There’s been a lot of fuss concerning the video I posted earlier, both against and defending the organization (Invisible Children) that created the video and facilitated such a strong outcry for action.  First, and I made a gesture at it in the previous post, what’s interesting to me about all of this is the way they harnessed the power of social media and provoked action out of crowds all over the world.  They made a good point about location coming to mean very little when it comes to helping others and doing what’s right.  They were able to connect to so many other people who agreed in an amazingly short period of time.  Light could probably not move faster.

Just as quickly, the words of people opposed to that organization also spread.  Some were outraged and others merely begged people to research and think first before jumping.  “Look before you leap.”  There is this post explaining why they are opposed to Invisible Children, though agreeing that Kony needs to be brought down.  Whatever the case may be about Invisible Children and the finer details of LRA’s crimes, this other post had a good ending sentiment on the matter:

So, instead of continuing to debate the strengths and weakness of the Kony2012 video, or attack Invisible Children for their lack of financial transparency, let’s figure out how to turn this momentum into a constructive opportunity that can result in smart policies that will have a positive, real-time impact in the affected areas of central Africa. Let’s harness this energy and turn it into something productive that ensures we’re telling the right stories, inspiring well-informed advocacy, and working together across governments, academia, grassroots activists, and local populations to help bring this chapter of the LRA — and the impact in affected areas — to a close.

That, at least, is something I can fully agree with.