The "Kony 2012" campaign

I started getting tweets a couple of days ago from various celebrities - yes, I follow some, and you do, too, fess up! - about the "Kony2012" campaign to highlight the crimes of Ugandan cult leader Joseph Kony, whose group is called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), who has been known among other things for kidnapping children and turning them into child soldiers.

This is a fishy cause, as the following pieces explain:

Kate Cronin-Furman & Amanda Taub, Solving War Crimes With Wristbands: The Arrogance of 'Kony 2012' The Atlantic Online 03/08/2012

Joshua Keating Michael Wilkerson, Joseph Kony is not in Uganda (and other complicated things) Foreign Policy 03/07/2012

Bruce Wilson, "Invisible Children" Co-founder (KONY 2012) Hints It's About Jesus, and Evangelizing Talk to Action 03/08/2012

There's also a Facebook page collecting news on the Kony 2012 campaign: Stop Kony 2012 - Get The Facts

It's worth checking it out a bit before sending them $30 for a wristband. One thing I learned on the reporting around this campaign, though, is that the US has 100 Special Forces troops in Uganda. Supporting the Ugandan government that wants to execute gays and lesbians, a goal cheered by some American "Christian Right" religious leaders who should know (and act) better.

There are lots of constructive charities out there, and political causes too, with much more transparency than this Kony 2012 campaign has.

ags: christian right, joseph kony, uganda

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