
Invisible Children co-founder detained by police; charity made 'KONY 2012' video - rpledge
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/16/10721745-report-invisible-children-co-founder-detained-by-police-charity-made-kony-2012-video
======
DanBC
It's disturbing to see blatant prejudice on HN against someone who may have a
mental illness. (I'm not a doctor, and I'm not saying he does. Maybe he just
went on a drinks / drugs bender, in which case judge away.)

His erratic behaviour shouldn't be causing you to scrutinise their
information; that's something you should be trying to do anyway.

For a reputable source you could try IRIN (Yes, I post lot from them. I have
no connection to them.)

([http://www.irinnews.org/Report/95083/SECURITY-Fighting-
Kony-...](http://www.irinnews.org/Report/95083/SECURITY-Fighting-Kony-with-
beer-spy-planes-and-YouTube))

> _Invisible Children only publish information on LRA, or suspected LRA,
> activity on their LRAcrisistracker.com website, while other acts of violence
> in the region - where aid workers say the “DRC government is absent” and
> there are alleged human rights abuses by FARDC and Ugandan troops operating
> with the assistance of US forces in CAR - never get a mention._

~~~
rpledge
I'm not sure where you're getting the prejudice angle from, the link is merely
information about a topic that was widely discussed here.

~~~
DanBC
One person says "Maybe it shouldn't...but that makes me think a little less of
this guy. I have always tried... but now I think I will redouble my efforts to
fact-check and look with a critical eye, at issues that come to my attention
via 'Clicktivist' campaigns."

If (and it might not be) it is a mental illness, well, you shouldn't think
less of him. That's like saying you'd think less of someone if you found out
they were Jewish, or that they used a wheelchair.

Another person says "I have a hard time believing that after putting in all
the effort of creating the video and getting it out there that this guy would
do something like this [...]"

If (and it might not be) it is a mental illness he either has less control or
no control over his actions and thoughts. That's not an excuse to just let him
do it, but it shouldn't affect the campaign.

Frustratingly I thought there was lots wrong with the KONY video, but my
stigma-reduction for people with MH problems is bigger than that.

Obviously, maybe he was just on drugs, or is a weirdo. In which case he should
get what he deserves.

~~~
sheraz
The ivory-tower relativist view may give him a pass, but in the real world
this turkey is cooked.

And that is total BS that you would compare people with mental problems to
Jewish people or those born physically disabled. Yes, I twisted your words,
but not that much. You could have chosen much better examples.

~~~
DanBC
Why is it BS to compare someone with a mental illness (specifically a
psychotic illness) to someone who is Jewish or someone who is a wheelchair
user?

~~~
sheraz
I think you have chosen your words poorly because the above reads like you are
calling an entire ethnicity disabled.

~~~
DanBC
I think you need to read what I wrote again.

There are several types of discrimination - race, sex, sexual preference, age,
ability, and religion.

My point was to compare one type of discrimination -discrimination against
those with a disability, a mental illness - with other types of
discrimination, either discrimination against those with a different
disability - those who use wheelchairs, or discrimination against people of a
different ethnicity.

Why is it acceptable to say "This person has a mental illness and thus all of
their work is suspect and all of the work of their organisation is suspect"?

Why is that acceptable if it's not acceptable to say "This person is a
wheelchair user and thus all of their work is suspect and all of the work of
their organisation is suspect" or "This person is gay and thus all of their
work is suspect and all of the work of their organisation is suspect"?

------
MarkPNeyer
the description sounds like textbook manic symptoms.

if i were this guy and suddenly had a huge internet audience watching my
movies and then accusing me of distortion and lying, i can see it triggering a
manic episode really easily.

------
bilbo0s
Uhhh...

Wow...

Maybe it shouldn't...but that makes me think a little less of this guy.

I have always tried...

but now I think I will redouble my efforts to fact-check and look with a
critical eye, at issues that come to my attention via 'Clicktivist' campaigns.

EDIT:

...He is described on the organization's [Invisible Children] website as a co-
founder and "our grand storyteller and dreamer."...

Not at all a slow news day for clicktivism. Better to just rip the band-aid
off though... less painful that way.

------
jkeel
I have a hard time believing that after putting in all the effort of creating
the video and getting it out there that this guy would do something like this
but truth is stranger than fiction sometimes.

------
sheraz
How bizzarre, but christ those are some serious allegations. That definitely
strikes a blow to the legitimacy of this campaign...

------
H_E_Pennypacker
I guess Kony wasn't the only one shooting thousands of kids

------
joshmattvander
Drugged perhaps?

