A new imperialism

For me, the tipping point in the Stop Kony propaganda frenzy happened during spring break.

As I jogged with two friends, we all stopped and noticed amateur chalk art that we assumed was advertisement for a lemonade stand or other suburban staple. However, it read “Stop Kony!” and was encircled by drawings of hearts, flowers and birds.

Now the entire Ugandan struggle has been reduced to a catchy phrase that children in a lily-white community can embrace and embellish with cute hearts.

This is a problem.

The Kony movement is becoming dangerous and is currently only accomplishing a massive push toward Imperialism 2.0.

The trouble does not lie in the goals and intents of Invisible Children and other activist organizations. It is safe to say that none of us actually view children being turned into soldiers as a benefit to the world.

But the trouble (and subsequent imperialist feel) lies in the format and stylistics of Jason Russell’s viral video and other protests.

Throughout Russell’s web-busting video, he takes breaks from informing everyone about Kony and the situation at hand to show off all the good that Invisible Children has done.

He consistently includes shots of a crowd of white people “saving” black children and families while proudly listing all the things he has bought the African people.

Russell takes time during his message to essentially praise himself and the general white community.

Implying that the white powers need to go in and save the black powerless from their war mongrel is a perpetuation of the white man’s burden veiled under activism.

What’s worse is that Russell is trying to make this hegemonic view trendy, painstakingly similar to how the first round of imperialism was seen by the West. In the video, hipsters in chic beanies are featured more than actual Ugandans.

Russell shows crowds of young activists in cool graphic T-shirts that support the cause, and suddenly it becomes unclear what the people are even supporting.

Are all of us changing our profile pictures to Kony propaganda because of the children at the heart of the issue or because it’s fashionable to save cute African kids?

Ugandan response enforces this imperialistic feel.

Focusing mainly on the reductionist and past-focused nature of the video, many Ugandans are taking to YouTube and asking for more emphasis on the root of the issue. Others support the cause but highly dislike the methods of raising awareness as they say spreading Kony’s image brings back horrifying memories and celebrates suffering.

But in true imperialist form, we ignore this response and carry on thinking we are helping these people.

Recognizing a good cause is important, but supporting it in a beneficial matter is more important.

We cannot simply go about other countries’ issues the white way and perpetuate Rudyard Kipling’s iconic idea.

Take time to think about what you are actually calling for, but also why and how you are doing it.

­— sjostrow@indiana.edu