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Controversy over Kony 2012 video turns to viewer apathy By Shailee Koranne Grade 10 White Oaks S.S. couple of weeks ago, a video went viral on the Internet. It was a thirty-minute video centered on a Ugandan warlord named Joseph Kony. The video was made by a charitable organization called Invisible Children. The purpose of the video was to inform people about the horrible things that Kony does. He abducts children, forcing the boys to wield guns and fight in the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The girls are forced to become sex slaves. What Kony has been doing in Central Africa has been going on for years but has not received the attention it deserves. The message of the video was to `make Kony famous'. If thousands of people were to demand that something be done about the situation, then government involvement would be forced to take action. The video was well made. It showed the point of view of children who were refugees of the LRA, harnessed the cuteness of campaign founder Jason Russell's young son, Gavin, and pushed the idea of covering major cities with posters of Kony overnight on April 20. Celebrities such as Rihanna and policy 15 · Friday, April 6, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com A makers such as Stephen Harper were targeted in the video as well; the former to use their celebrity status to make Kony famous, and the latter to do something about the situation. It was a strong message that pulled on the heartstrings of almost everyone who watched it. People became determined to `make Kony famous', by posting about it everywhere on the Internet. The hashtag `#Uganda' was a trending topic on Twitter for two days. People changed their profile pictures on Facebook to banners that proclaimed the slogan `Kony 2012'. Other people were skeptical. Ugandans were outraged by the video because it made the country look helpless. The Ugandan Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi himself made a video to tell the world that Joseph Kony and the LRA had not been in Uganda since 2006. Uganda was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Mbabazi said that he was happy that Uganda was getting so much attention but that people were incorrect to think that the country was feeble. He assured that the country was modern and developing. Later, Invisible Children's poor financial plan was revealed with 43 per cent of donations used for advertising/awareness and 20 per cent was used for salaries, leaving 37 per cent for programs in Africa to help people. Another flaw in the campaign was a major one -- capturing Kony isn't going to wipe out the LRA. The Lord's Resistance Army has split up into smaller groups all over Central Africa. The campaign received a lot of negative criticism. Apathy has already taken place and many people have stopped talking about the Kony 2012 campaign, which is a shame. Even if Invisible Children didn't cut it, Kony is still out there and children are still being forced to kill their own friends and family. If you are a teacher or student interested in participating in an upcoming Kids Speak Out - School News column featured in the Beaver, please e-mail Tom Dykes at dykes@ cogeco.ca. YOUR NEW FAVOURITE CONTEMPORARY RESTAURANT AND BAR FEATURING OUR CHEF-DRIVEN MENU PREPARED BY EXECUTIVE CHEF SAM GIRGIS *LUNCH*DINNER*COCKTAILS*NIGHTLIFE* 24+ DRESS FASHIONABLY | MGMT RESERVES DISCRETION DJ AFTER 10PM 24+ DRESS FASHIONABLY | MGMT RESERVES DISCRETION DJ AFTER 10PM `Like' us and enter to win one of 25 $25.00 Gift Certificate prizes given out weekly to come try us out for the first time 3330 South Service Road, Burlington, ON, L7N 3M6 info@ivybar.ca | www.ivybar.ca | 905.333.IVY1 (4891) An Independently owned DGC ENTERTAINMENT Property Follow Us On Facebook facebook.com/ivybarandkitchen @ivybarkitchen OPENING FOR LUNCH AND WEEKEND BRUNCH IN APRIL 2012 FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF OUR 5000 SQUARE FOOT GARDEN IVY PATIO