KONY 2012 : Controversy at its best.

Click to view viral video

I want to make something CRYSTAL CLEAR before you read any further down this post. It is OBVIOUS and goes without saying that the crimes from Joseph Kony should be punishable for lack of a better word and are wrong. This is common sense. When you hear people complain about the campaign AGAINST KONY 2012 it does NOT in ANYWAY SHAPE OR FORM suggest that NO action should be taken. There is a such thing as the word “alternate”. The people who are against the campaign are looking at bigger issues surrounding the campaign that many people are missing.

“Not for Self Defense but Because it was Right” 

^ This line directly from the video is something I have a problem with. IN THIS CONTEXT regarding Joseph Kony and his crimes it is applicable but the thing people are failing to see is there is ALWAYS a precedent that is set. This is a benchmark suggesting that the US in the future would NO LONGER be forced to remain out of other nations affairs. THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING. It is in THIS CASE, but one must look at the bigger picture. Did you ever stop and wonder why the US kept out of other nations affairs? It was because of freedom, it was so that other nations could live and prosper under their own government systems. It is EASY to point and say we should fix something when it is blatantly failing as it is with Kony but my fear is that this now will give the US the precedent and power to go into other countries that do not need any intervention of any kind but will be imposed of it anyway. Sounds familiar? It should because it has been what the US already has been doing in places in the middle east. The US claims to do so in the interest of peoples freedoms and yet thousands upon thousands of innocent people have been dying and they are forced to adopt what we see as an acceptable democratic government. That is not my definition of freedom. Simply because we live in the US and prosper under our environment doesnt mean we can force it upon others even if it is a improvement from what they are used to. Why are there never alternatives? This leads me to the word propaganda.

The Kony 2012 video was posted less than 2 days ago and has approximately 12 million views and counting. It is a very, VERY, succesful video in its execution. It has been reblogged, tweeted, and posted all over every social network and has been the number one most talked about topic in the last two days. How did that happen? Because it struck a cord in morality. We feel obligated to support the cause because of our emotion ties to the innocient people in Africa who have been abused and mistreated. Rightfully so I should add, we should feel bad, we should post about it, we SHOULD spread awareness of it.

That is not what I am arguing against. 

Propaganda is use of such succesful and meaningful messages to accomplish goals. One on the surface sees the goal as ridding Africa of such disgusting crimes but that is not the political agenda in my opinion. This is yet another area the US is sending troops. We are occupying SO many countries with military bases and troops. Slowly but surely the US is taking over the world. You can laugh if you want but the facts do not lie. This is not a good thing.

Here is a status I made a little while back that kind of sums up my thoughts prior to this Kony 2012 campaign.

I first became of there being a bigger issue with the Kony campaign when one of my favorite music artist/ activist made a few facebook statuses that caught my eye and attention. I will list them below.

It has always bothered me that seemingly no one has a problem with the US globalization that has been taking place with the military. There are literally over 1000 US bases planted around the globe. When did we become the global police force? Power has been getting out of hand. We don’t see any negatives about it because well, we are the host nation. Well, how would you feel if there was another countries military occupying YOUR country, and are not bound to any domestic law. If you ask me, it would be a very scary experience, yet we are imposing that feeling in countries around the world. I keep repeating this sentiment because it is a misconception that the US military is a force for good as they claim. Sure they had good intentions and direction but they are just as guilty for killing thousands upon thousands of innocent people in the middle east. This has been developing into the war against Islam and I have a problem with that. The religion has been defamed and slandered by the acts of few extremists.

Relating back to Kony, the same scenario is developing in a similar way. The intention is pure and good. Stop Joseph Kony and his reign of terror. Kind of like with Saddam and Bin Laden. The impacts however are in the process you take away that countries freedom from one action. My main opposition to the campaign what Lowkey brought up, how they will be sending more troops for the expansion of the US military base in Africa, Africom.

Inform yourself about what is really going on.

Click to find out what Africom is all about

Many of you claim to support the campaign in order to help the people of Africa, what if this tells you by supporting Africom you in fact are hurting them because it only serves US interests under any and all circumstances.

This post is getting a bit unorganized because there is so much to be said about this issue. That said people should really look into it more.

I mean lets be honest for a second. We live in an age where social networks and what is trending consumes our day to day activities and conversations. Whether you want to admit it or not we all at one point fall victim to posting about something everyone is talking about. It is almost human nature to do so now. This is a dangerous habit as proven with this Kony 2012 campaign. Do not act like you have done research on a topic and been supporting it for years when you in all honesty are doing so just because it is the hot thing to do at the moment. It is disrespectful and you’re basically spitting on the people affected by the crimes. Facts are facts, this has been going on for the last 25 years supposedly and you care now? Why? Yes awareness has been made on a large scale through the video but don’t act like there aren’t people who legitimately cared and have been looking into this for years. Its fine to spread awareness but do not try engaging in arguments or debates about people with differing viewpoints if your ONLY knowledge on the topic is the viral video. You only have one side of the story. It upsets me when people assume they are right about a topic JUST because the majority of people are on their side. No. It just means you are following the herd. It doesn’t take much effort to type a few words in google, read a few pages and form your own opinion on things. Be an individual with knowledge. I know this to be a fact with many people because almost everyone who came at me about being against the campaign thought it was being against stopping Joseph Kony and to do nothing. THAT MAKES NO SENSE. To summarize again my issues were

-The spread of US military intervention

-The precedent of US involvement not requiring us to be affected in any way ( meaning the government can play God and do as they will to whatever nation) 

-And that people blindly support things without dedicating time to researching the cause they say they support

How am I wrong for believing in those things? Too many people these days feel like they must defend their point to the bitter end, theres compromise, try understanding what people are suggesting and you will learn more.

BUT WAIT THERES MORE

http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/

Click to view article

^ The above link will show you a huge number of problems people have not taken into account with their support of the campaign. One would assume one of the first things to do after watching the video is to see who made the video and look into their beliefs/ ideas and mans for action. Visible children has been exposed in many ways. Much of it is discussed in the link provided. I will just provide some of the things that caught my eye.

-The spent nearly $8.5 million and only 32% went to direct services helping the actual cause

-Refusal to allow an external auditing commitee to check their finances and use of money

-They openly support the Ugandan army which has been accused on countless occasions of rape and looting (yeah on the same people you are trying to help) 

Theres much more but this already has been a long read, Take the time and do research. Formulate your own opinions.

My main takeaway message is do not assume everything the US does in foreign affairs is for the good. Us taking over the world will harm us in the end. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. With no other nations able to fight its impossible to maintain a check and balance system. We will all be enslaved to irreversible corruption.  

WAKE UP!!!!!!!!