I have waited until now to comment on the Kony2012 campaign
and the ensuing melodrama until some more facts emerged about the organisation
that funded it, Invisible Children, and the man behind it, Jason Russell. The
campaign, having spread through social-networking sites like Facebook, YouTube
and Vimeo, has received a very public groundswell of support. Interestingly,
these same sites are the source of most of the cynicism and public backlash
against the project. Strong debate has opened up and people are, one way or another,
spreading the message. However, there is question about Invisible Children and
their use of funds, as well as some strong criticism of the campaign itself.
Thanks to the power and scope of these networking sites, we
now have opportunity to hear the voices of the Ugandan people so personally affected
by Joseph Kony and the LRA. As the interest grew in the film and campaign, so
too did the interest in what the African people would say about this film. The
African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET), a non-profit organisation working in
Uganda screened the 30-minute film for an audience in the northern Ugandan city
of Lira to much anger and outrage from the locals who saw it. So much, in fact,
that they have suspended any further screenings in Uganda to avoid upsetting
victims and people affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Victor Ochin,
Executive Director of AYINET has released a statement regarding this action which
can be viewed online here.
To add further fuel to this fire is the criticism of
Invisible Children. Specific to the debate is the organisation’s distribution
of funds. There has been much criticism regarding the amount of money that is
actually spent on direct intervention (reportedly as little as 32% of the
annual budget) as compared to the figures spent on salaries, transport and film
production costs. That last part there – the ‘film-production costs’ – is what
is drawing the most flak and it brings into sharp focus the filmmakers
themselves. Immediately, with the slick, professional, over-produced nature of
the Kony2012 video, you can begin to question the motives of the filmmakers and
their sincerity as compared to their desire to produce a great video. Is Jason Russell sincerely concerned about
the plight of the Ugandan people, or is he just using it as great documentary
fodder ripe for exploitation? The two ideas are not mutually exclusive and both
have interesting implications for the perception of the film, but none of those
implications negate the actual message
of the film, which is a whole other debate with a wholly more complicated set
of answers.
However, all of this also brings us to Jason Russell, the calm
and measured voice of the Kony2012 campaign and the director of the film. There
is considerable criticism that the director has oversimplified an extremely
complex issue, and, by including extensive footage of his 5-year old son as he
explains to him who Joseph Kony is and records his reactions, he has
trivialised the entire matter to some degree. There is also some criticism of
his motives and speculation that he is simply a glory-seeking film-director,
rather than a forward-thinking activist as he has been portrayed, after photos
emerged of the director posing with weapons and soldiers of the Democratic
Republic of Congo while filming in the bush. But for my money, the best and
funniest punch-line to this whole affair is the footage released by celebrity
news outlet, TMZ, of what is allegedly Jason Russell naked on the side of a
busy road in Los Angeles, committing lewd acts (which can be viewed here).
Really, as a keen observer of news trends and a fan of weird behaviour, I
couldn’t have asked for more.
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