KONY 2012!

[gabriellasantos]

KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.

Please watch and share however you can (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr etc)

http://vimeo.com/37119711

[grunt816]

I just saw that You Tube video last night. That is a sad & crazy situation.

[Likinikki]

Just makes me sick!! This is just another reminder of how fortunate we are!

[satexasguy]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but IMO there are some problems with this.

First, the Invisible Childrens group spends about 63% of the funds that they raise on paying themselves salaries, making the movies, and traveling to Africa. This seems to be a lot of money that they are making that does not get used as intended.

Second, the money that does get sent to Africa (about 37%) is then cut by local politicians and various warlord factions. To be fair, this occurs with just about any relief that is sent to Africa. It has been going on ever since I can remember as a child.

Both of the above can be verified on the internet. In fact, I believe there is a recent article about the Invisible Children organization on Yahoo.

Don't misunderstand me or start yelling at me for being heartless. I feel for these children and really wish there was something that could be done but I seriously doubt it. I am just bringing up facts. And these facts are reasons I prefer to donate my money to local charities that hopefully will use most of the money.

[Precious_b]

satexasguy,
Would be nice if you could quote the soures for your figures.
I think that video did alot of good by the fire it has lit around the net.
I haven't seen it but have heard about the guy for years on the BBC.

There has got to be another source to send $$$ with a lower overhead.

I'd like the figures to check and post myself.

[Pepper_Springfield]

Thank you for posting. Im signing up for my kit now and sharing it on my FB. I saw a 2 min piece about the guy on the news, but I didn't know as much as I know now from watching this film.

[satexasguy]

here is an article that talks about the use of the money:
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending...224212065.html


hopefully the video will help out by bringing more international political focus on the tragedy.

i just wish more of the money being raised were actually used for what it is intended to be used for.

[CuniLinguistic]

While the video can bring attention to an issue that has plagued Africa for decades; one has to wonder, "Why not before?". I was in Liberia in the early 90s...not a peep about it from the west then. Charles Taylor and "Butt Naked" (yes actual name) had more than a few child soldiers.

I would not be surprised if the origins of the video are something like this: http://i.imgur.com/K3mgn.jpg

I do know the Democratic Republic of the Congo is rich in natural resources; other nearby countries such as Nigeria and Sao Tome are quite rich in....petroleum.

It strikes me that the west is looking toward natural resources; as is China. This has the possibility of being misguided and playing into what I call "push button - feel good" method of charity. By no means the issue should be ignored; but one should be careful by what method and by which entry we choose to help. Direct means of aid being the most effective and more laudable then just tossing money at some entity.

Speaking of which:
(via redditt) bits from IC's 2011 financials: (hmmm i re tested this link it is offline)...maybe look over
http://www.charitynavigator.org/inde...ry&orgid=12429

(From Page 6 of IC's 2011 financials)

• $1,074,273 in Travel costs
• $1,724,993 in "compensation costs." Are the three that run the place are paid around $90k/each?
• $357,610 in "Film costs" plus $851,552 in "Production Cost."
• $107,855 in "Office" costs plus $398,729 in "Rent." This guy thinks they're using NGO funds to pay their mortgages and buy themselves cars and gas.
• $108,454 in Utilities. (I am aware utilities in San Diego are not cheap; but damn).

(From Page 12)

• $751,000 in Computer Equipment
• $288,762 in Transportation Equipment.
• $45,000 in "furniture and fixtures."

People still need office space to organize political action? Then and now I'd expect to provide bribes to officials to smooth things over. I'd think more of the expenses if that
were actually listed. Its the way of doing things in some parts.


If nothing else; this gets the word out to the current generation of the ongoing issue on the African Continent; particularly Central, Sub-Saharan Africa.

[Precious_b]

Thanks to the previous two posters.

[CrimsonValkyrie]

I heard a guy on the radio the other day say that Kony has not been a major player in Uganda since 2006 and that there reports saying that he may actually be dead. I cannot remember his name though. He was on Glenn Beck.

[CuniLinguistic]

Follow up:
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loca...142970255.html

Invisible Children co-founder arrested for reportedly "masturbating in public, vandalizing cars and possibly under the influence of something"

Separate link to video on TMZ: http://www.tmz.com/2012/03/16/jason-.../#.T2PMYxHCnV5

Interesting timing, unless flush with recent donations, he figured he'd enjoy a bit of recreational substances.

He certainly has issues (IMHO); From Wikipedia (FWIW): "Russell is an evangelical Christian, and in November 2011 he spoke publicly about his religion and its relation to his work in a speech at a Liberty University conference whose lineup included Michele Bachmann. Married to Danica Jones in 2004, Russell has two children, a son, Gavin Danger, and a daughter, Everley Darling."

Cheesus Crust; those kids should sue the parents over those names.

Still; interesting timing /shrug /or not; like many of these types he would have issues but without the recent video this would have gone unmentioned.

[flinde]

yea satexasguy, we need attributable sources, footnotes and bibliography here on ECCIE. Maybe peer review if you can swing it.

Please remember in all future postings.

[satexasguy]

welcome back 1Nemesis ... uh I mean flinde! LOL

[SARR]

Here's some more info about Kony. Seems he's not the present day threat the film makes him out to be.
http://ilto.wordpress.com/2006/11/02...ible-children/

[Ms. Milani]

Sadly I have been doing research and it's looking more and more like a scam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUY2q...ature=youtu.be

And he was also just arrested for masturbating in public and vandalizing cars. They think he was under the influence of some unknown drug.
http://rt.com/usa/news/kony-2012-arr...turbating-777/