Kony 2012

NOTHING IS MORE POWERFUL THAN AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME WHOSE TIME IS NOW JASON: Right now there are more people on Facebook than there were on the planet 200 years ago. Humanity's greatest desire is to belong and connect. And now we see each other. We hear each other. -WOMAN: Grandpa, I love you. -I love you. Why -- Why won't it take a picture? We share what we love, and it reminds us what we all have in common. WOMAN: Dug out alive and well after 7 1/2 days. If you believe in yourself, you will know how to ride a bike! Rock and roll! So, now, technically, your device is on. [ Laughs ] Can you tell? Oh, that's exciting. JASON: And this connection is changing the way the world works. Governments are trying to keep up. Now we can taste the freedom. [ Indistinct chanting ] And older generations are concerned. GIGOT: Many people are very concerned about tomorrow they could get worse next year. JASON: The game has new rules. The next 27 minutes are an experiment. But in order for it to work, you have to pay attention. [ Monitor beeping ] NURSE: Oh, he's cute. He's really cute. -Wow! -DOCTOR: Congratulations! I can hear him. [ Crying ] JASON: Every single person in the world started this way. He didn't choose where or when he was born. But because he's here, he matters. JASON: Yeah. We've been waiting for you. You made it. My name is Jason Russell, and this is my son, Gavin. [ Slides clicking ] He loves jumping on the trampoline, being a ninja, and dancing. What are you doing? Making a snow angel. -How do you do that? -You do this. ♪ Dee-dee-dee, dee-dee-dee, dee-dee-dee-dee-dee ♪ And just like his dad, he likes being in movies... Action. Look out! Look out, people! Run! It's a bomb! JASON: ...and making movies. Daddy, watch this. I think we got the video. But he was born into a pretty complicated world. And as a dad, I want him to grow up in a better world than I did. And because of the course of events in my life, I see a way to get there. It has become my job. Who are you to end a war? I'm here to tell you: who are you not to? JASON: Hey, Gavin. What's up? Years before Gavin was born, the course of my life was changed entirely by another boy. And who's this right here? GAVIN: Jacob. Who's Jacob? Jacob is our friend in Africa. It's been almost 10 years since Jacob and I became friends. [ Laughter ] It's okay. They're nice 'cause they're different than sharks. But when my friends and I first met him in Uganda in Central Africa, it was in very different circumstances. He was running for his life. -MAN: You go to school here? -Yes. Yes. That's how you know English so well. -I know. -Yeah. Hello. How many nights have you stayed here? You are making our work very difficult. You stop that thing now. The night I first met Jacob, he told me what he and other children in northern Uganda were living through. We worry the rebels when they arrest us again, then they will kill us. My brother tried to escape. Then they killed him using a panga. They cut his neck. Did you see it? I saw. We fear that if we sleep at our home, we can be abducted by the rebels because our home is far away from town. They will catch us, then they will take us there in the bush. We come here to save our life. I cannot believe that. This is absurd. You cannot believe it? This has been going on for years? If that happened one night in America, it would be on the cover of Newsweek. What is it that you want to be when you grow up? For me, I wanted to be a lawyer, but... no money. I don't have money to pay my school fees so that I learn and then become a lawyer. Hmm. After spending a few weeks with Jacob, he told me something I would never forget. It is better when you kill us. And, if possible, you can kill us, you kill us. For us, we don't want now to stay. You don't want to stay on earth? We are only two. No one is taking care of us. We are not going to school, so -- You would rather die than stay on earth? Yes. Now, even now? Even now. How are we going to stay in our future? He told me more about his brother and what he would say to him if he were still alive. I love you, but now I miss you. So it is better when we meet --- We are not going to meet, but we may meet in heaven. You see? So it is better -- I will not talk much. It will start something because if I saw my brother once again, I don't... JASON: Hmm? [ Sobbing ] It's okay. Jacob, it's okay. Everything in my heart told me to do something. And so I made him a promise. We are also going to do everything that we can to stop them. Yes. -Do you hear my words? -Yes. -You know what I mean? -Yes. Hmm? Yes. We are. We're going to stop them. We're going to stop them. I made that promise to Jacob not knowing what it would mean. But now I do. Over the past nine years, I have fought to fulfill it, and the fight has led me here, to this movie you're watching, because that promise is not just about Jacob or me. It's also about you. And this year, 2012, is the year that we can finally fulfill it. And if we succeed, we change the course of human history. But time is running out. To level with you, this movie expires on December 31, 2012, and its only purpose is to stop the rebel group the LRA and their leader, Joseph Kony. And I'm about to tell you exactly how we're going to do it. [ Up-tempo music plays ] So, the thing is, my son, Gavin, has never -- I've never really explained to him what I do. He knows I work in Africa, but he doesn't know what the war's about or who Joseph Kony is, so I'm gonna explain it to him for the first time today. That's what we're doing. -JASON: So, Gav. -Yeah. -Are you ready? -Yeah. -I'm gonna ask you some questions. -Okay. And you can just look at me and answer the questions to me. I'm kind of nervous. What do I do for a job? You stop the bad guys from being mean. Who are the bad guys? Um... -Do you know where they --? -"Star Wars" people. -"Star Wars" people? -Yeah. -Those are the bad guys? -Yeah. -Can I tell you the bad guy's name? -Yeah. JASON: This is the -- This is the guy, Joseph Kony. He's the bad guy? Yeah. -Who's this? -Jacob. Joseph Kony -- He has an army, okay? And what he does is he takes children from their parents and he gives them a gun to shoot and he makes them shoot and kill other people. But they're not gonna do what he says because they're nice guys, right? Yeah, they don't want to do what he says, but he forces them to do bad things. What do you think about that? -It's sad. -Mm. JASON: I couldn't explain to Gavin the details of what Joseph Kony really does. Because the truth is, Kony abducts kids just like Gavin. For 26 years, Kony has been kidnapping children into his rebel group, the LRA... ...turning the girls into sex slaves... ...and the boys into child soldiers. He makes them mutilate people's faces. And he forces them to kill their own parents. And this is not just a few children. It's been over 30,000 of them. And Jacob was one of those children. As if Kony's crimes aren't bad enough, he is not fighting for any cause, but only to maintain his power. He is not supported by anyone, and he has repeatedly used peace talks to rearm and *** again and again. Kony different times proposed peace, and then just regained strength and attacked. This is the Head Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court. In 2002, when the court was started, their job was to find and demand the arrest of the world's worst criminals. Although there are a lot of warlords, murderers, and dictators in the world, the perversity of Kony's crimes made him first on the Court's list. Kony is the first guy indicted by the ICC. The crimes basically are crimes against humanity and war crimes committed against the civilian population including ***, *** slavery, rapes, abductions. We need to plan how to arrest Kony. Start to plan, and it has to be serious. In fact, the only way to stop Kony is to show him, "Hey, we're going to arrest you." What do you think we should do about him? We should stop him. The criminal here is Kony. Stop him and then solve other problems. We should stop who? Him. JASON: It's obvious that Kony should be stopped. The problem is, 99% of the planet doesn't know who he is. If they knew, Kony would have been stopped long ago. Let the world, let the international community take justice to him there, follow him wherever he is. First, to rescue our children, and secondly, to deliver the justice. We are determined to cooperate with any friend of Uganda to ensure that this mindless killing and slaughter is ended. When my friends and I came home from Uganda, we thought that if the government knew, they would do something to stop him. But everyone in Washington we talked to said there is no way the United States will ever get involved in a conflict where our national security or financial interests aren't at stake. No administration -- Republican, Democrat, Obama, Bush, Clinton, doesn't matter -- would do enough because it's simply not an important-enough issue on the radar screen of American foreign policy. JASON: Since the government said it was impossible, we didn't know what else to do but tell everyone we could about Jacob and the invisible children. Let's show this movie to as many people as possible in such a way that we can't be ignored. And when we did, people were shocked, and their awareness turned into action. We started something -- a community. I have friends that have been living in this conflict their entire life. Fight for that, because that is what is gonna change this world, and that is what defines us. JASON: We got creative, and we got loud. ALL: It's not over! It's not over! It's not over! JASON: And as the LRA began to move into other countries, Jacob and other Ugandans came to the U.S. to speak on behalf of all people suffering because of Kony. Even though Uganda was relatively safe, they felt compelled to tell the world that Kony was still out there and had to be stopped. I'm here so proud advocating for the people who are back at home, and this change we are going to make is going to last forever. We built a community around the idea that where you live shouldn't determine whether you live. We were committed to stop Kony and rebuild what he had destroyed. And because we couldn't wait for institutions or governments to step in, we did it ourselves with our time, talent, and money. So we rebuilt schools. The best you can offer a child is by letting them be independent, and that was providing education. We created jobs. I have seen the lives of those who have been hopeless, now they have hope. And we built an early warning radio network on the front line of the war to protect villages from rebel attacks. To update real time what's happening on a war zone 8,000 miles away. JASON: All of this was funded by an army of young people who put their money toward their belief in the value of all human life. They gave a few dollars a month of what little they had to a program called TRI and proved that a bunch of littles could make a big difference. And as a result, the unseen became visible. We've seen these kids. We've heard their cries. This war must end. We will not stop. We will not fear. We will fight war. DELIVER YOUR VOICE I've talked to people from Mexico, from Canada, from every other state that I can think of. We're all doing this for the exact same reason, and we're all coming from completely different places. This is what the world should be like. JASON: So, with hundreds of thousands of people with us, we went back to Washington, D.C., and we met with congressmen and senators one by one on both sides -- Republicans, Democrats -- and they all agreed with us. Joseph Kony's crimes had to be stopped. With all the problems that are out there, none is more severe than one that -- that mutilates and takes the lives of little kids. These young members of the Invisible Children Organization know that no child should live in fear of being abducted or killed. MCGOVERN: So they were determined to become their voice. They realized that these African children and families were invisible to Washington policymakers. So they decided to make them visible. JASON: And what I was told would never happen suddenly became possible. "In furtherance of the Congress's stated policy, I have authorized a small number of U.S. forces to deploy to Central Africa to provide assistance to regional forces that are working toward the removal of Joseph Kony from the battlefield. Sincerely, Barack Obama." [ Cheers and applause ] The surprise announcement came in a letter from the White House. The U.S. President's decision commits U.S. troops to help. Through advice and assistance -- not putting Americans into combat -- to help the countries of the region end this threat once and for all. And that was a worthwhile investment. [ Cheers and applause ] We used to think we could not do it, and now when I see we can do it, I am overwhelmed. [ Ululating ] JASON: After eight years of work, the government finally heard us. And in October of 2011, a hundred American advisers were sent into Central Africa to assist the Ugandan army in arresting Kony and stopping the LRA. It was the first time in history that the United States took that kind of action because the people demanded it. Not for self-defense, but because it was right. HIGH FREQUENCY REPORT FROM CENTRAL AFRICA DATE: 2 DECEMBER, 2011 A 14-year-old boy who just escaped reports that "Joseph Kony now knows of the United States' plan to stop the LRA, and he is going to change his tactics to avoid capture now that the great power is after him." We've come so far. But Kony is still out there. He's recently changed his tactics, making it even more difficult to capture him. And international support could be removed at any time. If we take the pressure off, if we're not successful, he is going to be growing his numbers. People forget, and you've got to remind them, and it takes numbers to remind them. And if interest wanes, then it'll just -- it'll go away, and I'd end up standing out there alone trying to do something to support completing the mission. It's got to be 2012. It's not bad for the youth, it's bad for the world if we fail. It's not important just for Ugandan people, it's important for everyone. It's hard to look back on some parts of human history. Because when we heard about injustice, we cared, but we didn't know what to do. Too often we did nothing. But if we're going to change that, we have to start somewhere, so we're starting here, with Joseph Kony because now we know what to do. Here it is. Ready? In order for Kony to be arrested this year, the Ugandan military has to find him. In order to find him, they need the technology and training to track him in the vast jungle. That's where the American advisers come in. But in order for the American advisers to be there, the U.S. government has to deploy them. They've done that, but if the government doesn't believe that people care about arresting Kony, the mission will be canceled. In order for the people to care, they have to know. And they will only know if Kony's name is everywhere. KONY CAPTURED This is the dream. Kony arrested for all the world to see, and the abducted children returned home. -JASON: Here's the biggest problem. -Yeah. -Do you want to know what it is? -Yeah. Nobody knows who he is. Nobody knows, but -- but I know who he is because I see him on this picture right now. He's not famous. He's invisible. Joseph Kony's invisible. JASON: Here is how we're going to make him visible. MAKE HIM FAMOUS We are going to make Joseph Kony a household name not to celebrate him, but to bring his crimes to the light. And we are starting this year, 2012. We are targeting 20 culture makers and 12 policymakers to use their power for good. Let's start with the 20 culture makers. Celebrities, athletes, and billionaires have a loud voice, and what they talk about spreads instantly. I want... I'd like indicted war criminals to enjoy the same level of celebrity as me. That seems fair. That's our objective, is to just shine a light on it. If our goal is to get Kony's name known, the known should join us. We are targeting 20 of the most diverse and influential culture makers to speak out about Kony and make him famous. -Oprah. -Mark Zuckerberg. -Ryan Seacrest. -WOMAN: Bono. JASON: Then we're going after policymakers -- the ones that have the authority to see Kony captured. They decide if the advisers stay or leave. So we need to remind them that in this election year of fighting and name-calling, no matter what side you're on, this is something we can all agree on. If a senator or congressman notices 25 phone calls on any issue on any given day, it is noted. When citizens by the hundreds of thousands start demanding that our government do something, suddenly it becomes in the national interest of the United States government to respond to this problem. JASON: We've identified the 12 policymakers that could change the game regarding Kony, so we're targeting them. On our website, we've made it easy to write them directly, call them, meet with them, and get their attention. If my son were kidnapped and forced to kill, it would be all over the news. So we are making Kony world news by redefining the propaganda we see all day, every day that dictates who and what we pay attention to. A lot of people feel powerless to communicate their ideas. They think that, "Okay, you know, I'm not a corporation. I don't own my own magazine or news station. I just don't have any say." But seeing what I've done, I think it's empowered a lot of people to realize that one individual can make an impact. And I actually want to demystify and say, "Here are these really simple tools. Go out and rock it." JASON: And that's just what we intend to do. ♪ I can't stop ♪ JASON: Our goal is to change the conversation of our culture and get people to ask, "Who is Joseph Kony?" We have printed hundreds of thousands of posters, stickers, yard signs, and fliers that are right now, today, being put up in major cities all over the world. We have thousands of "Kony 2012" bracelets that we want everyone to wear this year only. Each bracelet has a unique I.D. number. Input that number and you enter the mission to make Kony famous. You can geotag your posters and track your impact in real time. Everything you need is in a box called the Action Kit. It has two bracelets -- one for you and one to give away. And if you want to help fund our lifesaving programs, donate a few dollars a month through TRI and you can have the Action Kit for free. Start making Kony famous today, but all of these efforts will culminate on one day -- April 20th -- when we cover the night. This is the day when we will meet at sundown and blanket every street in every city till the sun comes up. We will be smart, and we will be thorough. The rest of the world will go to bed Friday night and wake up to hundreds of thousands of posters demanding justice on every corner. ♪ I can't stop ♪ ♪ I can't stop ♪ ♪ I can't stop ♪ JASON: It's always been that the decisions made by the few with the money and the power dictated the priorities of their government and the stories in the media. They determine the lives and the opportunities of their citizens. But now there is something bigger than that. The people of the world see each other and can protect each other. It's turning the system upside down, and it changes everything. We are living in a new world, Facebook World, in which 750 million people share ideas, not thinking in borders. It's a global community, bigger than the U.S. Joseph Kony was committing crimes for twenty years, and no one cared. We care. We have reached a crucial time in history where what we do or don't do right now will affect every generation to come. Arresting Joseph Kony will prove that the world we live in has new rules, that the technology that has brought our planet together is allowing us to respond to the problems of our friends. When it ends, finally, by bringing Kony to justice, it should be celebrated worldwide. We are not just studying human history. We are shaping it. At the end of my life, I want to say that the world we've left behind is one that Gavin can be proud of, a place that doesn't allow Joseph Konys and child soldiers, a place where children, no matter where they live, have a childhood free from fear. -I'm gonna be like you, Dad. -JASON: When you grow up? -Yeah. -Are you sure? I'm gonna come with you to Africa. JASON: The better world we want is coming. It's just waiting for us to stop at nothing. -- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com NOTHING IS MORE POWERFUL THAN AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME WHOSE TIME IS NOW NOW THERE ARE THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW 1. SIGN THE PLEDGE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT 2. GET THE BRACELET AND THE ACTION KIT 3. SIGN UP FOR TRI TO DONATE A FEW DOLLARS A MONTH AND JOIN OUR ARMY FOR PEACE ABOVE ALL, SHARE THIS MOVIE ONLINE IT'S FREE FIND IT ALL AT KONY2012.COM �