The video was interesting and well done, with lots of Youtube clips that make my generation laugh and relate. The hook is very good, and the birth of a white baby in America helps us relate to our human experience.
However, I won't rehash some of the better written criticisms of the video as outlined in several articles like the one below.
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/03/07/guest_post_joseph_kony_is_not_in_uganda_and_other_complicated_things
http://m.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/solving-war-crimes-with-wristbands-the-arrogance-of-kony-2012/254193
http://m.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/solving-war-crimes-with-wristbands-the-arrogance-of-kony-2012/254193
The quote I want to focus on is one from Mr. Russell, co-founder of Invisible Children. This organization is the one that produced the video and was quoted in this NY Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/world/africa/online-joseph-kony-and-a-ugandan-conflict-soar-to-topic-no-1.html?_r=1&hp:
“No one wants a boring documentary on Africa,” he said. “Maybe we have to make it pop, and we have to make it cool.”“We view ourself as the Pixar of human rights stories,” he added.
I found this quote the most troubling out of all the back and forth about the video. Aside from the disturbing assumption that people don't care about human rights stories unless they're well-produced (please, please tell me this isn't true), his first statement begs the question: who asked for a documentary on Africa? Was it the African (because let's not forget that Africa is a huge and diverse continent) people? Who are the African people?
Quite simply, why does a white man with a Western education want to make a documentary on "poor Africans?"
I don't know this man, nor do I pretend to understand his motives. However, as presented in the video, it seems fair to suggest that his disgust with the situation in Uganda regarding child soldiers has led to a deep sense of righting injustice in a foreign land.
Now, I'm not saying that what is going on in Uganda isn't troubling. Uganda, just like the US, has many problems of socio-economic inequality and corruption. And Uganda seems to still be grappling with the aftermath of war and what to do with former child soldiers.
But, I see that there are several assumptions underlying this video [not a complete list]:
1. Africa is a savage place, and the United States needs to save it from itself.
2. Africa cannot save itself.
3. Raising awareness in Western, developed countries affects everyday Africans.
4. American cultural norms are correct and African cultural norms are wrong.
5. Talking to one person is equivalent to speaking with an entire group of people.
6. Solutions to human rights issues are obvious.
7. Money is needed to solve human rights issues.
8. The United States Navy Seals are the best solution to the problem of child soldiers in Africa.
9. An internet campaign is change.
10. Wearing a bracelet directly aids catching an international war criminal.
1. Africa is a savage place, and the United States needs to save it from itself.
2. Africa cannot save itself.
3. Raising awareness in Western, developed countries affects everyday Africans.
4. American cultural norms are correct and African cultural norms are wrong.
5. Talking to one person is equivalent to speaking with an entire group of people.
6. Solutions to human rights issues are obvious.
7. Money is needed to solve human rights issues.
8. The United States Navy Seals are the best solution to the problem of child soldiers in Africa.
9. An internet campaign is change.
10. Wearing a bracelet directly aids catching an international war criminal.
[I have intentionally used Africa here, rather than the region of Uganda, because I think this is another assumption that Africa as a whole exists.]
To me, this is why SELF-AWARENESS is vital in social justice work.
Many articles seem to say "Well, maybe there are problems with the video... but isn't that missing the point? How can saving child soldiers be bad?"
I would argue that this is the crux of a huge issue within the social justice community--the idea that self-awareness is not necessary for work. Why is this man adopting a white guilt savior complex for some child in Africa? Why are millions of US dollars being funneled towards this? And why is criticism of his irresponsible appropriation of Ugandan children deemed insensitive?
To be honest, this kind of stuff pisses me off more than blind ignorance. I care deeply about human rights and justice work, so to see someone with money throwing around white guilt that masquerades as real change makes me angry. Are those cool bracelets really going to help a child in a foreign country that most of us know very little about? And most importantly-- what right do white folks have to "fix" Uganda when many of the root problems were established during white colonial expansion and mining of African countries?
We must not forget that European colonialism set up many of the structures that continue to oppress people across Africa today. Where's that Pixar video?
Until we get real as a nation with this conversation, I leave it with this: I am tired of seeing white people carelessly toss around huge amounts of resources with a Wikipedia level of information while expecting the world to praise them for how wonderful they are. We can do better than that.
