KONY 2012

[fgalkin]

I am asserting that the timing of the video is very much wrong to do anything else. After all, Kony and the LRA have been out of Uganda for more than six years. But I am pretty sure that very soon, our President will make a speech along the lines of "We have already been engaging in peacekeeping operations in Uganda, but since you insist so much, of course we will send in more troops to secure the oi..err...keep China ou...errr...take Uganda back from our Evangelical oppo...to GET KONY." Which is of course, what they wanted all along but couldn't really do due to the Republicans all but controlling Uganda (rembember the "execute all gays" bill?). Soon, however, people will be practically begging them to intervene, which they will gladly do.

I imagine the announcement will come sometime mid-May.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Themightytom]

I am asserting that the timing of the video is very much wrong to do anything else. After all, Kony and the LRA have been out of Uganda for more than six years. But I am pretty sure that very soon, our President will make a speech along the lines of "We have already been engaging in peacekeeping operations in Uganda, but since you insist so much, of course we will send in more troops to secure the oi..err...keep China ou...errr...take Uganda back from our Evangelical oppo...to GET KONY." Which is of course, what they wanted all along but couldn't really do due to the Republicans all but controlling Uganda (rembember the "execute all gays" bill?). Soon, however, people will be practically begging them to intervene, which they will gladly do.

I imagine the announcement will come sometime mid-May.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

What part of the video states they are in Uganda right now? I've heard it repeatedly called misleading but when I watched it I understood that the children featured had BEEN in Uganda and Kony had too, but that Kony was "changing his tactics" to be harder to find, which obviously would include relocating? is there a part of a movie people are specifically referencing?

Is Obama behind the viral mime, or is he more likely to simply take advantage of it. the video makes no secret of it's intention to galvanize popular support to force politicians into maintaining action, in fact they claim credit for Obama sending in the Ci...ah I mean the education team.

[fgalkin]

You should instead ask what part of the video states they are NOT in Uganda.

And, sure, Kony has changed his tactics to make himself harder to find. Those involve things like "largely abandoning the fight and hiding in remote places." The LRA is largely irrelevant by this point. What is not irrelevant is the US-Ugandan military cooperation.

And here is the part where they claim credit for it:

After eight years of work, the government finally heard us. And in October of 2011, a hundred American advisers were sent into Central Africa to assist the Ugandan army in arresting Kony and stopping the LRA.
It was the first time in history that the United States took that kind of action because the people demanded it. Not for self-defense, but because it was right. We’ve come so far. But Kony is still out there.

Of course, there is plenty of problems with the US peacekeeping presence in Uganda (and the claim that it was not for US interests is a blatant lie).

Is Obama actually behind this video? I guess we'll find out in the near future, once more people look into Invisible Children and their shady practices.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Themightytom]

You should instead ask what part of the video states they are NOT in Uganda.

Um that's a little out of the way for my argument isn't it? I never got that impression, why am I helping support people who did?

And, sure, Kony has changed his tactics to make himself harder to find. Those involve things like "largely abandoning the fight and hiding in remote places." The LRA is largely irrelevant by this point. What is not irrelevant is the US-Ugandan military cooperation.

Again that's what I inferred. Bin Laden didn't stay still in Afganistan, why would the audience assume Kony would? We have drones, spy satelite's reconnisiance planes, Anyone who THINKS the US is looking for them would go into hiding.

And here is the part where they claim credit for it:

After eight years of work, the government finally heard us. And in October of 2011, a hundred American advisers were sent into Central Africa to assist the Ugandan army in arresting Kony and stopping the LRA.
It was the first time in history that the United States took that kind of action because the people demanded it. Not for self-defense, but because it was right. We’ve come so far. But Kony is still out there.

Um that is NOT claiming he is in Uganda, they said "Central Africa". Just because the Ugandan army happens to be their partners doesn't mean they are claiming he's in Uganda... the US sent help, but he's not HERE.

Of course, there is plenty of problems with the US peacekeeping presence in Uganda (and the claim that it was not for US interests is a blatant lie).

Is Obama actually behind this video? I guess we'll find out in the near future, once more people look into Invisible Children and their shady practices.

But at the moment there isn't actually anything suggesting he is. If he DOES turn out to be complicit I will come right back here and concede but I think it's more likely Invisible Children is deliberately taking advantage of an election year, and MAYBE the discovery of oil, in order to further their objective of getting rid of Kony. It would be a massive feather in their cap as an organization, and they could write their ticket for the next target.

[fgalkin]

Again that's what I inferred. Bin Laden didn't stay still in Afganistan, why would the audience assume Kony would? We have drones, spy satelite's reconnisiance planes, Anyone who THINKS the US is looking for them would go into hiding.

Except he's been in hiding since 2006 or so, way before the US got involved. Why? Because he lost the war. Looking for him is like looking for Ratko Mladic. Sure, it's a good thing, but is it really worth it?

Especially considering whom we're helping. Our new friends, the government of Uganda is headed by a President-For-Life (currently in his 25th year of power) whose government routenely engages in torture and murder, and oh yes, is about to execute all gays in the country. Our allies the Ugandan army has a thing for mass rape and looting. It's all right, though. Can't make an omelet without breaking a few heads, after all.

Or, how about the fact that the Ugandans themselves are strongly opposed to it. But hey, they're Africans, what do THEY know about running a country?

But at the moment there isn't actually anything suggesting he is. If he DOES turn out to be complicit I will come right back here and concede but I think it's more likely Invisible Children is deliberately taking advantage of an election year, and MAYBE the discovery of oil, in order to further their objective of getting rid of Kony. It would be a massive feather in their cap as an organization, and they could write their ticket for the next target.

So, they are basically willing to sell out the people of Uganda to foreign interests just so they can brag about taking down Kony? And they're supposed to be the good guys here?

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

I've kept my distance from all this, mostly because I heard bad about all sides in this, but Yefim's posts as well as evidence on reddit lead me to think this is all a setup in getting America stuck in a land war in Africa.

[Themightytom]

Again that's what I inferred. Bin Laden didn't stay still in Afganistan, why would the audience assume Kony would? We have drones, spy satelite's reconnisiance planes, Anyone who THINKS the US is looking for them would go into hiding.

Except he's been in hiding since 2006 or so, way before the US got involved. Why? Because he lost the war. Looking for him is like looking for Ratko Mladic. Sure, it's a good thing, but is it really worth it?

He hasn't been in hiding since 2006, he has been out of Uganda since 2006, did you forget the Christmas massacre in the Congo? There have been half a dozen attacks by the LRA since then, in that area, he didn't hide, he just moved. That's the entire point of chasing him fgalkin, he isn't trying to win a war, there's nothing to negotiate for, he's just moving around looking for power because he thinks god told him to.

Especially considering whom we're helping. Our new friends, the government of Uganda is headed by a President-For-Life (currently in his 25th year of power) whose government routenely engages in torture and murder, and oh yes, is about to execute all gays in the country. Our allies the Ugandan army has a thing for mass rape and looting. It's all right, though. Can't make an omelet without breaking a few heads, after all.

aaaaand as the video you apparently didn't watch states, Kony would just be the first to go, to send a message to those committing human rights violations that the world is watching. I guess you'd be content to just let them all kill themselves because doing anything about it at all is beneath your principles?

Or, how about the fact that the Ugandans themselves are strongly opposed to it. But hey, they're Africans, what do THEY know about running a country?

You just completely misrepresented what that article is, I'll assume you didn't read it either. According to your article, Ugandans are not at all against capturing Joseph Kony, they are angry that the video could bring negative attention back to their country now that they've found peace.

Did you not just point out that their law enforcement commits human rights violations?

They object to the focus on the documenter's son, and his reactions, rather than more input from Ugandans. Do I even have to point out that obviously the son's inclusion was to demonstrate the process of awakening awareness in a sympathetic manner? Please tell me I don't and that you avhe a rudimentary grasp of media communication, the video was targeted at Americans, not Ugandans, they KNOW who he is, and if you would care to read your own source, you would note that they did not ONCE state he should not be captured, they object only to how Uganda is depicted, and more military activity in the area.

But at the moment there isn't actually anything suggesting he is. If he DOES turn out to be complicit I will come right back here and concede but I think it's more likely Invisible Children is deliberately taking advantage of an election year, and MAYBE the discovery of oil, in order to further their objective of getting rid of Kony. It would be a massive feather in their cap as an organization, and they could write their ticket for the next target.

So, they are basically willing to sell out the people of Uganda to foreign interests just so they can brag about taking down Kony? And they're supposed to be the good guys here?

You know your first problem is that you seem incapable of gauging intent. You are proceeding from the premise that Invisible Children has a direct link between political and commercial interests. Their motivation wouldn't be monetary, it would be ideological, and that mission is pretty straight forward. Invisible Children's goals primary objective is RIGHT in their name. "bragging" about taking Kony down, would not be gain political capitol to advance a career, or a partisan agenda, they would be taking credit for effectively accomplishing their mission, because A. they need credibility for donor support, to CONTINUE doing that mission and B, their mission is very ambitious. Your sceond problem, is that you are not the intended audience for the video. You are arguing on behalf of people who don't think Invisible Children is on the up and up, but they are arguing against people who don't believe taking Kony down is possible..
You should be looking at their financials, organizational activities, and more closely looking at what is coming out of the region, because you don't seem particularly skeptical that Kony can be taken down, you seem skeptical about the organization trying to do it.

They aren't selling out the people of Uganda to foreign interests, they would in fact be taking advantage of them. As I pointed out above, stabilizing the region, you know, removing the guy whose kidnapped army brutally maims and massacres people, forces a funeral procession to boil and eat the dead, and grabs children to serve as soldiers. They aren't even serving greater monsters. Their security forces commit atrocities, but at least there is accountability at some level whenever publicity about it surfaces. They are a far cry from western law enforcement employing Tasers and Tear gas, but they aren't abducting children to serve as infantry either.

You've brought up the nebulous bogeyman of oil interests, but you haven't even considered how oil interests could HELP the area, providing revenue for rebuilding. Ultimately, that is just more speculation as to why the viral video might possibly be getting traction, and is utterly irrelevant to the mission of Invisible children and what it's trying to accomplish.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Thanas]

Tom, I stayed out of the other thread, but you better shape up with regards to spelling and using the damned quote function or there will be warnings. Please try not to type with your forehead, ok?



***********************

Meanwhile, the Kony 2012 guys has been arrested. No, not for being a goddamned scammer, but for:

Yahoo news

Jason Russell, the filmmaker behind the mega-viral "Kony 2012" documentary, was arrested in San Diego on Thursday night, NBC reported, citing the San Diego Police Department.

Russell, 33, "was taken into custody after he was found masturbating in public, vandalizing cars and possibly under the influence of something," NBC's San Diego affiliate reported, citing San Diego Police Department spokeswoman Lt. Andra Brown.

Horny2012?

[Phantasee]

My first conclusion was "he was drugged to distract everyone from the likely conclusion that IC was a front to promote the continued involvement of the US military in Uganda".

I don't know why, but it was.

[Raw Shark]

Breaking stuff, whacking off randomly? Sounds like my art school / acid days...

[Scrib]

My first conclusion was "he was drugged to distract everyone from the likely conclusion that IC was a front to promote the continued involvement of the US military in Uganda".

I don't know why, but it was.

TBH I thought something similar. I thought that this was done to make the campaign implode quietly to avoid scrutiny. But I can't for the life of me see why anyone would open themselves up to sex offender charges. I guess I'm just cynical.

[Thanas]

The more likely reason is that as has been posted several times, the guy is a scamming idiot who does stupid things.

[Scrib]

The more likely reason is that as has been posted several times, the guy is a scamming idiot who does stupid things.

I know, my mind just has a tendency to avoid the logical path when someone acts incredibly stupid. I just find it difficult to accept.