"We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of the dreams"

9th March 2012

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From #Kony2012 to the Occupy movement

I Really wanted to refrain from talking about Joseph Kony and the Kony 2012 campaign but i cant seem to do it.  With all this controversy, my hope is that people understand the need of creating a space for activists and organizers to collectively develop relevant theory, vision and strategy to build our movements towards the goal of collective liberation.  

Liberation or Re-colonization?

International solidarity with  child soliders in Uganda has become the next “hot” topic . In recent days, a video by Invisible Children went viral, creating lots and lots of heated discussions. So I instead of feeding into the trolls, I decided to write down my thoughts and questions.  

So what does it mean to turn apathy into activism in oppressed communities and what roles do people coming race, class and/or gender privlidged communtiies play? and how do big organizations like IC and mass mobilizations like the Occupy movement fit into a larger strategy of global justice?   What role should IC, a white, middle class, male led organization play?  

While there are benefits to the way IC is currently organizing,  It is important that  IC’s politics reflect on their privilege and use it  to fight the system. They should organize with other white people as a way to build the base of anti-racist /anti oppresive radical politics into these communities. The goal shouldnt be what can we do to them, but how can we  support in build movements led by the oppressed. It will be this sort of commitment that will lead us to collective liberation. Solidarity organizing with the oppressed is key to winning justice.

What if instead activists, neighbors, organizations collectively organize to hold  the 1% accountable for their irresponsibilities in profit of war crimes. Let’s make videos go viral that hold Dynocorp CEO Van Honeycutt, Lockhead Martin CEO Robert J. Stevens, and all the other USA Military Contractor CEO’s accountable. 

Does Invisible children have bad organizing? yes. Bad politics? yes. Have they succeeded in other ways? YES.  IC has had a huge impact in Uganda. I was active in many of their campaigns and I can say with all confidence that IC has attracted many young folks in the US that would have not otherwise been attracted to or engaged in social justice issues before.  You have a bunch of youngins a little bit more informed about an injustice than before. Of course  i understand how their white mans burden and neo-imperalist  strategy is problematic. 

Brainwashed and unaware- i think this is an issue of a  poorly thought out advocacy campaign and  illustrates our fucked up education system.

Some similarities I found between IC and Occupy

  1. The world invisible is just as problematic as using the word Occupy
  2. both are predominately white led “movements”
  3. Both have changed the meaning of activism and shifted national dialogue
  4. Both aim to raise awareness with action
  5. the “helping” & “saving” are messages both found within the two. They  are problematic in nature and should be identified as so and be called out
  6. Both include people with enormous amounts of privilege, that many people fail to recognize.  For occupy and IC, even having the privilege to take time off  from family, work or school  & be able to participate in either movement is a huge privilege that i have yet to hear people admit too.
  7. Those involved with both  should be owning their privlidge, not hiding from it, and recognize what strategic role their privilege can do to stand in solidarity with those who are marginalized.
  8. Short-term vision/Reactionary… where’s the success in that?!
  9. Most of the people working with IC are media professionals and while Occupy, encompasses a range of professions, most of the folks are not policy makers or organizers; just passionate individuals wanting to do something.
  10. IC is an advocacy org and that can be extremely problematic on its own, we act like people are incapable of speaking for themselves. I see the same thing within the occupy movement with people continually acting as if all organizing must go under the “occupy banner” and that people are not part of the movement unless they are in the sq, failing to recognize that people in marginalized communities  have been organizing for themselves and have been for a VERY long time
  11. Both Occupy & IC fail to  acknowledge the histories of oppression that have played out globally. The narratives  have become about “Occupy” & “Invisible Children” not about solidarity
  12. A lot of mimicking the system

Ultimately, our movement  today shouldn’t be about righting every wrong and validating every good. Instead we should constantly reflect, learn and understand  the power, privilege, and influence that characterize the dominant–subordinated system of oppression

For the  possibility to working towards  long term movement building, more mentoring is needed with IC and Occupy.  They both have made some great impact with their unique ways of organizing but I think there is  an opportunity for both Occupy and IC, to take some constructive criticism and learn how to reflect on that by work positively towards building a political and structural  analysis that works within a collective liberation framework. 

Tagged: Invisible Childrenkony2012kony2012occupyoccupy dcows

  1. rooj129 posted this