So, in an effort to inspire conversation about this now-viral campaign, I’m posting the #Kony2012 video, along with a 5 posts to offer some counter-perspective.

To be clear – like many of the posts mention – Kony has done terrible, evil things, and should certainly be stopped. I applaud Invisible Children for their ability to inspire so many to action against injustice. HOW he is stopped is where I (and many others) disagree. 

Don’t take my word for it. Judge for yourselves. Watch the video below,  then read the posts, then feel free to comment here.

1. “We Got Trouble”
2. “Taking Kony Down a Notch”
3. “Let’s Talk About Kony”
4.  ”Kony 2012: Why I Love the Idea, but Hate the Campaign”
5. “Looking Deeper at Invisible Children’s Stop Kony Campaign“

* And this one – Just for fun: “The Definitive Kony2012 Drinking Game” (Equal parts hilarious / sad-but-true)

———————– UPDATE —————————-

I’m sure this will continue to happen as more people keep writing, but here’s a few more:

• “Joseph Kony and Crowdsourced Intervention”
• “You Don’t Have My Vote”
• “I like Jimmy Choos, and I Hate Cheap Beer. Otherwise Known as The Reasons Why #Kony2012 is Being Criticized.”
• “Joseph Kony is not in Uganda (and other complicated things)”

From the comments:

• “On Invisible Children’s Kony Campaign”
• “Invisible Children and Joseph Kony”

This hand-stitched, and self-printed bag is part of the marketing collateral for Kalpravriksha, a renewable energy business located  in a small village in Nepal. Kalpravriksha is the brainchild of Sita (pictured below), and supported by Empower Generation (EG), a social enterprise start-up which invests in women entrepreneurs to prevent human trafficking and combat poverty through renewable energy businesses.

This particular logo design process was a challenge, as common printing options are unavailable in Sita’s village. As a result, we optimized the logo for screen-printing and guided Sita and her cohorts through the self-printing process. They turned out beautifully, with just enough small blemishes to make each bag unique. They should be on sale at some point in the future, so keep checking back with EG.

You can find out more about EG and Kalpravriksha on EG’s blog. And if you like what you see, maybe you could take a second to vote for their project in the Dell social innovation challenge. If they win, EG will use the funding to support more entrepreneurs like Sita.

Sita at the site of her greater goods shop

To make matters worse, I had an appointment on the other end of town in a mere hour. My co-workers had left work already, my family was unreachable by phone, and well … let’s face it, I was stuck.

Luckily, my job offers some unique connections. I work as the Marketing Coordinator for the MicroEnterprise Department at the International Rescue Committee in San Diego. In simpler terms, I help San Diego-based refugees market their small businesses. I work with all types of refugee entrepreneurs: Food vendors, handicraft artists, childcare providers, and (thankfully) some highly-skilled mobile mechanics.

So last night, while my engine was grinding in the parking lot, I knew to call Hamadi Machiwa, a microenterprise client and probably the most brilliant mechanic I’ve ever met. He answers his phone and tells me he’s just down the street and he’ll meet me in a few minutes. Within ten minutes, he’s arrived. Within fifteen, he’s found the problem. I told you, the guy is brilliant. Unfortunately, the auto parts store is closed. He tells me we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to get the part. “But I’m only working a half day tomorrow,” he works full time at a mechanic shop during the week. “So I’ll come back with the part tomorrow afternoon and fix it.” I’m relieved. Hamadi’s got everything under control and I don’t even have to pretend like I know what I’m doing under the hood of my car. Of course, I still have to be across town in an hour, and now I have no transportation…

Did I mention we also work with some wonderful taxi and limo drivers?

My next call is to Shakur Elmi, one of the refugee business owners at All Nations Cab, a local taxi company, and a co-owner of his most recent entrepreneurial endeavor, Black Horse Limos.*  Shakur shows up to my office parking lot within 15 minutes in a sleek black town-car with tinted windows. He’s dressed in in a suit and tie, and with a huge grin on his face he says “Tonight, I’m the International Rescue Committee, because I’m rescuing you.”

He gets me to my appointment with time to spare, and is back in an hour and a half to take me home.

Working as a service provider can lead to some interesting self-identity conundrums. Some days, no matter how much you try to avoid it, you can fall into the trap of thinking what you do is one-sided. I help refugees market their small businesses. But that’s not the whole story.

The truth is, I help refugees who, in turn, help you and help me. It’s a cycle, because we all need each other sometime.

So, yes – I can offer some assistance to refugees when it comes to marketing plans, business logos, and website setup. But there are a thousand other things I need on a daily basis that are given to me by immigrants and refugees – people who have sacrificed everything to be here. And at the end of the day, I’m really glad Hamadi and Shakur are here to rescue me when I need it.

Quick sidenote: Yesterday I asked Hamadi why he was only working a half day today, and he replied: “Tomorrow is the anniversary of the day I came to United States,” (7 years ago today) “so I don’t work on that day.

Except for you, of course.”

*To schedule your own ride with Black Horse Limos, contact Shakur at (858) 610-8229

**The views represented here are my own, and do not necessarily represent the views of the International Rescue Committee.

In an effort to raise some funds for my documentary project, ReView Religion, I’m selling each year of my 27 years on this planet for $10 apiece.

Here’s how it’ll work – Donate here: http://reviewreligion.org/ by Thursday, January 19th and comment below or on the fundraising site telling me which year (or years) of my life you’re purchasing. I’ll respond by sending you a short reflection of writing, photo, or video from that year of my life and tagging you in my Facebook timeline.

This is a perfect gift for all you creepos who are currently stalking me on Facebook, or for those of you who would like to support our project to make the world a better place.

Thanks in advance. And don’t forget to share!

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UPDATE 01/17/12 4:30pm

Years 18 and 21 of my life have been purchased.

But don’t worry -There’s 25 years left. And let me assure you, I was incredibly awkward in middle school. Somewhere around years 11-13 there’s a GOLDMINE of embarrassing material for one lucky donor.