If you've been on social media sites since Tuesday, you have no doubt seen the Invisible Children campaign to stop Joseph Kony, an indicted war criminal who has brainwashed thousands of Ugandan children. The girls become sex slaves. The boys become armed militia, and they are forced to kill their families and mutilate their neighbors.
The aim of KONY 2012 (and its accompanying movie) is to make this man "famous," not in a Natalie Portman way but in a Saddam Hussein way. In a way that makes you want to stand up and do something to get rid of him. That's the goal.
But, of course, people are claiming there is is a darker side to this organization. On Jezebel, on Tumblr, and on other sites, they a\
-7e questioning IC's motive in advocating for more violence -- and supporting an army which uses rape and looting as tactics. Foreign Affairs questioned them last November, even before this Kony campaign blew up.
And also, of course, IC posted answers to the questions.
But the overall theme of this makes me wonder. Of course, Kony is a bad guy. And I think he should be stopped. I need to do my research on the IC and their tactics, but I do support this movement. Just like I support the removal of Omar al-Bashir from Darfur and cheered when Than Shwe was voted out in Burma. I have been a supporter of a free Tibet and a more peaceful Congo since earlier in my college career.
And I know that movements like KONY2012 take a long time. We may not remove Kony from power in 2012. We may never get him out.
As powerful as social networking movements are, true change in these faraway countries depends on their people, their armies, their government. There's only so much we can do. Movements that begin over here...they're important, but they fade. Look at Darfur, at the Congo. But by the same token, look at Libya, Egypt and Syria. These countries are changing because their people chose to change them, not because people from first-world countries stepped in.
As a journalist, I am supposed to be a voice to the voiceless. Since high school, I have worked with campaigns to bring peace to Darfur and relief to its people. I believe we need to stop Joseph Kony. But I don't know the best way to do it. Is it force? Is it a rebellion? The other part of being is a journalist is questioning. Always wondering, always inquiring. Especially when big organizations use their fancy videos and tearful African children to try and sway my debit card and my mind.
Will I be out with posters and chanting on April 20th for Cover the Night? You bet. And I hope you are too. But please remember to question. Question this post. Question your government. Question the media. Right now, question Invisible Children.
And don't let your inquisitive spirit die. Keep it alive, along with your desire to make a difference.
