So there has been a bit of a big deal made out of this recently with the Kony 2012 thing.

What are your thoughts? Did you watch the video? I'll wait to post what I have to say on the matter until a bit later.

I've not watched the video, but If what I've heard is correct, I think the guy needs to be strung up and gutted... But my thoughts on "Team American World Police" is a different story.. But thats Just me..

I really think that other countries should take care of themselves, we have enough problems on our plate.

and LOL at the Team America reference...

Gene Wilder FTW.

This is kind of a hot button issue for me. Now, take what i am saying with a grain of salt.

First, let me start off by saying, the Kony is a monster. No doubt about that. Anyone doing what he is/was doing needs to be not doing that. And i feel like that is that.

No my problem, is this whole campaign. The LRA hasn't been active for like 6 years, so why start a viral ad campaign now? Because we just recently found oil in uganda. Now, I am not one of those "WAR OIL OBAMA POLITICS" guys, but it checks out. I mean, the guy hasn't been active for 6 years, invisible children, the "charity" for stopping him, only donate 30% of donations to victims, and take 70% in salary.

Plus, it was admitted that the whole campaign was invented to just test how easily an idea can go viral, without people doing research. If people looked into the whole Knoy/LRA thing, they would realize that by sending troops outer now, that they would be killing the children that they want to save. The "invisible children" are now 6 years older, and protecting an inactive Knoy. So, they will be defending him from the troops that are there to rescue them.

Now, a lot of this is emotional, but I hate it when people get on a bandwagon, without doing a little research.

Holy crap! Someone who stopped to think about it!

Myrkul wrote:

I really think that other countries should take care of themselves, we have enough problems on our plate. and LOL at the Team America reference...

Usually I feel the same way but this time that is the wrong answer. I don't think we should get the military involved but as individuals we need to support this in any way we possibly can. It is bad enough when we have people like this that kill Adults just because they can to cause fear and gain power but when you do this kind of horrific stuff to kids you need to taken care of.

fungunzbuff wrote:

This is kind of a hot button issue for me. Now, take what i am saying with a grain of salt. First, let me start off by saying, the Kony is a monster. No doubt about that. Anyone doing what he is/was doing needs to be not doing that. And i feel like that is that. No my problem, is this whole campaign. The LRA hasn't been active for like 6 years, so why start a viral ad campaign now? Because we just recently found oil in uganda. Now, I am not one of those "WAR OIL OBAMA POLITICS" guys, but it checks out. I mean, the guy hasn't been active for 6 years, invisible children, the "charity" for stopping him, only donate 30% of donations to victims, and take 70% in salary. Plus, it was admitted that the whole campaign was invented to just test how easily an idea can go viral, without people doing research. If people looked into the whole Knoy/LRA thing, they would realize that by sending troops outer now, that they would be killing the children that they want to save. The "invisible children" are now 6 years older, and protecting an inactive Knoy. So, they will be defending him from the troops that are there to rescue them. Now, a lot of this is emotional, but I hate it when people get on a bandwagon, without doing a little research.

That's why I said I haven't watched the video, I'm not one to buy into propaganda. Every story has 2 if not more sides. As you stated he has been inactive for 6 years, that is a bit of information I've not heard yet.. It does change the situation a LOT! But don't get me wrong I still feel what he HAS done is wrong and he should be strung up and gutted. Like I said. But I don't feel that troops from any North American Country should be sent to do anything. Back to my point of Team America.. We are not world police and every troop we sent to police some other country for whatever reason is a troop that has a family that by chance could lose that person. They didn't die protecting our way of life or our country. They died policing some other country that really has nothing to do with us. And because as you said the troops sent to rescue them will be there fighting those kids as they protect him.

Also, I say North American because well If the US goes Canada as the 'puppet' must follow suit as we always do. I have sever issues with what happened in Iraq. I am a firm believer that it all originated over oil... did they ever find those WMD's they SAID were there? If they claimed to have found them how truthful can it be? I mean we all know the media.

I'm just me and I feel how I feel, I mean If they come to our shores starting a fight damn right I'll pick up a gun and help defend my country! But to send our forces half way across the world to hunt down some guy that nobody else in that general area seem to care much about or they would have done something about it.. why should we?

And don't think me heartless, I just feel how I feel...

maloneoni wrote:

Holy crap! Someone who stopped to think about it!

So i take it we are in agreeance then? Haha, good.

Yes. Here is what I have:

1. This is not something new. The use of very young soldiers has been practiced in Central Africa for many, many years. I have been aware of it since I was nine or ten. I bought some used books and read about the political situation of Africa and recent African history. I also read several articles about in the last couple of years. Honestly, I stopped because it kept me awake at night. It is an awful practice that highlights some of the worst qualities that men possess. The fact that people are not aware of this and it is suddenly a big deal is stupid. It is not like it is something that is a secret. It is sad that it takes a viral video to wake up the young people of this nation to the problems of the world.

2. This is not something that is isolated to one individual warlord. Joseph Kony isn't unique, he is just a handy example. There are many revolutionary groups and other people that create armies of this sort. If by some miracle, Joesph Kony turns himself in (LOL) or is captured (LOLWHERE'SWALDO), another despicable individual will take his place and might start actively waging war against the Uganda government.

3. What do these people clamoring for his head want? He is not going to turn himself in. Removing a single warlord from power will not fix the disaster that is Central Africa. Do they want another quagmire war? Central Africa will make Afghanistan look like a vacation. Not only can the guerrilla groups of these countries learn from the experiences of various Jihadist groups, they are willing to use children in their fight. Sure, the United States has some of the best, most well armed soldiers in the world, but the American public will not tolerate the fight that a warlord like Kony will give. How many children do you want to kill to take him? It is not a quantum leap to figure out that if you are going after a warlord who employs child soldiers that you would have to waste many, many children to finally capture or kill him. People here get squeamish when they here about a smart bomb that missed or civilians caught in the cross fire. A conflict in Africa would be long, bloody, and costly. I am sure that not only would the U.S. be fighting Kony and other various warlords, but Al Queda would open a local chapter. We already have 100 or so advisers in Uganda. I don't think that it is logical to put anybody else there.

4. From what I have read, there is little chance of rehabilitation for child soldiers. They have no family, no friends (excluding those they fight with), no education, no sense of right an wrong, no means to feed and cloth themselves. Not only have they been force to commit war crimes, they are encouraged, if not forced, to use drugs to cope with the things they do. If you manage to destroy every one of these warlords and capture their armies with a low rate of causalities, what are you going to do with all the warped children that you have now inherited? That is not to say that I don't think they deserve a chance, but it is a huge logistical problem. These poor kids frequently end up right back in a warlord's army after they are taken to a rehabilitation facility.

5. What? Another war? Isn't that what we are trying to avoid?

If Joseph Kony is actually inactive, perhaps it is best if he is just left alone. He is a despicable person who is guilty of crimes that we cannot imagine, but there is not an easy solution to this problem.