Comments for The Vigilante Journalist http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog Independent reporting on human rights, environmental and conflict issues Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:30:17 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on 21st Century Statecraft: The Rise and Fall of Invisible Children by Jørn Stjerneklar http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/2929#comment-99056 Jørn Stjerneklar Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:30:17 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=2929#comment-99056 Hi Anne I just wrote a long and very clever reply to your comment. And then it was "eaten" by your upload system. I will have to rest my case then. Sorry. Cheers Jørn Hi Anne
I just wrote a long and very clever reply to your comment. And then it was “eaten” by your upload system. I will have to rest my case then. Sorry.

Cheers
Jørn

]]> Comment on 21st Century Statecraft: The Rise and Fall of Invisible Children by admin http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/2929#comment-99054 admin Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:36:43 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=2929#comment-99054 Thanks for your comments and the link, Jorn. This is not a conspiracy theory and nowhere in the text will you find mention of Illuminati nonsense or even the suggestion that all these people got together behind closed doors and decided to invent this campaign out of thin air to dupe the people. I believe Invisible Children began in earnest as a group of naive kids who wanted to change the world. It's just that their message has been co-opted in support of the economic goals of numerous players in the game, whether Invisible Children was aware of that or not, but as a simple matter of fact, they were getting help from the State Department in crafting their work. Governments understand that without public popular support for military campaigns abroad, civil unrest can result in their own countries, which is why they always work so hard to pump out pro-military engagement propaganda. 21st Century Statecraft is just the new face of that. More and more people get their news through social media, and smart governments have realized these are the new airwaves to conquer. Propaganda is everywhere. It's no secret conspiracy, it's simply the world we live in. We have to be smart about what we watch on the Internet, where it's coming from and why we are being asked to support yet another military intervention. Because really, how many times will the public be duped by the "humantarian mission gimmick"? unless you're going to argue that NATO forces bombing Libya back to the stone age was for the betterment of the people, or that exporting "democracy" to Iraq has been a valid mission. As mentioned in the article, there is reason to believe that the LRA may be on the verge of increasing its power, but if not for strong economic interests in the region, the US would not care enough to do anything about it. There is nothing radically conspiratory about that. In the mind of a business man, that's just pure logic. Putting Kony behind bars is not a bad thing. On this we can agree. But if you want me to believe that the US has suddenly grown humanitarian wings and is doing this to save the children of central Africa, then perhaps our world views are entirely irreconcilable. On the point of the ICC, and the ICJ it is clear that international justice is much more complicated than just capturing one bad guy and putting him on trial. As for Invisible Children, an orgainzation that obscures its finances and removes data from its website amid public scrutiny does not lend confidence to critics. The tactics they have chosen to use to spread their message are questionable at best, and there is a reason why subliminal advertising is illegal in some countries. The fact that they as well as others who support them have either lied about the US's interests in the region, or have obscured these important details, should be cause for concern and should compel us all to learn more about what's really going on in that part of the world. If you take the time to read the State Department cables, you might be surprised to learn some eyebrow-raising details which are not included here. The oil business is as dirty as it gets and unfortunately countries with resources have historically been embroiled in lengthy, bloody conflicts as numerous parties duke it out for every last drop. I fear central Africa will be no exception to the rule. They may succeed in catching Kony and that's not a bad thing at all, just as all the roads NATO has built in Afghanistan are positive developments. But time will tell how the story of East and Central Africa will unfold, especially now that Kenya has discovered oil and now that tensions between South Sudan and Sudan seemed to have escalated drastically. There is every reason to mistrust the US. They went into Iraq to find weapons of mass distruction and oops, there were none and they killed half a million people in the process, but hey...business is booming for some. Thanks for your comments and the link, Jorn. This is not a conspiracy theory and nowhere in the text will you find mention of Illuminati nonsense or even the suggestion that all these people got together behind closed doors and decided to invent this campaign out of thin air to dupe the people. I believe Invisible Children began in earnest as a group of naive kids who wanted to change the world. It’s just that their message has been co-opted in support of the economic goals of numerous players in the game, whether Invisible Children was aware of that or not, but as a simple matter of fact, they were getting help from the State Department in crafting their work.

Governments understand that without public popular support for military campaigns abroad, civil unrest can result in their own countries, which is why they always work so hard to pump out pro-military engagement propaganda. 21st Century Statecraft is just the new face of that.

More and more people get their news through social media, and smart governments have realized these are the new airwaves to conquer. Propaganda is everywhere. It’s no secret conspiracy, it’s simply the world we live in. We have to be smart about what we watch on the Internet, where it’s coming from and why we are being asked to support yet another military intervention. Because really, how many times will the public be duped by the “humantarian mission gimmick”? unless you’re going to argue that NATO forces bombing Libya back to the stone age was for the betterment of the people, or that exporting “democracy” to Iraq has been a valid mission.

As mentioned in the article, there is reason to believe that the LRA may be on the verge of increasing its power, but if not for strong economic interests in the region, the US would not care enough to do anything about it. There is nothing radically conspiratory about that. In the mind of a business man, that’s just pure logic.

Putting Kony behind bars is not a bad thing. On this we can agree. But if you want me to believe that the US has suddenly grown humanitarian wings and is doing this to save the children of central Africa, then perhaps our world views are entirely irreconcilable.

On the point of the ICC, and the ICJ it is clear that international justice is much more complicated than just capturing one bad guy and putting him on trial.

As for Invisible Children, an orgainzation that obscures its finances and removes data from its website amid public scrutiny does not lend confidence to critics. The tactics they have chosen to use to spread their message are questionable at best, and there is a reason why subliminal advertising is illegal in some countries. The fact that they as well as others who support them have either lied about the US’s interests in the region, or have obscured these important details, should be cause for concern and should compel us all to learn more about what’s really going on in that part of the world.

If you take the time to read the State Department cables, you might be surprised to learn some eyebrow-raising details which are not included here. The oil business is as dirty as it gets and unfortunately countries with resources have historically been embroiled in lengthy, bloody conflicts as numerous parties duke it out for every last drop. I fear central Africa will be no exception to the rule.

They may succeed in catching Kony and that’s not a bad thing at all, just as all the roads NATO has built in Afghanistan are positive developments. But time will tell how the story of East and Central Africa will unfold, especially now that Kenya has discovered oil and now that tensions between South Sudan and Sudan seemed to have escalated drastically.

There is every reason to mistrust the US. They went into Iraq to find weapons of mass distruction and oops, there were none and they killed half a million people in the process, but hey…business is booming for some.

]]> Comment on 21st Century Statecraft: The Rise and Fall of Invisible Children by Jørn Stjerneklar http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/2929#comment-99053 Jørn Stjerneklar Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:24:00 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=2929#comment-99053 Hi Anne Good write, though I am not convinced about the big picture you give. Actual not at all. But..... If we should arrest all the big offenders worldwide for human rights abuses a lot of countries would be without presidents, isn't it? Maybe we should try, but a lot of unrest and killings would follow. I guess a pragmatic approach to that issue is in the best interest for everybody. Personally I would love to see both Kony and Museveni behind bars. We worked a lot in Northern Uganda in the 1990's. Really, really bad. But it would create another war in Uganda if Museveni is dragged to The Hague. So Kony is just about fine for me. Not to go after Kony is like telling Simon Wiesenthal in 1960 not to go after the Nazis who fled Germany, because the war ended in 1945 and the war criminals actually had left Argentina for Uruguay. As a friend of mine formulated his thought on the critics of the Kony campaign. Critics who has used the argument again and again, that LRA only have a few hundred fighters left and Joseph Kony by the way had left Uganda. But here's another one for you to put together for us who are not into big conspiracies, please :-) http://www.maydaypress.com/exhibitions/page226/page354/page354.html Good luck and all the best Jørn Stjerneklar Hi Anne

Good write, though I am not convinced about the big picture you give. Actual not at all. But…..

If we should arrest all the big offenders worldwide for human rights abuses a lot of countries would be without presidents, isn’t it? Maybe we should try, but a lot of unrest and killings would follow. I guess a pragmatic approach to that issue is in the best interest for everybody.

Personally I would love to see both Kony and Museveni behind bars. We worked a lot in Northern Uganda in the 1990′s. Really, really bad. But it would create another war in Uganda if Museveni is dragged to The Hague. So Kony is just about fine for me.

Not to go after Kony is like telling Simon Wiesenthal in 1960 not to go after the Nazis who fled Germany, because the war ended in 1945 and the war criminals actually had left Argentina for Uruguay.
As a friend of mine formulated his thought on the critics of the Kony campaign.
Critics who has used the argument again and again, that LRA only have a few hundred fighters left and Joseph Kony by the way had left Uganda.

But here’s another one for you to put together for us who are not into big conspiracies, please :-)

http://www.maydaypress.com/exhibitions/page226/page354/page354.html

Good luck and all the best

Jørn Stjerneklar

]]> Comment on Interview with Marco Vernaschi Retracted by John Wong http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/1615#comment-99046 John Wong Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:59:56 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=1615#comment-99046 To Mr Marco Vernaschi (& Jon Sawyer of the Pulitzer Center): Somehow your photography lacks the veracity I equate with true photo journalism, not to mention the stilted captions (facts?) that go with them. Your technique, artistic or creative treatment detracts from the issue rather than to engage your audience with the raw, unadorned truth. I quote an artist I knew who wrote: "The more the technique, the more terrible the fettering." No amount of technique or staging (modeling & props) will ever replace the instinctive, empathetic eye and engaged heart of a true photo journalist who spontaneously shutters his camera at the often providential, crucial place and moment. Your photography and methods of acquiring them would probably be more suited to commercial purposes like advertising rather than to addressing humanistic issues. Of course, my perception of your photography and your merit as a photo journalist may be biased since you had the body of a murdered 10 year old girl, Margaret Babirye Nankya, dug up just so you could photograph her mutilated body. Some may laud your technique or artistic flair but I certainly found your methods / staging in this case utterly repulsive, not to mention that your version and revision of "facts" on the case was questionable. Rather than all that back tracking, lame rationalized "apology" and attempts to justify or exonerate, it would do well to come clean with humility and face the consequences. That would perhaps be more conducive to finding forgiveness. Finally, I am utterly astonished that the Pulitzer Center continues to endorse your work and attempt to mitigate the fallout by bolstering your story. To Mr Marco Vernaschi (& Jon Sawyer of the Pulitzer Center): Somehow your photography lacks the veracity I equate with true photo journalism, not to mention the stilted captions (facts?) that go with them. Your technique, artistic or creative treatment detracts from the issue rather than to engage your audience with the raw, unadorned truth. I quote an artist I knew who wrote: “The more the technique, the more terrible the fettering.” No amount of technique or staging (modeling & props) will ever replace the instinctive, empathetic eye and engaged heart of a true photo journalist who spontaneously shutters his camera at the often providential, crucial place and moment. Your photography and methods of acquiring them would probably be more suited to commercial purposes like advertising rather than to addressing humanistic issues.
Of course, my perception of your photography and your merit as a photo journalist may be biased since you had the body of a murdered 10 year old girl, Margaret Babirye Nankya, dug up just so you could photograph her mutilated body. Some may laud your technique or artistic flair but I certainly found your methods / staging in this case utterly repulsive, not to mention that your version and revision of “facts” on the case was questionable.
Rather than all that back tracking, lame rationalized “apology” and attempts to justify or exonerate, it would do well to come clean with humility and face the consequences. That would perhaps be more conducive to finding forgiveness. Finally, I am utterly astonished that the Pulitzer Center continues to endorse your work and attempt to mitigate the fallout by bolstering your story.

]]> Comment on Open Letter to The Pulitzer Center and Mr. Vernaschi by admin http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/1639#comment-99045 admin Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:35:19 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=1639#comment-99045 @John Wong. Thank you for your comments. Interestingly, this fiasco seems to have been more or less cleansed from the annals of the Internet. Just a few months ago if you typed Mr. Vernaschi's name in Google, my post would come up on the first page. Now, if you type an even more specific query "Marco Vernaschi + Vigilante Journalist" you will not find it at all. In addition, all of the comments on the Pulitzer website regarding this matter, of which there were many, have been effaced. This scandal has effectively been swept under the carpet. Mr. Vernaschi may go on to have a lucrative career in art photography, as this seems to be the direction he is taking presently. Fine, and who are we to try to stop him? But he far overstepped the boundaries as a photojournalist, indeed his actions were against the law to be precise, and I don't think he will work in this business again. That said, this tragic story should serve as an example of how terribly one can go astray from the moral tenets and ethics by which we are supposed to live and work, and the consequences such actions can have. It also shows how corrupt the gatekeepers of our profession are, evidenced by the fact that the Pulitzer chose to stand by his story and has gone on to remove any trace of public outcry. For shame! I can't help but think of Marie Colvin, who died in Syria yesterday. She was the real deal. We should measure all others by the standards of journalism she upheld, lived and died by, not the kind of staged sensationalism that has tightened its grip on our profession with increasing force. @John Wong. Thank you for your comments.

Interestingly, this fiasco seems to have been more or less cleansed from the annals of the Internet. Just a few months ago if you typed Mr. Vernaschi’s name in Google, my post would come up on the first page. Now, if you type an even more specific query “Marco Vernaschi + Vigilante Journalist” you will not find it at all. In addition, all of the comments on the Pulitzer website regarding this matter, of which there were many, have been effaced. This scandal has effectively been swept under the carpet.

Mr. Vernaschi may go on to have a lucrative career in art photography, as this seems to be the direction he is taking presently. Fine, and who are we to try to stop him? But he far overstepped the boundaries as a photojournalist, indeed his actions were against the law to be precise, and I don’t think he will work in this business again.

That said, this tragic story should serve as an example of how terribly one can go astray from the moral tenets and ethics by which we are supposed to live and work, and the consequences such actions can have. It also shows how corrupt the gatekeepers of our profession are, evidenced by the fact that the Pulitzer chose to stand by his story and has gone on to remove any trace of public outcry. For shame!

I can’t help but think of Marie Colvin, who died in Syria yesterday. She was the real deal. We should measure all others by the standards of journalism she upheld, lived and died by, not the kind of staged sensationalism that has tightened its grip on our profession with increasing force.

]]> Comment on Open Letter to The Pulitzer Center and Mr. Vernaschi by John Wong http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/1639#comment-99044 John Wong Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:03:00 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=1639#comment-99044 To Mr Vernaschi: Somehow your photography lacks the veracity I equate with true photo journalism, not to mention the stilted captions (facts?) that go with them. Your technique, artistic or creative treatment detracts from the issue rather than to engage your audience with the raw, unadorned truth. I quote an artist I knew who wrote: "The more the technique, the more terrible the fettering." No amount of technique or staging (modeling & props) will ever replace the instinctive, empathetic eye and engaged heart of a true photo journalist who spontaneously shutters his camera at the often providential, crucial place and moment. Of course, my perception of your photography and your merit as a photo journalist may be biased since you had the body of a murdered 10 year old girl, Margaret Babirye Nankya, dug up just so you could photograph her mutilated body. Some may laud your technique or artistic flair but I certainly found your methods / staging in this case utterly repulsive, not to mention that your version and revision of "facts" on the case was questionable. Your photography and methods of acquiring them would probably be more suited to commercial purposes like advertising rather than to addressing humanistic issues. To Mr Vernaschi: Somehow your photography lacks the veracity I equate with true photo journalism, not to mention the stilted captions (facts?) that go with them. Your technique, artistic or creative treatment detracts from the issue rather than to engage your audience with the raw, unadorned truth. I quote an artist I knew who wrote: “The more the technique, the more terrible the fettering.” No amount of technique or staging (modeling & props) will ever replace the instinctive, empathetic eye and engaged heart of a true photo journalist who spontaneously shutters his camera at the often providential, crucial place and moment. Of course, my perception of your photography and your merit as a photo journalist may be biased since you had the body of a murdered 10 year old girl, Margaret Babirye Nankya, dug up just so you could photograph her mutilated body. Some may laud your technique or artistic flair but I certainly found your methods / staging in this case utterly repulsive, not to mention that your version and revision of “facts” on the case was questionable. Your photography and methods of acquiring them would probably be more suited to commercial purposes like advertising rather than to addressing humanistic issues.

]]> Comment on Interview with Marco Vernaschi Retracted by John Wong http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/1615#comment-99043 John Wong Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:59:03 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=1615#comment-99043 Anne, thank you for your unequivocal statements that I am certain speak for many others who value integrity. Mr Vernaschi's explanations and statements by the Pulitzer Center were hypocritical, self incriminating double talk that amount to admissions that ethical and legal considerations were an afterthought. What constitutes the Pulitzer's "editorial guidance" and "highest editorial standards" when a mutilated corpse is dug up for pictures and they continue to endorse the project? The rationale that "photography can play a powerful role in mobilizing public opinion" (to stop child sacrifices) certainly doesn't justify the means. The entire affair smacks of self-interests, sensationalism, exploitation of the family's despair and poverty, leveraging the "power of the press" and institutional influence to escape prosecution and sidestep accountability. All of this thinly disguised as "journalism for a cause". Yes, the issue of child sacrifice is deadly serious and so is this instance of blatant manipulation to the point of illegal, unprofessional & callous behavior. Ultimately, this does not serve the cause the parties declare to advocate. Anne, thank you for your unequivocal statements that I am certain speak for many others who value integrity. Mr Vernaschi’s explanations and statements by the Pulitzer Center were hypocritical, self incriminating double talk that amount to admissions that ethical and legal considerations were an afterthought. What constitutes the Pulitzer’s “editorial guidance” and “highest editorial standards” when a mutilated corpse is dug up for pictures and they continue to endorse the project? The rationale that “photography can play a powerful role in mobilizing public opinion” (to stop child sacrifices) certainly doesn’t justify the means. The entire affair smacks of self-interests, sensationalism, exploitation of the family’s despair and poverty, leveraging the “power of the press” and institutional influence to escape prosecution and sidestep accountability. All of this thinly disguised as “journalism for a cause”. Yes, the issue of child sacrifice is deadly serious and so is this instance of blatant manipulation to the point of illegal, unprofessional & callous behavior. Ultimately, this does not serve the cause the parties declare to advocate.

]]> Comment on Self-immolation in Afghanistan by nadia http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/158#comment-99018 nadia Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:35:59 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/158#comment-99018 Dear readers do not believe everything that the media tell you. and media are very strong they will publish stories which are interesting, tantilsing and shame the muslim religion = do you think that these things do not happen in the west - even worse things happen in the west - the only diffeence is that for a lot of people a place like afganistan is completely foreign therefore you take an interest and this is how the newspaper make money by selling their newspaper - i have lived in afganistan and more than fifty per cent of the stories published are NOT TRUE.... Dear readers

do not believe everything that the media tell you. and media are very strong they will publish stories which are interesting, tantilsing and shame the muslim religion = do you think that these things do not happen in the west – even worse things happen in the west – the only diffeence is that for a lot of people a place like afganistan is completely foreign therefore you take an interest and this is how the newspaper make money by selling their newspaper – i have lived in afganistan and more than fifty per cent of the stories published are NOT TRUE….

]]> Comment on Self-immolation in Afghanistan by Only Me http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/158#comment-99016 Only Me Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:10:47 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/158#comment-99016 If this is allah in action, I want nothing to do with his cruelty. Clearly he is an evil being just up there laughing at the suffering of poor humans. If this is allah in action, I want nothing to do with his cruelty. Clearly he is an evil being just up there laughing at the suffering of poor humans.

]]> Comment on In Search of Bewaha by sean http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/161#comment-99015 sean Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:32:44 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/161#comment-99015 you are a great journalist!! amazing stuff you are a great journalist!! amazing stuff

]]> Comment on Wikileaks, War Crimes, and the Rise of the Fascist State by militant hardliner http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/2626#comment-99014 militant hardliner Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:16:34 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=2626#comment-99014 this totally blew my mind!! i dont see any sort of change comming anytime soon...the days of massive organization and protest seem to be over...theres seems to be soooo much wrong with the U.S. but i cant see myself living anywhere else...basically iraq and afghanistan cant do anything to us that were already doing to ourselves...and i like how you pretty much said something to the effect of it'll be to late to stop it when it happens this totally blew my mind!! i dont see any sort of change comming anytime soon…the days of massive organization and protest seem to be over…theres seems to be soooo much wrong with the U.S. but i cant see myself living anywhere else…basically iraq and afghanistan cant do anything to us that were already doing to ourselves…and i like how you pretty much said something to the effect of it’ll be to late to stop it when it happens

]]> Comment on Wikileaks, War Crimes, and the Rise of the Fascist State by Spi http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/2626#comment-98918 Spi Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:42:31 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/?p=2626#comment-98918 If you were right....we'll need some kind of schok before these things apply.. If you were right….we’ll need some kind of schok before these things apply..

]]> Comment on Tensions Rise in Kenya by admin http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/377#comment-98697 admin Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:51:15 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/377#comment-98697 Hi Zachariah, Things seem to be looking up in Kenya now, and let's hope it keeps going that direction. Despite the difficult times while I was there, I love and miss Kenya terribly. -Anne Holmes Hi Zachariah,

Things seem to be looking up in Kenya now, and let’s hope it keeps going that direction. Despite the difficult times while I was there, I love and miss Kenya terribly.

-Anne Holmes

]]> Comment on Tensions Rise in Kenya by zachariah http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/377#comment-98696 zachariah Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:49:37 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/377#comment-98696 what i can say is this is my country and am proud of it,what i know is politician dont like us and i dont know why.but the grace of god is with us........thanks for peace. what i can say is this is my country and am proud of it,what i know is politician dont like us and i dont know why.but the grace of god is with us……..thanks for peace.

]]> Comment on The Situation is Getting Worse by zachariah http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/268#comment-98695 zachariah Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:34:26 +0000 http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/268#comment-98695 coz this big people there dont have love what their want is power,blood and to go to hell............. coz this big people there dont have love what their want is power,blood and to go to hell………….

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