It was only a matter of a few hours ago that I received a cryptic text message from a friend soliciting, “KONY 2012. Spread the word.” The basic idea was proposed by filmmaker and co-founder of Invisible Children, Inc., Jason Russell, who has made it his mission to bring an end to the onslaught of rebellion and abduction of children brought upon the African nation of Uganda by a man named Joseph Kony. Personal thoughts about the international situation in Uganda aside, this topic particularly interested me in the ways it has utilized “viral activism” by attempting to forego direct political action and seek instead to blast the message of “#stopkony” all over the Internet.
Russell’s goal is to bring Kony to justice for “crimes against humanity,” the sort of broad, overarching and glorious infraction that is so very frequently pinned on international criminals around the world by the United Nations. Expect a full-fledged article soon on the ways “viral activism,” that is promoting social action across several continents and organizing volunteerism through social media, shape the way we respond to various “calls to action”. No, it’s not a new idea, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a dramatic response within the high school community.
Watch the video that kick-started the phenomenon:
KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.
Visit the creators’ site here.
Leave your thoughts on the issue below.
Kyle Dunn / Editor in Chief
