On Monday, March 5, 2012 a video titled “Kony 2012” was released on Youtube and took over social media sites such as Facebook.
Produced by Invisible Children and created by Jason Russell, an organization dedicated to ending the use of children soldiers in Africa’s Rebel War, the video asks people around the world to be aware of Joseph Kony, the man who took over Africa’s Rebel Group, which is now called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
The LRA grows in size by kidnapping children from their homes and turning them into either children soldiers or sex slaves. Invisible Children has worked to combat the cruel treatment and restore the chance for these children to have a normal childhood. Their efforts have resulted in U.S. military advisers being sent to Africa to stop Kony and end the LRA. The problem is that their mission can be cancelled before it is completed.
For that reason, the Invisible Children organization has launched the Kony 2012 campaign to spread awareness, raise support, and confirm that the U.S. military will complete their mission. They realize that this issue is time sensitive, though. More children are taken from their homes each day and there is a growing possibility that the U.S. government can bring these military advisers home before Kony is caught. For that reason, the video will be taken down on Dec. 31, 2012.
In the time being, the campaign is targeting 20 Culturemakers and 12 Policymakers that 
can make a difference. The 20 and the 12 are supposed to represent the year 2012 that the campaign is running for. The Culturemakers are Oprah, Mark Zuckerberg, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Bill O’Reilly, Bill Gates, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Rick Warren, Ellen Degeneres, Ben Affleck, Rihanna, Steven Colbert, Warren Buffett, Taylor Swift, Ryan Seacrest, Tim Tebow, Rush Limbaugh, and Bono. The Policymakers are George W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice, John Kerry, Bill Clinton, Harry Reid, John Boehner, Kay Granger, Mitt Romney, Stephen Harper, Ban Ki-Moon, Ileana Roslehtinen, and Patrick Leahy. Contact information for the 32 famous figures can be found on the campaign website.
Invisible Children has put forth countless hours of work and endless devotion to save children from being forced to lose their childhood and endure a life that even an adult should not have to face. The final couple seconds of the film ask viewers to do a few things to help.
- Sign the pledge to show support.
- Get the bracelet and action pack they are selling to raise awareness.
- Sign up to donate monetary support.
- Share the video.
The video begins with the line, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea.” I think that this idea of “making Kony famous” is a good start. People need to know what is going on in Africa and this video facilitates just that. I probably would’ve chosen different words for the campaign, but, hey, that’s just me.
I don’t know if their campaign will pan out, though; I think it needs some work. If the U.S. intends to capture Kony, we need to send more than 100 military personnel and we need to commit to seeing this through. Also, there needs to be a game plan as to how this plan will be followed through because it still seems a bit premature.
In other words, the plan has it’s flaws, but it is definitely off to a good start. Using Facebook and other social media sites to kick off this awareness was genius. Everyone is on Facebook and that’s how I saw the video; my entire newsfeed was teeming with responses and links to the video.
Niles West, we have the capability to make a difference here. I am not asking anyone to donate money, buy an action pack, or anything extreme. All that I’m asking is that you watch the video. Yes, the video is 30 minutes long, but it will be perhaps the best 30 minutes you devote to anything for the rest of the year. Log off Facebook tonight, turn off the TV, or even stay up an extra 30 minutes to watch the video; take the time to find out who Joseph Kony is and be aware of the situation.
If you chose to learn more about the Kony 2012 campaign or the Invisible Children organization, you can visit their websites. Bracelets and other merchandise are available here.
Alyssa Guzman • Mar 10, 2012 at 1:17 PM
Though I do agree with Ivana’s article about teenagers simply re blogging about Kony because teens are prone to being conformist, I don’t think that the Kony campaign should be doubted. There are obviously a lot of people who care about this issue; whether it be celebrities, policymakers, or teenagers. Even if there is doubt that this is all some propaganda scheme, it doesn’t hurt to make an effort to support the organization. All you really have to do is watch the video, and spread the word. West can make a difference.