Think critically about #kony2012

Many of you have already been posting and discussing this astonishing video:

One thing to remember is to be critical when you think about it. It's easy to get carried away with the spectacle of it. It is not a simple issue. Just because Rihanna and P Diddy are tweeting about this, doesn't mean this is a straightforward issue.

From the Toronto Star:

“(To say) all that is needed to end this conflict is to cut off the head of the army, which the film suggests, and everything will be resolved, is narrow-minded,” he said.

Human Rights Watch also points out that Kony’s army is down to several hundred and hasn’t been in Uganda for years, which the documentary left out.

A blog set up to criticize the campaign, called Visible Children, said money from Russell’s group “supports the Ugandan government’s army and various other military forces” according to GlobalPost. “Both the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army are riddled with accusations of violence and looting.”

Russell emphatically denied that any money from his organization is in the hands of any army.

“I’m for peace, not war,” Russell said. “Why would we ever fund an army?”

Critics also say raising awareness through campaigns like this isn’t enough. Only 31 per cent of Invisible Children’s charity dollars go to helping Ugandans, according to an audit of the organization by Considine and Considine.

“That is the old way of thinking,” Russell said in response to the criticism. “We stand by our use of a third of our money going to our film budget so we can build a real-time website of sightings of Kony’s army.”

Anguyo, who noted few people in Uganda have seen the documentary, said victims of Kony and the LRA need attention, too.

“A whole generation of kids got destroyed because they did not go to school and were used as soldiers,” Anguyo said. “Now those people are back in the north and need help.

“If (Kony) was caught, it would be cause for a celebration in Uganda, but that would only be the start of change.”

Be informed. Educate yourself on the issue before jumping on the bandwagon.

Check out the Visible Children to read a different perspective.

Also read this to get your facts straight.