Not LDR, but IMPORTANT

[Sierra]

It's NOTHING like saying Hitler is doing bad things and ignoring them. The violence in Uganda is not a new thing, but people suddenly care about it now? I've been upset about it for years. However, it doesn't mean that I'm not going to devote MY TIME, MY EFFORT and MY MONEY to the SAME CRIMES that are happening here, where I live. There was even just a huge special on sex trafficking here, one city across the bay from me. Why would I ignore that when I'm HERE. I believe in helping the home front first.

It doesn't mean that I ignore other causes, I don't at all. I choose to support stopping the SAME THING that happens WHERE I LIVE.
I do have strong feelings about this happening here and guess what, I DO do something about it. And much more than just throwing money at an organization. I volunteer and have volunteered my personal time and effort and will continue to do so.

I have been involved in charitable organizations, causes and non-profit organizations since I was in 6th grade. I believe in making a difference. BUT when the crimes are the same, I believe that attention should be paid to where you live instead of fixing problems abroad. That's my belief.

And honestly, I would like to know how long everyone has known about the horrifying violence that's happened in Uganda since the 1970s.

I do commend the people who made this documentary so people know what's going on, however, do I think that this guy is more important than the pimps that patrol our streets kidnapping girls and using them for human trafficking as well as sex trafficking? NO. Fix the problem here, it's the same, it exists.

To use your ill placed metaphor it would be more like this. There are two Hitlers, doing the same thing, one is in the country where you live, and one is in another country. You choose to ignore what's happening in your own country and help the other people. That makes no sense to me.

[carolynred]

I've always supported Invisible Children but not by money. I feel like right now, while yes of course they would like donations and money to help this problem, the point right now is to spread the word about Kony and what he is doing. They want the awareness to be the focus more than anything at this point. While of course the Invisible Children foundation wants money like any other charity, they just want these children to be known and what they are going through.

This is not directed at anyone, just saying.

[Brieasaurus]

I'm not going to get into this whole debate, but I am glad someone posted about this and people are in fact spreading the world (which is what Invisible Children were trying to do in the first place). The fact is, innocent kids are dying. They have been dying. Granted, I only learned about the entire organization a few weeks ago in my sociology class but the founders of Invisible Children have been around for quite a number of years trying to make a change and I applaud them for that. I wish I was brave enough to venture into an area with such violence and that's so corrupt in order to help save lives. It's courageous, and so is every person living there right now.

My SO and I are going to the NYC, NY Cover The Night event, which I'm definitely excited for.. he's more of the "my country first" type of person but I think it's definitely going to be something that goes down in history and I'm excited to be part of it. I think it'd be extremely cool (regardless if you agree with the movement or not) if everyone on here put up at least one poster in their town since we're all over the world on here. The world is changing, just look how fast this has been spread about, and just think about what it can do.

[kteire]

Sex trafficking happens everywhere, but like CynicalQuixotic said, it's not the same in the USA as it is in African countries. There are law enforcement bodies that try to control it in the USA, but that's not always the case around the world. Yes it happens in the US that people can be abducted and be victims of human trafficking, but not to the same scale that it happens around the world, and there's certainly no creation of child soldiers going on in America.

It's a global problem, and it's disgusting. I don't agree that it's more important to support your own communities when it comes to those things - I think that any opportunity to support causes that will responsibly distribute funds and make the world safer for any child is a good thing, even if it's just signing a petition or raising awareness. So support programs in your own community, of course I don't judge anyone for that. But don't discount other causes because they're far removed from you!! I have zero money to donate, but money isn't always the thing that helps - awareness and action are!! Horrible things have happened many places and sometimes it takes a long time for people to realise what's going on and to try to make a difference (Cambodia, anyone?). That doesn't mean the cause is any less worthy of support, it just means people have suffered for much longer.

[Malaga]

I think you guys are way overthinking this. You're turning a human plea for help into a political issue. You can be active in your community and help people abroad as well. You don't have to travel to Africa to save orphans, you don't have to spend a lot of time or money, or any. A person who clicked share on that video did more for the cause than the bunch of us sitting here discussing whether we should care enough to do it or not, so opinionated and knowledgeable on how to handle humanitarian issues. And what difference does it make if that person just found out about it or if they've been educated about the wars in Uganda since the 1970s? Why such an elitist approach? If this is an issue you've been educated in and concerned about, then you should only feel happy that it finally gathered momentum. Not slighted because a n00b came along and said, omg you won't believe what's happening in Africa.

You don't have to be a zealous activist, if you come across an issue which moves you deeply and you have the means to contribute, then contribute. And people from poor countries help the wealthier countries too. There's been international humanitarian aid coming to victims of Katrina, and victims of the earthquake in Japan. Both the US and Japan are incomparably bigger, wealthier, more stabile than my own country. But a lot of people here took time and money to donate for these causes. It's just compassion, nothing else.

[Sierra]

You guys should seriously read this.
Get educated if you're going to care.
https://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/

If you do want to help this cause is Kony 2012 the right way? No. Read their fiscal report, read about the leaders. Find another avenue if you care about the children in Uganda.

As for saying that sex trafficking doesn't happen in the US on the same level as it does in other countries, that is completely false. It does. There are documentaries on it as well, but google works just as well for me as it does for you. Look it up.



"Here’s a photo of the founders of Invisible Children posing with weapons and personnel of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Both the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army are riddled with accusations of rape and looting, but Invisible Children defends them, arguing that the Ugandan army is “better equipped than that of any of the other affected countries”, although Kony is no longer active in Uganda and hasn’t been since 2006 by their own admission. These books each refer to the rape and sexual assault that are perennial issues with the UPDF, the military group Invisible Children is defending."

BTW, if people knew what was happening in Uganda, this is pretty well known, and in the news ... all ... the ... time.

[Soyokaze]

I was reading that the Invisible Children charity is just as bad as Komen when it comes to actually donating the money they are given. I don't trust it because the numbers I read don't add up the way they ought to. I'm not feeling up the an indepth search right now so I just pulled the numbers from reddit.

1. Before we begin talking about this issue, lets take a look at the charity in question. Invisible Children scores a lowly 2 out of 4 for transparency on charity navigator for refusing to be independently audited (having other accountants prepare and check your books and financials) Link
2. The IC has stated they are being shady. How you ask? They are providing misinformation to woo idealistic followers. The group have combined multiple regional conflicts to make it appear that this is one rapidly increasing issue. When confronted about their dodgy tactics, the head spokesperson stated;
“I agree with you that leading people to believe that the war is still happening in Uganda is not ethically right. It's something we've been addressing internally, focusing on getting all staff and supporters on the same page (of communication)." - Source is Here i will hunt for a more recognizable source for you guys
If you read the news, or even had an ounce of interest in the on-going unrest in Africa you would already know this and not be fooled. Yes, awful things happen to people in 3rd world countries but this has been occurring for centuries, it isn't a recent occurrence.
3. The IC have CLEARLY stated their purpose is to push the US into intervening and supporting the local govenment, whom are just as corrupt as the LRA. They want US troops to get involved. I for one rather this be a UN joint mission like Libya, but my last point will point to why i think the US would want to intervene. again source
What i have stated above is FACTS

Of the $8.9 million in donations they spent in 2011, this is the breakdown: $1.7 million in US employee salaries $357,000 in Film costs $850,000 in Production costs $751,000 in Computer equipment $244,000 in "professional services" (DC lobbyists) $1.07 million in travel expenses $400,000 in yearly office rent in downtown San Diego $16,000 in Entertainment etc... Only 2.8 million (31%) made it to their charity program (which is further whittled down by local Ugandan government officials) - what do the children actually get?

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comment...gn_is_a_fraud/

[Sierra]

This entire fiscal report is in that link I posted. If people want to take this up as their cause, so be it, but everyone owes it to themselves to be educated.

[Brieasaurus]

You guys should seriously read this.
Get educated if you're going to care.
https://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/

If you do want to help this cause is Kony 2012 the right way? No. Read their fiscal report, read about the leaders.

I'm sorry but where do Invisible Children ever claim to be anything else but a group trying to raise awareness about the things going on in Africa? They are a group that raises awareness. I don't know why people can't seem to grasp that concept. What the Kony 2012 campaign is doing is raising awareness. Since Invisible Children are an awareness group it makes sense they spend a large amount of money on raising awareness (I.E. making videos, filming, hiring editors) and don't give everything to helping solve issues. I'm pretty sure that the people who are donating understand that. If not, it's their fault for not researching the group.

If you want a charity that's going to spend money on fixing the problem, there are plenty out there. However, almost every single person I know is participating in this campaign to spread awareness. They don't have the means to donate. They just want to help. That's what this is about. Not spending money to fix the problem, but spread so that people see how severe the issue is. The news covers things up. I don't think I've ever seen anything more horrible than the images I saw in their first film.

Also, yeah, maybe the group isn't going about it in the right way. That's all debatable. However, I think it's extremely wrong to say they're not helping out just because the armies they're teaming up with are somewhat corrupt. Have you looked in the news about what our troops have been accused of doing? Can you think about everything we've covered up because our country doesn't want the public to find out? Africa doesn't have those resources so everything is out in the public. There is no perfect army corp. out there because there's always bad guys that find their way in.

Overall though (and this goes for any charity), do your research. Find out what a group stands for and what their mission is. Don't just assume things. Just because you don't think a group is doing what you think they should be, doesn't mean they're not helping.

[Soyokaze]

My bad, I actually only saw that this was three pages after I posted which was a complete derp on my part. Thanks for the link, I now have a legit source. I want to state, for the record, that I bought one of their videos before I found out what the charity was like back when I still took everything at face value. I just make a habit of now researching everything before I donate now that I've realized how selfish so any charities have become. If anyone has picked this as your thing to donate to best of luck to you and I hope it's successful in doing something about him since he is horrible.

[Joyce:)]

I've always supported Invisible Children but not by money. I feel like right now, while yes of course they would like donations and money to help this problem, the point right now is to spread the word about Kony and what he is doing. They want the awareness to be the focus more than anything at this point. While of course the Invisible Children foundation wants money like any other charity, they just want these children to be known and what they are going through.

This is not directed at anyone, just saying.

This, exactly. Invisible Children has been going on for years and years, and finally they have managed to raise more awareness than usual. Who wants to help with money can do so, but all that matters is that people are aware of what is going on around the world, what matters is that people know who Joseph Kony is. Until this video came out, so many people had no clue about what was going on in Uganda, i'm just glad that at least more people know what is going on.

[efish1042]

This is definitely an AWARENESS thing, and I'm glad that several of you recognize that. Money is much appreciated, but right now they just want to show the US that we, the people, CARE that this injustice is going on. The US government sent a few troops over to supervise the training of African militaries intent on catching Kony, but not to interfere themselves. Right now, they are just trying to make sure that interest doesn't wane so the US doesn't pull the plug on the whole thing, because if they do, then Kony WILL get away. Again.
Thank you all for your interest and I appreciate those of you that are trying to make sure people know both sides of the issue. Whether or not you support IC, you (I hope) care about this heinous criminal. Make sure people know that you want him to come to justice. Make sure he isn't forgotten. It doesn't matter if it's through IC or not.

[Jassy_love]

This is so sad!! How do we send these letters though & to who? I want to reach awareness! The letters what must they say?

[carolynred]

This is so sad!! How do we send these letters though & to who? I want to reach awareness! The letters what must they say?

Here's the link: https://kony2012.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/

At the bottom there are different celebrities and politicians you can message. You can say whatever you want but its on the site to encourage the word about Invisible Children.

[Zephii]

I didn't read this whole thread because it was making me too furious and I had to stop myself.. but I must say:

If you'd watched the damn video you'd see that it isn't even a drive for money. It's about awareness and education. Educating yourself and your friends/family/peers and adding your voice to theirs costs you nothing but TIME which evidently you have some spare because you're on a chat forum.

Additionally, people only caring about what happens in their own back yards is is exactly why shit like this has been allowed to go on for so long!
You don't have to see it in the street, so that means it doesn't exist. You can change the channel and look away and the problem is gone. You know what we call that? Cowardice.

The majority of us on this site are in first world countries where we have the option to make a difference. Yet so many of us choose not to. Why? Because we're selfish and lazy. I get that no one can save the whole world. No one can donate to every charity that happens by... and you don't have to - because for so many things you can give your EFFORT instead.
Fucking disgusting.

Excuse me while I go calm down.