Media

‘Kony 2012’: Viral Video’s Filmmaker Arrested for Lewd Acts

Ever since the 30-minute pseudo-documentary “Kony 2012” appeared on the scene, criticisms and celebration have been flying. Now, new questions have been raised by some troubling news stories surrounding the man behind the film, Jason Russell, as well as some less-than-legal methods by which the Kony issue has been publicized.

Content Warning:

First, there’s the story about Russell himself. Russell was recently arrested in San Diego, allegedly for the act of “masturbating in public.” NBC San Diego picks up the bizarre story from here:

Jason Russell, 33,  was allegedly found masturbating in public, vandalizing cars and possibly under the influence of something, according to Lt. Andra Brown. He was detained at the intersection of Ingraham Street and Riviera Road.

Brown said Russell was acting very strange.

Police said they received several calls yesterday at 11:30 a.m. of a man in various stages of undress, running through traffic and screaming. Police described him as “in his underwear.”

The CEO of “Invisible Children,” Russell’s organization, put this more diplomatically in a statement, saying “The past two weeks have taken a severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially, and that toll manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday.” The emotional toll presumably refers to the fact that the Kony 2012 documentary has been recently and repeatedly attacked, both over questions of accuracy, and for possibly inadvertently aiding Kony’s flight from justice. Witness this excerpt from a story in USA Today:

Critics such as J. Peter Pham, an Africa expert at the Atlantic Council, question the timing of the awareness campaign and say that Russell has oversimplified the conflict in central Africa.

The film sends the message that Kony “is the sole source of evil in this part of the world and simply by sending in $30 for an action kit you’ve solved this problem,” Pham says. “When in fact, you‘ve stirred up a hornet’s nest.”

Pham says the timing is bad because U.S. troops already on the ground and diplomatic efforts underway would work best “in the shadows.”

It‘s worth noting that Russell’s “unfortunate incident” is deeply out of character for him. Russell is a born-again Christian, and even spoke at Liberty University’s 2011 convocation. He‘s hardly the sort of person you’d expect to find drunk and masturbating in public. You can watch the video of his remarks at Liberty U below:

The other scandal to hit Kony 2012 comes from Lewisville, Texas, where some people have taken the Kony 2012 campaign‘s call to publicize Kony’s name a little too far, and with the wrong imagery. NBC Dallas Fort Worth explains in the following video and excerpt:

Vandals sprayed-painted the name of a viral Internet campaign about a central Africa warlord on four homes in Lewisville, police said.

American advocacy group Invisible Children launched an online campaign to raise global awareness of Joseph Kony, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.[...]

The graffiti ranged from obscene art to a giant swastika.

So while Kony 2012 might have a noble cause, its founder and supporters are doing it no favors.

 

Comments (66)

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  • Tightroper2
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 11:35pm

    He forgot to yell “Woo-woo!”

    Report Post »  
  • DSTSS2010
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 11:10pm

    Darmok. Why are you insulting Shrek?

    Report Post » DSTSS2010  
  • HorseCrazy
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 9:42pm

    I am disgusted that they throw he is a white Christian in there. when lunatics get arrested do we say black athiest rapes and murders….nope of course not. because a man claims to be a Christian and is white lets do that though right?
    Soros Kony Tie http://www.prisonplanet.com/exposed-kony-2012-scam-is-a-sorosngo-front.html

    Report Post »  
    • Moonbat
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 10:22pm

      They didn‘t actually mention the fact that he’s white. You might be surprised to learn that there are Black, Hispanic and Asian Christians, too.

      Report Post »  
    • trinklefinder
      Posted on March 17, 2012 at 12:42pm

      ic your point horsecrazy. when a christian stumbles non-believers are the first to point it out. they think being a christain and then committing sin makes us hypocrites. but in reality, as christians, we admit me are sinful, and we will stumble. it’s the very reason we need christ. we are human too, and susceptible to the same sin a non-believer is, yes we are to use the strength of christ to turn from sin, but we are weak and fallen. satan will attack a believer more aggressively than a non-believer.

      Report Post » trinklefinder  
  • donh2
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 9:39pm

    Post the video of Russell’s melt down. The media is full of gay people covering up the depravity of their fellow perverts. Yesterday they distracted people’s attention from Russel by reporting the Back Bay manhole explosion took place in BOSTON…when it really took place in San Diego….>> http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/boston/12005146112953/manhole-explosion-on-congress-street-building-evacuated/

    Report Post »  
  • flyingeagle
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 9:38pm

    When I was groing up here in the united states I was a foster child! One day three yong boy’s from Uganda came to our home! The only way they could come and live with us was that one of the boy‘s had lost a leg from a land mine and he and his two brother’s had escaped with help from a church group and one of my foster siblings was there and she with the help of my foster parent’s got them out of the country and brought to america to live. The boy’s were part of the child army! With help from God they I believe were saved from the evil that has engulft they’re nation! these boy’s were not evil and anything they did was to survive! the storie’s they told were very very horrible! But for the grace of God they still live a life of pease and happieness! They are good and honest men now and they thank God every day! The man Kony is Evil and he should be held accounteble for all the strife and missory he has caused! Yes we should pray for his sole! As christ had said offer the other cheek and we should! By setting an example from witch only good can come! The people of the world need to rememmber that they‘re prayer’s may be the last hope for these children’s soles and there is a great need for repentence on his part! But we may not see his redemtion! The number‘s of affected chidren is in the hundred’s of thousend‘s and without help from the good nation’s of the world many soles will not be forgiven and this can not be aloud to contineu! So let us pray and goin toget

    Report Post »  
  • SilentReader
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 8:25pm

    There is a Kony 2012 video going viral on the internet and being marketed to our children. Joseph Kony is, no doubt, a really bad guy and he should defintely be brought to justice. However, keep in mind that Kony is apparently no longer in Uganda and he hasn’t been there for six years! So why are we now using this as a justification for going into Uganda? Could there be another more insidious reason? And who is behind this video? Please read the post “Kony 2012 Viral Video: A Justification For Going Into Uganda or Something Else?” by clicking on the link and watch the two videos, and do your own research, and you decide what the real story is!

    http://americandefenseleague.wordpress.com/

    Report Post » SilentReader  
  • conversity
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 8:13pm

    Sounds like bipolar illness, the manic phase.

    I was suspicious of the video as soon as I saw he was using his own small child to promote a political cause. that should always be red flag.

    The Kony2012 organization deserves an audit.

    Report Post »  
  • One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 7:36pm

    STAY THE HELL OUTTA AFRICA at the behest of anti war leftists of all people for cripessakes!!!. Talk about a black hole we need to be nowhere near once we extract our troops from the horn of that dump and the middle east. 5000 years, enough said.

    You can’t change some people and they mostly come from that part of the world, I would think we’ve all learned THAT at least over the past decade once and for all. Used to be they were stuck over there, and now they’re here and everywhere else in the west, polluting the place with their third world customs. Basically Doing Nothing but Crime and laying on their azzzes at our expense.

    As to “Kony the con job”…..there’s been child soldiers in Africa and this nasty Islamic world since the begging of time. Muhammad raped and married children for fun, I mean, this is nothing new from that backwards world and I THOUGHT we were done nation building. These lefties love war when they’re in charge,ya know? Remember Kosovo? Oh they had no problem raining down bombs on them people (more Muzz we saved) or Gadaffi but Saddam, no way, that’s different!!”

    Yea when you‘re a stoned mental case it’s different.

    Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on March 17, 2012 at 7:46am

      Amen brother!

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • SoupSandwich
      Posted on March 17, 2012 at 8:39am

      Well said. Cattle, like european cars and pitbulls here, are status symbols there. The cattle are turning lots of areas into dust bowls, while they keep adding numbers to the herd for status only-look at the masai areas. That and africa has the worst ghettos in the world- cess pools that pop up and 2 weeks later have hundreds of thousands in shanties with cattle milling about making the dust bowl worse. It is like Philly or Detroit on african roids with crushed rhino horn thrown in. Leave them alone and they will settle things without our aid or loss of life of our troops. Hopefully Liberia will have increasing numbers after the next election season.

      Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on March 17, 2012 at 9:08am

      I had to read that again, that was one heck of a rant! I bet you felt better getting it off your chest didn’t you?

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • youdidthis
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 7:34pm

    Sheriff Joe on Obama Investigation: We Have Standing and Tons of Information; Media Silent
    http://obamareleaseyourrecords.blogspot.com/2012/03/sheriff-joe-on-obama-investigation-we.html

    Report Post »  
  • phoenix9
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:46pm

    Proof that this is not a group to support. All thought they pretend to have good intentions kids wake up. Is this something you want to support. A guy that vandalizes property and masturbates in public? Wake up your being used!!!

    Report Post » phoenix9  
    • snooop1e
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 8:41pm

      Oh man I thought KONY was running against Obama, what am I going to do with this dumb t-shirt! (that’s a joke) KONY is one of the biggest Liberal scams in modern This just goes to show how powerful a well made video (propaganda) can be. For instance the new Tom Hanks narrated Obama campaign video ( that doesn’t even mention Afghanistan or the fact that Obama promised that he would cut the deficit in half during his first term when he actually added 5 trillion (more than every president combined) Watch this video if you want to have a better understanding of the KONY scam. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DO73Ese25Y&feature=related

      Report Post » snooop1e  
  • GoodStuff
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:23pm

    Half way through the stupid Kony video, it turns into a campaign commercial for Obama.

    This clown suckered alotta people.

    Report Post »  
  • youdidthis
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:05pm

    Romney Crowds vs Ron Paul Crowds (Michigan Election 2012)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIP-ibpRYIY

    Report Post »  
    • GoodStuff
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:22pm

      Really, that’s your argument? How many states has Paul won? Debate over!

      Report Post »  
    • youdidthis
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 7:47pm

      how can one win with bs news and propaganda..

      the clone boys are going down

      you are a tool.

      Report Post »  
    • girlnurse
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 9:09pm

      All the sheeple who voted for Romney believed the lamestream when they told them RP couldn’t win.
      People should vote for the best candidate who can beat Obama! Ron Paul 2012!
      Im sick of voting for the lesser of two evils….Im voting RP who is someone I can really endorse and believe in!

      Report Post » girlnurse  
    • toto
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 11:05pm

      It’s too bad Ron Paul is so far off the mark on foreign policy, if not for that I would vote for him ad I think he could win. That fact that he thinks it’s okay for Iran to have nukes is an absolute deal breaker.

      Report Post »  
    • ianmc002
      Posted on March 17, 2012 at 7:50am

      GoodStuff The real question is…how many states has the GOP stole?

      GOP and voter fraud go hand in hand. Ever google ‘Diebold vote fraud’?

      Report Post » ianmc002  
  • momprayn
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:01pm

    Found this when I Googled it: it’s connected to our good friend, Mr. Soros………Soros/NGO Front
    re China/oil/our “new” military roles — check it out:

    http://www.davidicke.com/headlines/63052-exposed-kony-2012-scam-is-a-sorosngo-front

    Report Post »  
  • Kaoscontrol
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:58pm

    Hmmmm… Jason Russell must have thought he was invisible, like the children…

    Report Post » Kaoscontrol  
  • Itsjusttim
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:53pm

    You know the thing about God is that if someone has God in them, and that person is of God, then no matter how many gutters those others dig that person may fall into if that person is of God that person with feel guilty for falling in the gutter, and the guilt is the good wine and incense. That’s why they like to try to take the stigma out of things of falling into a gutter. But we tell our selves that we sin, because otherwise it would be as if to say we are perfect and we would deceive ourselves. And a person of God may have even fallen away into the dust of sin, but when the spirit of the Lord rises up, many who have fallen dead will see and rise from the ashes. Of course people should not sin, but if they happen to sin at least we have a wonderful advocate in Heaven. And wicked people who do not know God, they will sin and not feel internal guilt except they may appear to care as to be accepted by others. And the thing that burns their insides more than anything is that if you are of God, they can not take that away from you, but of course you can, and only that which was in Heaven will return.

    Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • Itsjusttim
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:14pm

      I suppose that’s why it was said that Jesus was a glutton and a drunk, because when one is of God, nothing can take it away from you, but you.

      Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • Itsjusttim
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:24pm

      Here‘s something people probably don’t know – internal guilt is the only confession that matters. And if you confess with the mouth but not the heart, then you didn’t confess.

      Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • Itsjusttim
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:32pm

      And if you are oh say perhaps driving down the road and a car pulls out in front of you coming to a near crash, and you say “Oh no please, no” who are you talking to if you are not praying? Are you saying “Oh no please, no” to yourself? Well that wouldn’t make sense.

      Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • kentuckypatriot
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 7:01pm

      Tim,
      Don’t listen to neveroffended……. he/she is a moron.

      Report Post » kentuckypatriot  
    • forthepeople
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 7:04pm

      It’s Just Tim : I have found all through Life when one gets a reaction along with the amount ( of reaction ) the topic is close to the-target and ‘ Spot On ’ as they say . If it / he was a waco most would not even give it a second thought let alone react ( write ) , but an ‘ Uncomfortable Truth is a dead giveaway in the attention it draws .

      Report Post » forthepeople  
    • cookcountypatriot
      Posted on March 17, 2012 at 2:58am

      amen

      Report Post » cookcountypatriot  
  • therealconservative
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:51pm

    By Uganda’s own estimate there are only about 250 LRA, and we sent 100+ ‘Advisers’.

    Report Post » therealconservative  
  • flatbroke
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:48pm

    Its a money grab! and funding Obamas re-election campaine. Kony has been missing for 6 years, and no one has seen him, Kony is probably dead and someone else has taken his place, so the money is going to Obama!

    Report Post » flatbroke  
  • TJexcite
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:48pm

    Some time soon there will be a Kony t-shirt to show your support for Kony and his fight against the evil imperialist Uganda and the US military. All he wanted to do is live in peace and to live without fear. but they as the imperialist made him do all that he did as the use of children solders and sex slaves.

    Watch for it. what Kony did is still small to what Che did.

    Report Post » TJexcite  
  • martinez012577
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:43pm

    This is perfect. Lets go to war!!!!!!

    Report Post » martinez012577  
  • FlatFoot
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:41pm

    The whole craptastic KONY 2012 internetathon going on right now is about money. Lots and lots and LOTS of money given freely by the gullible and the easily manipulated emotionally fragile to these KONY 2012 fools who then spend it almost entirely on themselves, and then send on only a small fraction of the donations to where it was intended.

    Televangelists have been on television begging for money via lavish productions while calling themselves ‘Christians’ for decades (and they still are), and we all know where the majority of them ended up depositing that money. Why should anyone be shocked that this arseclown and his cohorts are any different?

    Because their medium is the internet?

    Did I mention the words ‘gullible’ and ‘easily manipulated emotionally fragile’, yet?

    Report Post » FlatFoot  
    • survivorseed
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:31pm

      Gullible, emotionally fragile, easy manipulated and lots and lots of money spent mainly on themselves. You’ve described the 9/12 project perfectly. Good observation

      Report Post »  
    • youdidthis
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 8:09pm

      they are using our children…

      these sick celebs, politicians, bankers, nwo are indoctrinating and abusing our children and our lives.

      Report Post »  
  • MDDAWG
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:37pm

    I have occasions when I feel like “The past two weeks have taken a severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially, and that toll manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday.”

    I don’t go stripping in public or enage in lewd acts in public. It just goes to show he has a significant mental disorder, liberalism being one of them.

    Report Post » MDDAWG  
    • Jubarnes87
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 6:07pm

      ha ha, amen brother. Liberalism is a virus, even among those of who call themselves believers. Bet all the money rolling in from the viral video bought him a nice sized crack rock.

      Report Post »  
  • youdidthis
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:34pm

    KONY 2012 FAKE??? Footage Is 5-6 Years Ago!? Ugandan Blogger Responds To KONY 2012!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-MOm7E8FAg

    Report Post »  
  • youdidthis
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:29pm

    haha,

    infowars had that many days ago…

    aj rant on jolie…

    Report Post »  
  • Mark0331
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:24pm

    Typical liberal…creepy, drug addled hypocrite…

    Report Post » Mark0331  
    • db321
      Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:52pm

      Exposing this guy is ruining Obama’s chance to put on his cape and come in and save the day. If the World objects to Obama Killing Kone – then Obama will blame it on Seal Team 6.

      Report Post » db321  
  • lukerw
    Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:23pm

    No one has seen Kony in 6 years… whom is pushing this Tripe?

    Report Post » lukerw  
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