I knew KONY 2012 was too good to be true.

[OneGrassRoot]

19. This is FASCINATING to me

Last edited Sat Mar 10, 2012, 12:26 PM - Edit history (2)

The firestorm and backlash to Kony 2012 is, to me, worthy of exploration and study in and of itself.

I understand much of the criticism, including the charge that they have oversimplified a complicated situation.

Well, to me, ALL situations are complicated. It's nearly impossible to get everyone on the same page as to how to resolve any of the heinous situations and injustices being perpetuated around the world, and in our own country. So, to me, raising the subject for discussion in a big way is the very first step. People can't debate the merits of a problem or solution until they're aware of it.

They've succeeded in that regard, because people sure are talking about it.

The other criticism is the immediate charge about them as a nonprofit (here is their response to many of the charges).

I'm the last one to follow an issue or organization blindly, and I am very hesitant to ever encourage others to donate anywhere, certainly not until they have researched an organization on their own.

Yet one of the things I find fascinating about this particular Kony 2012 firestorm is that I saw, pretty much immediately, people being focused on "beware - don't give this group money!"

The thing is, they weren't asking for money. The focus of this campaign is to share the video and raise awareness; it was never about asking people for money. Jason Russell was on Lawrence O'Donnell last night saying that all the materials are available for download for free, that this hasn't been at its core a fundraising effort, it's an awareness raising effort. Of course, they're not going to turn down donations, but when I saw the video I absolutely did NOT come away feeling I needed to donate nor did I feel bad about not being able to do so. I came away simply wanting to share the video and to allow others to decide their interest from there.

Granted, I realize how they are attempting to raise awareness (facts, figures, style of the approach, etc.) is something many seem to disagree with. But raise awareness is exactly what they're doing, even if it's in the form of debate and critique.

But the fact that so many were so quick to dismiss the entire campaign and, rather than focus on and discuss the complexities of the issue itself, they quickly turned away entirely and -- more importantly, encouraged OTHERS to turn away. THAT is what has been fascinating to me.

I realize this is a very judgmental statement but, based on what I've witnessed over my life, not only about Kony 2012 but any other campaign (not at DU necessarily but just in general), there are certain people who, for whatever reason, are more focused on tearing something down rather than focus on the issue itself and then work to find the positives in the effort, aspects that can be agreed upon in order to work together with others of like mind to approach the issue in a way they agree with.

When it comes to huge issues, humans simply can't agree. But rather than take the subject matter being raised, whether it's about child soldiers or homelessness here in the US, efforts are criticized to an extraordinary degree, questioning the integrity of nearly every organization trying to work to improve situations.

I'm skeptical, too, and I will always do my due diligence in researching organizations and companies and the issues themselves. Many have less than honorable intentions; many started off with good, honorable intentions, got big and got corrupt to varying degrees.

Yet what I see all too often is that those who are inclined to be apathetic use the extreme criticism that inevitably arises in this 24/7 media age as an excuse to continue to hide their heads in the sand.

"It's all too complicated, we can't do anything, we'll just make it worse."

That's what many people take away from it, so I can understand why IC felt that as simplified approach as possible will at least get people engaged. What is to be done once people are paying attention is another matter. But that is always the first step.

I saw people, many for the first time (of all ages), interested in what was going on as it concerned Uganda, yet as soon as the HUGE backlash took over, they quickly said, screw it; the organization and the mission itself must be a huge scam.

When I read this OP the first time, I cringed. I cringe any time I see Liberty University or Bob Jones University mentioned, for the same reasons many of you cringe. And I was also a bit sick to my stomach to consider that this was some sort of covert evangelical conversion mission.

But then I saw what Jason said. And even though some of the verbiage made me uncomfortable because I'm surrounded by thumpers, I stepped back from my own narrow-mindedness and looked at it again. Perhaps he is a Christian and the words came naturally to him; perhaps he used verbiage that resonated with his audience, as most speakers do.

As he said, IC has a two-pronged approach: to reduce human rights abuses abroad, and to empower young people here in the States to realize they can affect the world in a positive way.

Students are their audience here; they have Invisible Children student organizations in many high schools around the country.

And I realized THAT was what his message was about. About the knee-jerk perceptions we all make that prevent further discourse.

I didn't see him encouraging evangelizing, encouraging the Liberty students to (or others who go on mission trips, for example) convert others to their faith. What I saw him talk about was saying how they can live their faith (those who believe in the "teachings of Jesus&quot , and to do so without judgment and expectation.

We're always saying thumpers need to be less hypocritical and actually live the teachings of Christ when they interact with others, especially those who are suffering in some way. I heard this Jason guy deliver that same message in a very smooth way, actually.

We're all looking at one another, making judgments, assuming we know the agendas (which are always nefarious or at least against our principles), and the bottom line is that WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.

We don't tackle the root causes of the issues because they're so friggin complicate; apathy takes over for most people, and frustration and fatigue take over for activists.

We don't make tremendous strides to alleviate the suffering as we simultaneously tackle the root causes, because the efforts to reduce suffering are attacked as NOT FIXING THE CORE PROBLEM.

I'm weird in that I'm not as focused on the uber specifics of this campaign -- Kony -- but the implications of it for the myriad issues the world faces.

To me, the basic things being discussed now concerning this Kony campaign -- geopolitical issues, the root causes that lead to such crimes and injustices, who intervenes, how and for what motive/intention -- pertain to every major issue we face in this world.

How to address the root causes to prevent the horrors and injustices, while simultaneously working to alleviate the existing suffering now -- yet doing so in a just, not charitable/condescending manner -- are huge issues that lie at the heart of nearly ever well-intentioned campaign and the criticisms of it.

Well, that's my perception, at least. But to at least begin the discussion about issues is the very first step, imho.

The habit for the naysayers to take over and totally subvert discussion about the issue itself -- because they're so focused on dissecting and bringing down the messenger -- is very destructive, imho.

Again, I'm not advocating blindly following anyone or any organization, but it just seems to me that the extraordinary backlash to this unprecedented social media campaign is starting to cause discussion to now veer away from the issue at hand and instead be focused on Invisible Children, resulting in more apathy and immobilization.

It seems the issue can be discussed more intelligently and with more voices while some continue to express why they're concerned with Invisible Children and/or their approach with Kony 2012.

It doesn't have to be one or the other. Just as it doesn't have to be one or the other -- a focus on the root cause of an issue or a focus on alleviating the current suffering -- as it concerns any problem.

We have the capacity to do both, but we inevitably shoot our collective selves in the foot with the EXTREME skepticism and criticism.

Hope this makes sense. No time to proof.