The "Kony 2012" video and Jim Inhofe

[cleller]

I just saw a story about a video causing lots of stir on the internet. It was made by a group called Invisible Children, and is about Uganda warlord Joseph Kony. Kony is legendary for forcing children to fight for him, and killing or enslaving those who resist. The aim of the video is to have him brought down.

The video features clips of Jim Inhofe leading the charge to remove Kony. I was surprised that these filmmakers had not been advised that Inhofe is normally portrayed by people within their circle as the most clueless and uncaring senator in the US.

Strange bedfellows.

[Midtowner]

Fundamentalist Christians are kind of strangely over-involved in Uganda. That probably has something to do with it.

[KantoSooner]

Fundamentalist Christians have been hyper-active in sub-Saharan Africa for the last 40 years or so. As have their brethren in the more fundamentalist Islamic groups. As much as anything, it's probably a symptom of the collapse of the colonial system and also of tribal hierarchies as the traditional economy gives way to some version of modernity.
Kony is a religious zealot, but was coopted, long ago, by the Sudanese Islamic government who use him to punish the Ugandans and create something of a firewall against the growing Christian 'threat' to their South.

[SoonerAtKU]

There's also the fact that the LRA is nominally a "christian" organization. I say that with the full understanding that nothing going on there is remotely christian or based in any honest belief system.

[KantoSooner]

It is interesting that Kony follows in the bloody footprints of Idi 'Big Daddy' Amin Dada. Is there something in the water there in Uganda?
I mean, dayum, you'd think one self-annointed, messianic, sociopathic leader of a mass-murder cult per generation would be sufficient to burn the impulse out of most societies. (North Korea excepted).

[SicEmBaylor]

I could not possibly care less about Uganda, the people in it, or the person running it.

[KantoSooner]

Oh pooh! I know you've always hankered after opening a Jeffersonian Research Center on the shores of Lake Victoria.
I can see it now: a deep veranda'd house with tall, white columns out front. A double row of jacaranda trees leading to a gracious, flag-stone paved turn-about for your guests' coaches. Fecund fields, heavy with nature's bounty, filling a broad, sunlit slope down to the lake.
And, over it all, cunningly hidden loudspeakers that play the collected works of Tommy J from sunrise 'til sunset, except when you, clad in your white bushsuit, drop your black cheroot and choose to address 'your people' directly.
Ah, what a vision of life as it should be led!
So, don't tell me you aren't hankering after knowledge of Kony.

[Midtowner]

It is interesting that Kony follows in the bloody footprints of Idi 'Big Daddy' Amin Dada. Is there something in the water there in Uganda?
I mean, dayum, you'd think one self-annointed, messianic, sociopathic leader of a mass-murder cult per generation would be sufficient to burn the impulse out of most societies. (North Korea excepted).

I think you vastly overestimate his current importance in the region.

[SicEmBaylor]

Oh pooh! I know you've always hankered after opening a Jeffersonian Research Center on the shores of Lake Victoria.
I can see it now: a deep veranda'd house with tall, white columns out front. A double row of jacaranda trees leading to a gracious, flag-stone paved turn-about for your guests' coaches. Fecund fields, heavy with nature's bounty, filling a broad, sunlit slope down to the lake.
And, over it all, cunningly hidden loudspeakers that play the collected works of Tommy J from sunrise 'til sunset, except when you, clad in your white bushsuit, drop your black cheroot and choose to address 'your people' directly.
Ah, what a vision of life as it should be led!
So, don't tell me you aren't hankering after knowledge of Kony.

You speak my language, sir.

[KantoSooner]

I think you vastly overestimate his current importance in the region.
In the case of Amin, I'm sure I do. Him being dead and all.

Kony is, as you say, not geopolitically important, but he has had tremendous annoyance value for the Sudanese against the Ugandans.

[diverdog]

In the case of Amin, I'm sure I do. Him being dead and all.

Kony is, as you say, not geopolitically important, but he has had tremendous annoyance value for the Sudanese against the Ugandans.

Kanto:

What is your background? You seem to have a good grasp of issues in Africa.

[KantoSooner]

Grew up partially in Nigeria. Spent a lot of college and grad school preparing for a career in developing country macro-econ. Then had a career in building factories in Africa and SE Asia. Spent lots of time in places without teevee, so you read and reread and reread every newspaper and magazine at least five times each (it seems).

Africa is totally weird. In general, some of the greatest people on earth and, with the exception of Mandela and one or two reasonably enlightened military dictators, utterly devoid of a talent for government.

[badger]

In case you're curious, here's an article on the Inhofe cameo.

NewsOK link here (http://newsok.com/article/3655832)


And he has received comments from Democrats and Republicans on his Facebook page about it:

“Senator,” one starts, “Lately I have been ashamed to say I am a Republican. Today I saw the Kony video and was given hope by your compassion in this matter. Thank you from this concerned Oklahoma voter.”

And another says, “Senator, I am a liberal Democrat. We do not see eye to eye on so many issues. However, tonight, Senator, you filled me with hope. I watched the video re: the abomination of a human being, Kony. Senator, we have found common ground.”


Proof that politicians can find common ground with anyone if they try hard enough :)

[Bourbon St Sooner]

I was reading an article about this Kony guy and was surprised to find out that the US had 100 troops in Uganda looking for this guy.

[KantoSooner]

Dontcha know that has to be great duty? No heavy equipment, no air support, probably not terribly competent or reliable local allies, hunting down a confirmed psychopath with an army of brainwashed kiddies with automatic weapons.
I know you're supposed to go where you're sent, but this is godawful duty.

[rock on sooner]

There is a small, easy reading "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah...it is a memoir of a boy soldier
in Sierra Leone, that is eye opening...along the lines of Kony...gives some insight into that under
world.

[StoopTroup]

Wouldn't it be cool if they were all so passionate about the problems we have here in America?
Jim has been a politician long enough. It's time he move on to more philanthropic work it seems. Thankfully he's not been using his time as a US Senator to waste those resources outside the US right?

[badger]

Wouldn't it be cool if they were all so passionate about the problems we have here in America?
Jim has been a politician long enough. It's time he move on to more philanthropic work it seems. Thankfully he's not been using his time as a US Senator to waste those resources outside the US right?

he's in his 70s so i don't think he's gonna stick around much longer. i don't seem him as the type to die in office strom thurmond style

[StoopTroup]

he's in his 70s so i don't think he's gonna stick around much longer. i don't seem him as the type to die in office strom thurmond style

I hope so. I get the feeling that folks in our State would elect Jim's dead corpse before they would consider electing a moderate Democrat.

[Chuck Bao]

Kanto, after getting my graduate degree I applied to the Peace Corp. They said that given my farmer background, I'd probably be sent to Africa. I said thanks but no thanks and accepted a teaching fellowship program between Baylor and Hong Kong Baptist University. I don't understand Africa and I'm pretty sure that reading about it is not the same as living it. My family's advice was that my heart couldn't take the amount of suffering. I guess my "liberal" heart couldn't. Kudos to you for living it and sharing it.

[olevetonahill]

I hope so. I get the feeling that folks in our State would elect Jim's dead corpse before they would consider electing a moderate Democrat.

I dont believe there is such a critter is there, Kinda like that chucabra er whatever

[Chuck Bao]

I dont believe there is such a critter is there, Kinda like that chucabra er whatever

That probably depends. Do you have any cattle?

[AlboSooner]

Christians will never get any credit. Even when helping an ailing continent like Africa.