died, seeing him cry, watching hundreds of teenagers lift their hands making the peace symbol? This is all very moving and I admit that I got goose pumps all over several times.
This all reminds me of the One-for-One-movement of TOMS. They produce their shoes in China (just check out the inside of your pair) or Argentina, etc. for a few Dollars max. and sell them for at least $45.
It is very easy to get carried away but it is also as easy to disapprove and be against it. TOMS and IC raise awareness. They move a giant mass of people that start acting. But of course at the same time they raise a lot of concerns and criticism.
IC answers this criticism on their website. There are many important, well educated people who approve of this organization that started out small and grew bigger. I suspect (without further evidence) that most critics started to be against the movement as it grew bigger and reached more people.
I also believe that there is some (if not a lot) truth to the ideals, missions and campaigns KONY 2012 promotes. The war in Uganda is/was real (I still have to look into this background further) even if they do have more/other problems nowadays than they had when the movement started. Uganda is a developing country that suffers from poverty, a corrupt government, no economy, etc. Of course they do have other problems. But I think you have to start somewhere. This movement is ten years old and of course things have changed during those years. But it is also a fact that LRA only moved to different countries and was supposedly even supported by the government of the Sudan (link to this info will be updated). Because the situation in Uganda got better, the organization should stop their work? They are working for a good cause, against a threat that only moved to a different place.
The criticism that "we have enough problems (homelessness, poverty) in our own countries" or "the US as the world police" are alright. But there are many organizations that help and provide for homeless in Germany, the US and all the other industrial nations. And yes, the US has often fought against political ideologies and terrorism in the world (and very often failed). But what other country does the first step? This movement was started by a private group of people that wanted to do something against this crime, it was not started by the US government. I think this is an essential point that many people criticizing this last point forget.
As the number of people supporting the movement and the number of its critics grow, it is more and more important to make up one's own mind about this topic. I am still doing some "research" in order to do this. It is good to question in a world that is pretty much ruled by media that influences us more than we realize. So I ask you to not just get carried away or simply be against it because everybody else is "swimming with the flow" (German saying ;)). Question - and then form your own opinion. If you then choose to support the cause or be against it, I will respect your decision. Otherwise, start being your own person.
As of right now, I personally tend to be in favor of Invisible Children and KONY 2012 (and also TOMS). I believe that you have to start somewhere and these people did. They picked these cases because they touched them the most and took action, just like any other founder of soup kitchens did. I admire people who have the courage to take action because I know I lack it.
This is my personal opinion and I hope you respect it as I will respect yours.
As I will try to "research" this topic a little bit more, I might change this opinion and edit this blog post. So stay tuned, if you are interested ;).
Love,
Eileen
