Academic Research

January 10th, 2012

 

Was a failed democratic revolution instigated and maintained by the Tribunate in the period 133-80 BCE?

– Trinity College Dublin, 2009. BA in Classical Civilisation and Philosophy.

 

An examination of the francophone Quebecois media reaction to the prorogation of the Canadian federal Parliament in 2009-2010 through an analysis of La Presse and Le Devoir

– Dublin Institute of Technology, 2010. MA in International Journalism.

 

 

  • martin ritchie

    Why are your thoughts not open to comment? It smacks of a daftie thinking he knows shit about the conflict. Which you obviously don’t, as if you knew and cared what was happening then why not have your comments open for debate. I note your wee disclaimer at the end, where you think he should be brought to justice just to cover your own arse. All you have done is embarrass yourself son.

    I will give you a bit of background. Personally, I have never heard about this Kony person before tonight, and I watched the video just like countless thousands of others today with an open mind. And yes, he’s a wee bugger who needs to be brought to justice., and I found the video to be a refreshing bit of social awareness, which if we are both being honest Hugo, is what society lacks these days. We are so exposed to yes men, and oh, the banks failed, and our lives are so hard, blah, blah, blah, come on son, do you really believe that your dissection of the video will make any difference?

    I am not replying out of judgement to your article, everyone has their own vibe in life which is brilliant, but why release such an attack on the 2012 video without offering a solution? Come on fella, at least these people are making a stand for what they believe in, what did you do? One could argue, he’s currying favour by using his son. Sometimes the thoughts of a child provides us all with the sensible route forward, self interest does not come into it with those situations. Why not say something good? You have a voice that somehow got to me in Glasgow?

    I dunno dude, i didn’t mean to write so much and all of what i write is not in anger, just frustration that you would spend your time dissecting a movement that obviously has its heart in the right place.

    Your disclaimer said you believe ‘he should be brought to justice’ as his actions are abhorrent. Why spend time dissing the only thing that is standing up to this dick?

    your ballfield son

  • Hugo

    Hi Martin, thanks for taking the time to read my article. As I state in the piece, “If you want to do something positive in the short- to medium-term after watching the video and wish to make a donation to a group doing great work in the area, you can donate to Amnesty International, MSF or War Child, among others.” I would consider that part of an immediate solution. On a longer-term view I offered a more sober approach in the same paragraph of the article. As for my credentials, which you have sought to discredit, I worked for two newspapers in Africa (Ghana to be exact) and have worked for another newspaper called the The African Voice, based in Ireland. I have traveled around the continent, and none of the friends or acquaintances I made there support this campaign – that speaks volumes. Though the people sharing the video have their heart in a good place, the donations to this organisation will be used to sponsor an army run by Yoweri Museveni, who has himself enlisted child soldiers and raped and pillaged his way across central Africa. It is a terrible solution. I like the idea of a poster campaign, but as I said in a later article on the home page that I hope you will read, why not have download posters or make our own? I’d love that. I’m offering solutions, many of them. As for the comments – you are the first person to comment and I didn’t know they were disabled until you wrote. The site went under an update recently and I have contacted the webmaster who runs the URL about this – comments should be enabled by later today, and I hope that you will further discuss this hugely important matter.

  • Alyx

    Hi, Hugo.
    I see the flaws in the Kony Campaign as well, but I am curious, do you seek to discredit the Invisible Children organization as a whole, or just the Kony documentary?

  • Alyx

    Sorry for posting again so quickly, but I have always had a love for Africa, and have supported Invisible Children in their “Schools 4 Schools” campaign for years, so I am hoping you will be able to enlighten me. Please feel free to email me a response, as I am sure I’ll have more questions. These questions are out of genuine curiousity, and not an attack on you in any way.

    Invisible Children has always said their goal is to end the war in Uganda (which is why I offered my support). Why, then, are they using the funds raised from the Kony donations to support Museveni’s army, which is notorious for using child soldiers?

    Museveni has a pretty rough history. I cannot personally believe that the conflicts in Uganda will be solved until he is impeached. I have been trying to understand why Kony is being targeted so much more than the president, but I can’t. Do you think that Invisible Children should be working on a way to stop Museveni and his war crimes as well as Kony, or in place of Kony?

    On that same idea, do you think it is necessary, or even plausible, to impeach Museveni, and if he is to be overthrown, do you believe Ssekandi would be able to take over the country and be a viable leader? If not Ssekandi, than who?

  • Hugo

    Hi Alex, thanks for your questions. The first one draws a very important distinction, and I am very much only aiming my articles towards Kony 2012 rather than Invisible Children as a whole. That’s why I don’t bring in a discussion of their finances or their prior work. I will always oppose any action that involves aiding the government of Museveni. I can’t answer your question about why they are helping, other than maybe they are so (justifiably) intent on capturing Kony that they have not considered the balancing acts involved. I don’t think it’s possible to impeach Museveni at this time because he is in favour with the US for supplying troops in Somalia. Just to reiterate, I’m opposed to Kony 2012 and not necessarily IC as an organisation in the other areas in which they work. I too have always had a love for Africa following my time working as a journalist in Ghana.