World Wide Out Cry

STOP KONY 2012

The campaign to find Joseph Knoy is one of fasters growing campaigns we having ever scene. Since its launch a few days ago, millions of social network users have pledge their support for the KONY 2012 campaign, including myself.  However, were we suck into this cause with too little information?

If nothing else the events of the last 24 hours reveals the true potential of social media sites to influences and mobilized millions of people around the world very quickly.  I think marketers are only just realizing what a powerful tool the web of social network sites are. There are not many websites left that don’t access social media tools.

Despite my natural scepticism urspion and some conflicting posts on my facebook wall I jumped on the band wagon after watching the carefully produced utub clip.  I was capture by the produces focus on two young boys.  But was he like Knoy exploiting these children to achieve his groups own political agenda.

From an analytical  view that answer is undeniable yes. The man used a child about the age of there or four to answer questions we as adults struggle to answer each day through about the video. If children in the video drew the conclusion that this evil man must be stopped then like everyone else my heart strings were pulled no wonder this thing multiplied so quickly.

A wise person once told me there is ‘good’ and ‘bad’ in everything.  We should remember that no where more true than in the media.  Every news story has some element of  truth in it.  The real issue or debate is how much truth is being report by who and why?

So rest assured regardless of what you have read and herd of Joseph Kony and the organization behind this clever utube and social media campaign, each story and report on reports the facts they want you to know.  They give you only the facts the need to support their side of the story.  I cringe when I think how I failed my own principles of research after watching the clip last night.

I do think after my more in-depth research today my conclusion and reaction would have been the same.  In reading the responsible to criticism of invisible children website points of their campaign has three phases and argues each phase has been allocate roughly the same budget. They have gone to great pains to present their budget and finances for 2011 after being criticised for only spending 30% of money raised on the actuarial search for Kony.

If we criticise this organization for over simplify the message, then we need to be aware those on the other side of argument are guilty as well. It is logical if the charity has a three stage plan they have only allocated 30% present of the budget.  In there reporting we are somewhat mislead to where  the other 70% that was raised was spent.  

Just to add this group has taken 8 years to get there message out.  Putting Kony's name on people lips through public awareness is only  one activity. They have also worked with the people of Uganda rebuilt schools; set up rehabilitation centres, provide scholarships and set up radio transition system to warn people that the army approaching the village.  It wasn’t spelt out so we concluded it was admin costs.  Critics want us to stop supporting this cause, so the didn’t give us the whole picture.

Just as the documentary took careful steps to show Joseph Kony was the top of the International Crimes Court list, I like many drew the conclusion that is was because of the nature and the scale of his crimes, not that it had to do with being on the wanted list for the longest. What ever side of the fence you sit you can’t deny this man as escape justice for the last 25 years

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Whether there film was correct or not this group has achieved its first objective to make known Kony’s name and his terrorization of most of Northern Africa for decades. As to whether the next phases are correct, I do not know.  I am not a humanitarian and I have never visited Africa.

I do know I want Kony stopped and my involvement in the campaign is the best way to make than known.  I just hope in the future I do my homework better before jumping on the band wagon.