Kony 2012 – Viral for Good? #KONY2012

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Kony 2012 – Viral for Good?

Last night I was forwarded the Kony 2012 video a dear friend. While I am in an extremely busy season of my life, I stopped and was instantly drawn to the videography. The story. The interaction. The emotion. The filmmaker done good.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who was forwarded the video last night either. With over 15 MILLION views in the last 3 days on YouTube and over 11.2 million on Vimeo, I’d say this thing Kony 2012 is viral. And if video wasn’t enough, the message of Kony is being spread. Last night on Instagram, there were over 48k #KONY2012 images depicting Joseph Kony.

I’d say Joseph Kony is now famous.

Who is Behind Kony 2012?

The group Invisible Children are the hands and feet of this viral campaign. Here is their mission:

WHO IS JOSEPH KONY?

JOSEPH KONY IS THE WORLD’S WORST WAR CRIMINAL. IN 1987 HE TOOK OVER LEADERSHIP OF AN EXISTING REBEL GROUP AND RENAMED IT THE LORD’S RESISTANCE ARMY (LRA).

THE LRA HAS EARNED A REPUTATION FOR ITS CRUEL AND BRUTAL TACTICS. WHEN JOSEPH KONY FOUND HIMSELF RUNNING OUT OF FIGHTERS, HE STARTED ABDUCTING CHILDREN TO BE SOLDIERS IN HIS ARMY OR “WIVES” FOR HIS OFFICERS. THE LRA IS ENCOURAGED TO RAPE, MUTILATE, AND KILL CIVILIANS–OFTEN WITH BLUNT WEAPONS.

THE LRA IS NO LONGER ACTIVE IN NORTHERN UGANDA (WHERE IT ORIGINATED) BUT IT CONTINUES ITS CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, AND SOUTH SUDAN. IN ITS 26-YEAR HISTORY, THE LRA HAS ABDUCTED MORE THAN 30,000 CHILDREN AND DISPLACED AT LEAST 2.1 MILLION PEOPLE.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF KONY 2012?

INVISIBLE CHILDREN HAS BEEN WORKING FOR 9 YEARS TO END AFRICA’S LONGEST-RUNNING ARMED CONFLICT. U.S. MILITARY ADVISERS ARE CURRENTLY DEPLOYED IN CENTRAL AFRICA ON A “TIME-LIMITED” MISSION TO STOP KONY AND DISARM THE LRA. IF KONY ISN’T CAPTURED THIS YEAR, THE WINDOW WILL BE GONE.

WE ARE TAKING ACTION TO ENSURE THESE TWO THINGS:

1) THAT JOSEPH KONY IS KNOWN AS THE WORLD’S WORST WAR CRIMINAL.

2) 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.

WHY ARE WE MAKING JOSEPH KONY “FAMOUS”?

INVISIBLE CHILDREN’S KONY 2012 CAMPAIGN AIMS TO MAKE JOSEPH KONY FAMOUS, NOT TO CELEBRATE HIM, BUT TO RAISE SUPPORT FOR HIS ARREST AND SET A PRECEDENT FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE. IN THIS CASE, NOTORIETY TRANSLATES TO PUBLIC SUPPORT. IF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE CRIMES THAT KONY HAS BEEN COMMITTING FOR 26 YEARS, THEY WILL UNITE TO STOP HIM.

SECONDLY, WE WANT KONY TO BE FAMOUS SO THAT WHEN HE IS STOPPED, HE WILL BE A VISIBLE, CONCRETE EXAMPLE OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE. THEN OTHER WAR CRIMINALS WILL KNOW THAT THEIR MASS ATROCITIES WILL NOT GO UNNOTICED OR UNPUNISHED.

Is #KONY2012 Viral for Good?

So like all things that go viral there is the side that is YAY and the side that is NAH. And when something is A. political and B. controversial you will have tons of people who will wildly show their activism side.

There are some that question Invisible Children as an organization, their connections/relationships and their funds. There are others that question if going after Joseph Kony is something that we should put our troop in harms way for. There are some that say that this isn’t “our” business to find him. There are some who are just raising their hands to raise their hands.

Is Kony 2012 a good thing? YES! And here is why.

In the countless years I’ve been on the internet, I have never see any type of revolution like this. I’ve seen stupid uses, which I know I’ve been apart of (hello LOL cats), but this is using the internet to spread the word to create change.

Forget Invisible Children.

If you take them out of the equation, would this still be a bad thing? Again, there will ALWAYS be naysayers.

What else can we use this force for? This force of course, being the internet. This isn’t about the iPad 3. This is about social change. This is a huge body of people spreading the word in an attempt to catapult an issue into the spotlight. And it’s been done.

So yes, Kony 2012 is a good thing. Even if you don’t agree with #KONY2012 you have to recognize the power that this campaign has.

Watch the KONY 2012 Video and Tell Me What You Think

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