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The Spectacle Blog
Yesterday, the online campaign to bring Ugandan guerrilla leader Joseph Kony to justice went viral. More than 30,000,000 people have watched a 30-minute call-to-arms produced by an organization calling itself “Invisible Children Inc.”
Emotional extortion ensued.
The project was born in the spring of 2003 when three young filmmakers (Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole) flew to Africa to document the Darfur genocide. Unwittingly, these intrepid documentarians crossed into Northern Uganda and stumbled — quite literally — into a slow-burning civil war that’s been devastating the country since 1986. Undoubtedly attracted to prospect of “getting the scoop” on a lesser-known conflict, they produced a film about child soldiers, kidnapped and pressed into service by Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army.
Titled “Invisible Children: The Rough Cut,” the movie debuted in 2004 to rave reviews. It has since metastasized into a full blown, grassroots social movement. Tens of thousands of American teens and twenty-somethings have mobilized to force congressional action to save the children of Uganda. And they’ve been successful — indeed, they were influential in prompting President Obama to deploy the small force of American military advisors to Uganda, last October.
To be clear, Kony is an ugly, awful despicable excuse for a human being. He’s literally Public Enemy No. 1 at the International Criminal Court — guilty of all sorts of atrocities including rape, murder, and mutilation. However, the crime that’s now making him famous involves the abduction and forced enlistment of 66,000 children made to fight in his unholy army.
Now, the Invisible Children organization is turning up the pressure to get their man. Their flagship project is a beautifully edited 30 minute video that imparts logic a four year old could understand (the filmmaker/narrator literally frames the plan to his toddler) and provides tools of social activism immediately accessible to naïve college students with just enough scratch to donate to the cause.
30,000,000 views in the past couple days suggests they’ve found an audience.
But that’s not all. The producers have enlisted a murderer’s row of liberal celebrity starpower from DC and Hollywood to spread the message — the list includes such “notables” as Lady GaGa, Bill Gates, George Clooney, Bill Clinton, Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, and Harry Reid. The plan is to prompt public awareness, and spark activism towards the end goal of “capturing” Kony before the end of 2012.
On paper, “Kony 2012” sounds like a noble, if slightly adolescent project. However, I believe there’s something far more nefarious at work here.
First of all, the whole campaign smacks of antiquated notions of noblesse oblige, hoisted upon the American taxpayer to pay down “the white man’s burden.” In reality, their “battle” boils down the latest incarnation of liberal Imperialism masquerading as transnational faux-tivism.
To be clear, the Lord’s Resistance Army is a shadow of its former self. It no longer threatens the government in Uganda and boasts fewer than five hundred Kalashnikov toting bush-fighters. So why pressure the American military to reprise its role as “Globo-cop?”
As our own Doug Bandow noted back in October, when President Obama deployed troops to Uganda:
The president’s new Afrika Korps demonstrates how the “Defense” Department only rarely does defense these days. Most money goes for offense —intervening hither and yon for reasons having nothing to do with protecting America or Americans. With a world filled with various guerrilla bands, separatist factions, and terrorist groups, the potential for more wars is almost infinite.
Someone ought to remind these young activists that since the word “war” was substituted for the more benign “humanitarian intervention” during the Clinton years, it has not ceased to involve the vast arsenal of modern warfare. Soldiers, fighter planes, cruise missiles and helicopter gunships do the dirty work, while policy makers in Washington are tasked to pick sides in distant civil wars. The benign label assigned a “humanitarian intervention” belies the “dirty hands” that relieves the innocent man of his virtue.
Cradled in the rubric of just war theory, it is important that the hard facts of intervention (however charitable and “civilized”) are not ignored.
But there’s another problem with the “Kony 2012” project; namely, the questionable character of the enterprising Invisible Children Inc. project team that’s actively encouraging America’s military incursion.
Stated plainly, there’s every reason to believe that this is a shifty non-profit, that’s in the business of pulling on heartstrings for personal profit. Foreign Affairs accused them of “manipulating facts for strategic purposes,” they received a VERY marginal rating from Charity Navigator for opaque financials, and by their own admission, only 31% of the millions they’ve raised in charitable donations actually goes to the children in Uganda they’re supposed to be saving.
One might safely assume that the remaining cash has been used to grow the business and line the pockets of America’s newest war profiteers — with the avowed blessing of America’s liberal left.
And to think, these guys weren’t even aware Africa’s second longest civil war was being fought when they stumbled into it. Imagine their good fortune.
albert constantine jr.| 3.8.12 @ 2:23PM
My largely apolitical 15 year old daughter and 11 year old son asked me about this yesterday, so it sounds like there has been great success in using the social media to reach out and manipulate this demographic.
D Spool| 3.8.12 @ 2:25PM
Although there are legitimate questions raised as to the use of US military in support of a regional humanitarian effort, the questions as to the IC organization are misplaced. IC's financials compare favorably to any other non-profit group that engages significantly in advocacy and public awareness campaigns. You have also misrepresented the import of Charity Navigator's ratings. See the "Critque page" if the Invisible Children website for a more thorough response.
Conservative Not Republican| 3.8.12 @ 2:33PM
Curious. Smith and Bandow are allowed to criticize US intervention as long as they criticize Obama and don't mention the NeoConmen who started all this Democracy crusading. Is that what they told you, Mr. Smith?
Tommy| 3.8.12 @ 4:20PM
Get worse, egg face.
Nice article, Mr. Smith.
Fords are Voit.
Zombie Reagan| 3.9.12 @ 10:50AM
Conservatives are restricted from criticizing one another, according to Reagan's 11th commandment, which is why Smith and Bandow cannot attack the Democracy building NeoConmen. TAS evidently strictly enforces this. If you want to read real intelligent criticism of unabashed American Interventionism go to the American Conservative.
DRed| 3.8.12 @ 2:45PM
Is the LRA even in Uganda? Museveni is probably a much greater threat to the well being of the average Ugandan than Joseph Kony is these days, and he's our ally. Anyhow, apparently this video is all the rage on facebook. My guess is that it's mostly a scam. Central Africa is a complex disaster, but Kony is such an evil person that it's an easy way to get people to donate and feel good about themselves.
Danny | 3.8.12 @ 5:05PM
I have been involved (on the sidelines) as far as knowledge of whats been happening in Northern Uganda for the last several years. My church has been involved with Invisible Children and the town of Gulu mentioned in the film since the beginning of their organization. While I understand others reservations (and have my own) as far as direct US involvement, I do support IC's mission personally. While it might seem like some social justice hipster fad, I can say with all certainty it is not. The people are real, and IC's mission and desire is nothing more than to help the people of Northern Uganda. This is no scam, and this is not a guilt trip into getting people to donate any more than a bellringer for the Salvation Army is.
Reid Smith| 3.8.12 @ 5:33PM
Fair enough. And again, Kony is awful. But the guy who's been in power since 1986, Museveni, was the godfather of child brigades, and remains a MUCH bigger threat to most Ugandans...and he's being supported by AFRICOM.
I'm saying IC's work is misguided, at best.
Danny | 3.8.12 @ 5:56PM
From IC's website "Invisible Children is committed to supporting communities affected by the Lord's Resistance Army by empowering local leaders to implement programs that have a lasting impact. Our work in Uganda is focused on assisting in the recovery of northern Uganda after being decimated by two decades of conflict, while in DR Congo and the Central African Republic we are working with local partners to protect communities, encourage peaceful LRA surrenders and support the victims of the conflict."
Kony was their first battle, and they'd like to see it to fruition. In the meantime, they do work on many levels and not just in Uganda. They have an entire page on their website explaining everything. The only thing they're guilty of is not being prepared for the scrutiny this level of publicity brings.
http://www.invisiblechildren.c.....iques.html
Smirking Weasel| 3.8.12 @ 5:58PM
Danny,
Why don't you, your 'church', Clooney, Gates,GaGa, blah, blah, get a gun, a helmet and a pack and go get Kony yourselves. Oh, right, because you're pompous, self-righteous cowards who are sooo glad to waste American tax dollars, and American Hessians' lives, in vanity projects to feed your moral superiority.
You want this done, YOU go do the hard work, find the money and take the risk. Of course, the sun is more likely to rise in the southwest tomorrow morning, you arrogant chickenhawk.
Leave Americans, and our money, out of your ego-bloating escapades.
Besides anybody whose 'Public enemy #! at the
ICC(a disgusting globalist thugocracy-again, too cowardly to implement thugocracy itself-that ought to be bombed to ashes) can't be all bad.
Danny | 3.8.12 @ 6:17PM
At the risk of feeding an obvious troll, I stated in my original comment that I do have reservations about direct US involvement. Our national interests are not at stake. You and I probably have the same view on most issues as far as the ICC/UN etc goes.
There's no "moral superiority" here, or ego. Just the knowledge of what happened and is happening in Northern Africa.
(And it does hurt to be associated with Clooney and GaGa. That's the only thing that hurts in your own little self-righteous diatribe there...)
Terrence P| 3.8.12 @ 5:24PM
Charity Navigator gave them 3 out of 4 stars, to me that doen't equal a "VERY marginal" rating.... Don't believe everything you read....
Anthony M| 3.8.12 @ 7:36PM
All charities, every single one in the USA is a scam. Just check out the salaries of the officers. Every last one I've ever spent fifteen minutes researching has turned out to be a money pit for otherwise unemployable college grads. Want to help the poor? Start a business and pay them decent wages.
Dean from Ohio| 3.25.12 @ 2:08PM
All men named Anthony are devoted to sultry temptresses and conduct civil war against the authorities of the known world.
But that aside, here's a charity that does not enrich its officers, risks the wrath of both the LRA and the government of (north) Sudan: Fulaa Lifeline International: www.fulaa.org
Jon Turteltaub| 3.8.12 @ 6:53PM
I know of little else to say about the author of this article other than "shame on you". These young Americans are getting off their butts and encouraging and entire generation of young people to do something positive and make the world a better place. All you have in return is cynical and loosely formed criticism. Whose life did YOU try to save today? I have spent a lot of money and time with tortured and maimed children... and the efforts of Invisible Children have made a HUGE difference in their lives. What difference have you made? Because these are white Americans they shouldn't be helping black Africans? I thought it was our highest achievement as people to help one another regardless of race, nationality or religion. Who did you help today? Your cynicism begets only cynicism... and may serve to slow a movement, no matter how simplistic, to stop a murderer. Hopefully, the optimism and efforts of "Invisible Children" will win out over the useless negativity you stand on. As for me, I'm going to help them try to stop Kony.
Reid Smith| 3.8.12 @ 7:14PM
Jon, it's my sincere hope that sometime next week, after the twitter-verse has dried its tears and packed up the self-righteous indignation, we'll all be ready to have a serious conversation about the incredibly complex historical, cultural and political identities at play in Central Africa. I hope the optimism persists.
Of course, this will require a lot more time and patience than the purchase of a $30 "action pack" and decoder ring that's currently financing this guy's ego trip.
Call me a cynic. I'm certainly not alone.
Jon Turteltaub| 3.8.12 @ 7:01PM
As for Museveni, if he is as awful as he seems... then get busy fighting against him instead of criticizing others who are fighting another injustice. Hiding behind some intellectualized editorial isn't the same as making a difference. Saying we shouldn't support capturing Kony because Museveni is horrible is like saying we shouldn't fight diabetes because cancer is worse. What is cowardly is to stand with the armies of cynicism and apathy. What is courageous is to devote your life and to risk your life in places like Gulu, Uganda, in order to save the lives of countless children.
Reid Smith| 3.8.12 @ 7:19PM
Jon, believe it or not, I've lived and worked in some pretty hazardous places. I'd even like to think I've done some good. I just didn't film a vanity project about it to tweet to America and cash in, in the process.
Projects like this steal money from earnest projects, and exhaust interest in the narrative of serious peace-building.
Jon Turteltaub| 3.8.12 @ 8:31PM
Reid, these guys are certainly not cashing in. And isn't the real point here that because of their so-called "vanity piece" the nation is actually discussing this issue! They've done more to raise awareness and to energize young people to fight for whatever cause they connect with than any depressing, finger-pointing article ever could. If you've traveled and done good, then you know that the single hardest thing to do is to get the right people to pay attention and to actually care. This goofy group of do-gooders made a video and suddenly Jay Carney is answering questions about it at the White House press briefing. What more could any private-sector initiative hope to achieve? They're doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing...using the tools and talents they have to draw attention to an injustice and a truly evil murderer. The "action kit" is a way of giving people some follow-up to the video they see. If you don't feel that the millions of people now aware of and demanding the capture of Joseph Kony counts as an "earnest project" then it's likely that nothing will ever get done. There will always be a more earnest something, or more valuable this or a more urgent that... but for this one moment... a band of young citizens took it upon themselves to make a difference and they are actually succeeding. The take-away should be that these kids got an extraordinary response to their video... not the grousing that there might be a better way to achieve some other noble goal.
If by chance Kony is caught or killed as a result of this video, I hope you will see the power of a few kids and social media to change the world. But moreso, if one of the people who saw this video goes on to right some other wrong in the world, I hope you will realize that power in this brand of optimism.
I know I sound like a polyanna... but I've actually learned after years of my own cynicism that doing ANYTHING helpful is better than criticizing someone else's attempt to fix things.
DRed| 3.8.12 @ 8:48PM
No offense, but what issue is the nation discussing? That Joseph Kony is a really bad guy? Okay. But he's not even in Uganda, and the LRA is a shell of its former self. I'm certainly no expert on Uganada, but I know their problems go way beyond the existence of Joseph Kony. He's a symptom of the problems in central africa, not the cause.
Reid Smith| 3.8.12 @ 11:34PM
Jon, thank you for your comments. I think you make a lot of good points but at the end of the day (literally) it concerns me that some undergrads from San Diego are harnessing the power of Facebook and Twitter to finesse US forces into another war of choice. Regardless of the outcome...
Jon Turteltaub| 3.8.12 @ 8:44PM
I would like to add, however, what a pleasure it is to actually have an intelligent conversation about something (in spite of one posting by one reader). Talking with you about it is far more enlightening and beneficial than the conversations on almost any other message or comment board out there. So thanks for that.
ew| 3.8.12 @ 9:02PM
Actually what's quite hilarious is that most of the outspoken criticism of this video is from the left. Or at least presumably the left since it's academic experts on African conflict and humanitarian aid workers.
Also, IC is a charity primarily run by and supported by white evangelical Americans. Generally young ones. I wouldn't be surprised if their primary constituency skews right. I've even seen young Ron Paul supporters extolling the virtues of this video. Unfortunately the youth of America both right and left are sorely misinformed!
Corleone| 3.11.12 @ 8:16AM
Let's act like humans and stop KONY. Help us stop him, use the following link: http://on.fb.me/yFkSqy
Tess| 3.12.12 @ 9:31PM
Isn't it funny the day they are dropping the "stop kony" leaflets is ..... Adolfo Hitler's birthday?!?!
Didn't the use his picture in the video ?
And no menchen of Idi Amin after all he was from Uganda.