IOWA — Newscasters on CNN Thursday night were surprised when they reported the latest primary election results, announcing that a newcomer, Joseph Kony, has beat out former polling frontrunner Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination in the U.S. presidential race.
Just one week after the eponymous video, “Kony 2012”, reached 80 million views on YouTube, Kony has spring boarded onto the American political scene as the Republican nominee in the U.S. presidential race.
As a result of the eponymous video — whose slogan, “Kony 2012”, emblazons tshirts and Facebook updates across the country — Kony has been embraced as a national symbol virtually overnight.
“I’m not sure exactly what the video is about,” said one loyal follower. “I skipped through most of it. But I love the tshirts. The design is so bold, yet simple at the same time. It totally challenges the popular aesthetic. Which is exactly what this country needs right now.”
With a video that has been viewed over 80 million times on YouTube, and a campaign that has raised over $10 million in the last week since the video released, Kony’s popularity cannot be disputed. However, there are skeptics who challenge his credibility and experience.
University of Michigan political science professor, Darnell Jackson, said about the new presidential contender, “His African heritage and birth certificate will likely run him into trouble. But if 80 million people are willing to watch a video about him, then he’s probably doing something right. I mean, that many people can’t be wrong, can they?”
Various media organizations have begun questioning the viral marketing tactics of Kony’s campaign, calling them “vague” and “exploitative”. But supporters believe these claims are missing the point, citing the campaign’s clear dedication towards action of some kind and tshirts depicting clenched fists.
“I’ll basically believe anything I see on the internet,” said one supporter. “Especially if I don’t fully understand it.”
While the message of Kony’s campaign may have been lost on some, and his fate may be far from sealed, one thing is certain: viral sharing has empowered Americans with the unfiltered information necessary to bring another worthy person out from anonymity.
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