There is currently a "disinformation" campaign spreading nearly as rapidly as Stop Kony 2012, and I feel humbly inclined to make a statement, for whatever it's worth. As Director of Rock Your Cause, I would like to weigh in on the issue of cause advocacy:
Most simply, we need to take a step back. Kony 2012 isn't about black versus white, rich versus poor, first world versus third world, highbrow versus lowbrow. It's about good versus bad, and the power of social media to connect humanity more rapidly and intimately than ever before so that good human beings can unite to fight bad human beings.
Let's stop arguing about the video and start arguing about how to move forward and contribute to the welfare and integrity of Northern Uganda and other central African communities affected by the LRA. Forty million of us now have some very pressing and powerful information in our hands -- the true test of humanity is not whether we tweet about a free documentary film or "jump on a bandwagon." That is not what we should be scrutinizing.
How is it that within 24 hours we turned Stop KONY 2012 -- a campaign that was supposed to be about LRA affected individuals in need - into an embarrassingly narcissistic debate about our societal status quo? Kony 2012 involves us, but isn't about us (unless we're talking about apathy and inability to react to human rights violations around the world -- then it's a direct reflection of us). Further, the fact that the LRA is albeit absent from Northern Uganda isn't about Invisible Children being too late, it's about us --the collective human population -- being too late.
Let's stop wasting hours writing bubble-bursting blog posts and instead use that time to dig deep into what makes us human -- our brave hearts and insightful minds -- and come up with the next move. We're now equipped with powerful information that should inspire us to act boldly against people like Kony -- the weak links in the human population.
Can we quit the self-indulgent debate? Can we stop talking in circles about what Invisible Children should have and could have done? Can everyone who has the luxury of university-level education, freedom and time save their excessive hypothetical chatter and arguments for their dissertations?
Also, to all the critics: if you're so smart and all-knowing, then put your PhD brains to use to solve global problems, you're wasting your ingenuity in the blogosphere. Got a problem? Don't spew to in public spaces, grow some balls, use your brain,have a heart and contact Invisible Children directly with valid suggestions for how they can polish their philanthropic efforts. Or if you think you have all the answers, write up a partnership proposal and work hand in hand with IC on an initiative that speaks to your personal truth. Let's work together, not tear each other apart.
The true test is what we do now that we're in-the-know, and so far what we've managed to do it argue about our own lives. I hope to think we're better than that.