Drank The KONY Kool-Aid & Feeling Sick? This One’s For You.

If I get an ulcer, I’m sending the bill to Jason Russell. Maybe he can use some of the proceeds from the sale of those pretty shiny bracelets. Much has been critiqued about the Stop Kony movement, and even more is on its way. Most importantly, Ugandan voices have finally penetrated into the mainstream, and quite frankly, they’re doing a better job of deconstructing the issue than I could ever do.

In case the napkin doodle isn’t clear enough, I believe that the Stop Kony video is manipulative and irresponsible – at best (catch me off the record and I’ll tell you how I really feel). But I’m not as willing to write off the millions of youth who lent their support to the campaign. One of my many concerns with the video is how it patronizes young people, suggesting that they can’t possibly understand the complexity of the issue beyond a three syllable catch phrase. Unfortunately, many critics have perpetuated this image by characterizing campaign supporters as HappyMeal Hollywood zombies.