Krony 2012

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s probable that you are at least remotely aware of the video that’s been sweeping the nation, Kony 2012.  Produced and released by the nonprofit, Invisible Children (IC), the film is clearly compelling and has an almost hypnotic vibe to it.  The video does an excellent job at persuading the unthinking youth of the US with vivid images, emotional storytelling, techno music, and colorful Kony 2012 kits that come complete with signs and bracelets.  For only a few bucks a month, you can feel like you’re making even more of a difference for this tremendous cause, which over 77 million people have tuned into at most recent count.

So, who exactly is Kony?  What’s the deal with Invisible Children and is there something we aren’t being told about this cause?  Since the videos release, the have been numerous, credible criticisms of the film.  So many, that the CEO of Invisible Children even released a video to dispute them.  IC also has a “critique” page on their website that lays out the criticisms, alongside their financials.  Their financials are just one of the many valid criticisms of IC, considering they only spent 3.3 out of the nearly 8.9 million dollars they raised in 2011 on “helping” kids in Africa.

That’s only the tip of the iceberg, though.  What the film doesn’t tell you is that Kony hasn’t been in Uganda for over six years, believed to have fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and hasn’t been militarizing children for some time now.  In fact, the Ugandan government itself, which supports the Kony 2012 “movement,” is run by a leader that he himself used child militias to get into power.  Not to mention the myriad of hideous and heinous atrocities the Ugandan government has partaken in for some time now.  One such human rights violation is their controversial “kill the gays” bill, which has caused unfathomable violence and discrimination against Uganda’s LGBT community.  The “kill the gays” bill was largely introduced to Uganda through evangelists from the US, who traveled to Uganda to spread anti-gay propaganda.

You might wonder who is funding Invisible Children.  Well, that’s perhaps the scariest part of this entire scheme.  Invisible Children has received many large donations from US-based evangelical Christian hate groups, like Focus on the Family.  The connection?  Many of the bigots who run these Christian hate groups are directly responsible for traveling to Uganda to propel their religion and hate in an effort to support the “kill the gays” bill.  Furthermore, the CEO of IC is also a Christian, who has spoken at colleges and universities recently to discuss his strategies to quietly evangelize the world.  Still, IC claims to be a secular group, but one must question this when they receive funding from these Christian hate groups and have a CEO with similar beliefs.  Why exactly would these groups donate to IC, unless there was an incentive for them?

The icing on the cake, which further legitimizes the idea that Kony 2012 is an absolute scam, is that the US military has been itching to expand forces in Africa and what a better way to do it then to get US youth riled up about military intervention in Uganda?  Officials have already been searching for Kony for years now.  The people affected by Kony in Uganda years ago are now in the recovery process and to send in military intervention to search for a man that doesn’t even exist in that country would seem to add insult to injury.  In fact, a recent public screening of the film in Uganda, at a camp setup to help those affected by Kony to recover, incited outrage.  The people actually affected by Kony were appalled at the message of the film, its misinformation, and the way it exploits their people without offering really any solution as to how we are going to catch Kony.

Everyone agrees that Kony is a horrendous individual that has committed unthinkable crimes against humanity, that’s not being debated.  What is being debated is the legitimacy of Invisible Children and the film, Kony 2012.  Is there some other motive behind all this?  Is this a way to invite military invention and get US youth excited about it?  Is this some dubious way for evangelical Christian hate groups to funnel in more money and what’s their interest in all of this?  Remember, they’re the ones who have been systematically destroying Uganda for many years now.  And what will IC’s next “issue” be?  Obviously, with all the donations they’re getting, they must have other projects in the works.  Watch the Kony 2012 video and decide for yourself if you believe it’s all a big conspiracy.  Research the facts and criticisms; the information is out there.  Perhaps we need to put an end to this deliberate and mischievous indoctrination?  #Krony2012

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