KONY 2012

[Seanzie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[TheMacPanther]

Not working.

[Seanzie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[The Pathfinder]

"The problems with the 'Kony 2012' campaign: Ok so let's get this out of the way first, the basic idea of the campaign is great, to raise awareness of a war criminal that uses children as soldiers and sex slaves. Unfortunately the whole campaign seems to be missing the bigger political picture, I think this is nicely demonstrated in the statement of its second goal: 'That the U.S. military advisers support the Ugandan Army until Kony has been captured and the LRA has been completely disarmed. They need to follow through all the way and finish what they have started.' This statement not only suggests that the campaign is in favour of U.S. intervention but is completely uncritical of the Ugandan Government and its army, both of whom are by no means 'the good guys' in this. I can't be bothered going into too much detail but here are a few key points:
1) The Ugandan Government is a dictatorship with Yoweri Museveni as the president since 1986. Among many of its human rights violations the regime tortures prisons, oppresses other political parties and the press and also wishes to introduce a bill that would have 'convicted homosexuals' put to death.
2) In the civil war in which Yoweri Museveni gained power child soldiers were used by his army (National Resistance Army) which is now the army of Uganda but under a different name. (http://www.teachkidspeace.org/doc315.php)
3) The Ugandan army, or rather its high ranking officers have being using 'ghost soldiers' (soldiers who are no longer on the pay-roll) to siphon off funds, making the war even more profitable for them than usual, giving them a vested interest in its continuation. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3514473.stm)
4) (kinda the same point again) War is profitable, especially for large arms economies such as the U.S. and the UK. 'U.S. Military adviser support' may as well say 'we want to US and its arms manufactures /dealers to sell the Ugandan Government shit tons more weapons'. I'm sure there's many more points that could be made, and this is still a really basic explanation that barely goes into any detail, but even a single one of these points is enough to be critical of the campaign and its support of the Ugandan army. If the campaign really wants to be truly supportive of human rights it needs to recognise that Kony is not the only war criminal, all warmongering is a crime against humanity" Unknown
Additionally,
Of the $8.9 million in donations they spent in 2011, this is the breakdown: $1.7 million in US employee salaries $357,000 in Film costs $850,000 in Production costs $751,000 in Computer equipment $244,000 in "professional services" (DC lobbyists) $1.07 million in travel expenses $400,000 in yearly office rent in downtown San Diego $16,000 in Entertainment etc... Only 2.8 million (31%) made it to their charity program (which is further whittled down by local Ugandan government officials) - what do the children actually get?
Their rating on Charity Navigator is because they haven't had their financial books independently audited, and have no independent board members ...which is not a surprising given the use of cash noted above.
Source: Their own finacials -> Pages 6 and 12 http://c2052482.r82.cf0.rackcdn.com/images/737/original/FY11-Audited%20Financial%20Statements.pdf?1320205055
Source For Ratings: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12429 http://c2052482.r82.cf0.rackcdn.co

[Prairial Twenty-Two]

Thank you, Pathfinder.

[Seanzie]

Still, it's good to be aware of what is going on. Even if The charity is shady. Just don't donate anything but your time.

[Pleate's Treats]

Who would you donate your time to besides the charity? <_< Its not like you're heading over to Uganda.

[Seanzie]

If you watch the video, you would learn that on April 20th, they are doing something to raise awareness to the world. If you haven't watched the video, I suggest you do such. It is very informational, and the situation at hand is dire.

[Nuclear Catastrophe]

Ugh.... I despise this Kony thing.

It's almost like people gloss over the fact that the Ugandan president Musaveni used child soldiers to win HIS power in the first place, and now we're supposed to send funds indirectly to him (well, 30% of them - 70% will no doubt be spent 'administratively' on the 'Invisible Children' campaign).

I'm sorry, but these student douchebags will not change a thing in Africa.  People have been trying for decades, now, to improve these poor people's lives and suddenly these white guilt facebookers can stop the corruption, murder and relgious genocide with my ill spent dollar?

No thank you.

My 2c.

[Pleate's Treats]

What does "raise awareness" mean, quantitatively?

[Relinquish]

What does "raise awareness" mean, quantitatively?

Ultimately it defeats its intended purpose. With everything having it's own "awareness day/month/week" the communities that these awareness campaigns are directed at loose any sort of weight. It is just part of the growing desensitization of communities.

[shadesofblack]

Spot on, Nuke. These guys are using this viral video to lure the impressionable young fauxtivists that seem to be so prevalent on the web. Watching a 30 minute video and copy pasting the link will not do much other than line the pockets of this shady ass charity.

Furthermore, these guys are advocating American military intervention in a perpetually war torn region to help one crazy tribal warlord (who happens to be the president) catch another crazy warlord. While this movement might have good intentions, sending over troops is not the answer.

There are charities that actually spend most of their funds helping the victims of this war. If you really want to help by donating, consider Children of the Nations, a more transparent charity that spends most of its money on productive programs.

[Caddies]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpAMbpQ8J7g

[Jayde Moon]

Wow, thanks for that.

[Urlen]

I myself having gone a few years back and met with one of the speakers I myself do show sympathy towards such terror. Of course donating is indeed a way to make oneself ethically good or in some games "increasing karma/good alignment" but in reality it is the good doers who are put into a state of idiocracy and manipulated.
Acknowledgement of this is important though, lets us know what actions of terror remain. Seanzie had good intentions so do not think ill of him for such as indeed it is most times the good doers who are viewed with idiocracy.