Live 8
- Thread starter John_Timmins
- Start date
I'm watching the concert now.
I wish I could be optimistic enough to believe that everything will change but there's so much corruption and so much doesn't get to those who really need it.
I've been reading about the last 100 years or so in Africa and how the problems whch exist today have been created. So much needs to change.
At least this has brought the problems more to our attention and one of the things I hope for is that this country doesn't deport people back to a certain death in Zimbabwe. I know that's only one African country but there is so much corruption that we probably don't even know about too.
20 years ago with Band Aid and Live Aid I was so full of optimism that the world was going to be changed and for a few it did. Did you see the young woman who was one of those starving babies who would otherwise not have survived? At least it changed for her, and hopefully many others yet there is still so much suffering and a great deal of it manmade from within Africa itself. Can that be changed? I really do want to hope so.
I wish I could be optimistic enough to believe that everything will change but there's so much corruption and so much doesn't get to those who really need it.
I've been reading about the last 100 years or so in Africa and how the problems whch exist today have been created. So much needs to change.
At least this has brought the problems more to our attention and one of the things I hope for is that this country doesn't deport people back to a certain death in Zimbabwe. I know that's only one African country but there is so much corruption that we probably don't even know about too.
20 years ago with Band Aid and Live Aid I was so full of optimism that the world was going to be changed and for a few it did. Did you see the young woman who was one of those starving babies who would otherwise not have survived? At least it changed for her, and hopefully many others yet there is still so much suffering and a great deal of it manmade from within Africa itself. Can that be changed? I really do want to hope so.
ime all for cancelling the debt but where exactly is the money coming from to DOUBLE aid given to them , isnt what charities give and what the govenment give already enough if they are cancelling the debt
yeah ime a tight sod but we have problems in the uk that the govenment should be putting money into and not sending it abroad
mind you if it stops the buggers coming here and bleeding the NHS dry ime all for it
yeah ime a tight sod but we have problems in the uk that the govenment should be putting money into and not sending it abroad
mind you if it stops the buggers coming here and bleeding the NHS dry ime all for it
Keeping this active! could somebody sticky it to the top for a while????
Before rushing, lemming-like, to sign up for the pious tripe peddled yesterday, perhaps members would like to read the following article.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2088-1678543,00.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2088-1678543,00.html
I know you've got a point and yesterday was a bit pious but I think it was right for it to happen. Before hearing about Live8 I knew very little about the G8 summit and wasn't really aware of the extent of the problems in Africa. Because of this event I do know more about it as do a lot of other people.
Bob Geldof and his cronies did manage to persuade the issue to be raised at the G8 summit and that can only be a good thing.
I don't think the problems of Africa can be solved by a rock concert but I do think that it's impossible to solve a problem unless you know about it.
The report that you linked to says that public opinion doesn't count but I was always under the impression that our politicians are supposed to represent us - therefore our opinion has to count. And public opinion is saying to our politicians that we must really work towards a solution. Whether that will happen or not, I don't know.
Bob Geldof and his cronies did manage to persuade the issue to be raised at the G8 summit and that can only be a good thing.
I don't think the problems of Africa can be solved by a rock concert but I do think that it's impossible to solve a problem unless you know about it.
The report that you linked to says that public opinion doesn't count but I was always under the impression that our politicians are supposed to represent us - therefore our opinion has to count. And public opinion is saying to our politicians that we must really work towards a solution. Whether that will happen or not, I don't know.
I dont think the main way they were trying to stop overty was by a rock concert but by showing the mass size of surport that people will give to the cause! and to tell the politicians that it is a concern of the Public and therefore needs dealing with on their agenda
Acrylic-bob said:
Cynics are welcome to sit on their arses in their ivory towers.
What's the point of anything?
Geldof is able to raise awareness of an issue through celebrity and music, you have Accy Web A-b.
Vive la difference.
P.S. thanks for this thread yesterday John, I hope people did sign if they wanted to.
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yeah (just keeping at the top) can somebody please sticky this for a week or so?
lets be serious, people didnt turn up because they were distresed at the affairs of africa and want our govenment to act
they turned up to see a bargain concert full of world famous acts all on one stage in one day for the price of 1 ticket
public opinion rarely matters to politions because by the time the next election comes up people are more interested in how much tax they are going to pay and not how much trouble africa is in
if polotitions listened to public opinion accrington would not be in such a sorry state
they turned up to see a bargain concert full of world famous acts all on one stage in one day for the price of 1 ticket
public opinion rarely matters to politions because by the time the next election comes up people are more interested in how much tax they are going to pay and not how much trouble africa is in
if polotitions listened to public opinion accrington would not be in such a sorry state
Please do not misunderstand, as I have said before in different threads, the problems of Africa and the poor of the world are the responsibility of the whole world. However I do not believe that debt relief and increased aid are the answer.
Why are we not united in our criticism of current government mis-spending? Why are we not writing to Cormack Murphy O'Connor demanding that instead of his mimsy support of a ridiculous march he actually does something to try and fill the shoes of his predecessor and tackle the Pope on the issue of Condoms and AIDS? Why are we allowing people like Mugabe of Zimbabwe to get away with impoverishing, starving and oppressing his own people?
And while we are at it, do you really think a couple of choruses of "all you need is love" is going to do anything to influence the muslim government of the Sudan and persuade them that genocide is actually a bad idea?
But no, what we have here is the usual socialist response to any problem - throw money at it. We won't concern ourselves with where the money goes or what it is spent on, just so long as it is an amount so obscenley large that it assuages our guilt for a while until the next crisis, or until Saint Geldoff and his chums need their next five minutes in the global limelight.
The real problems are Bad Governance, Corruption, UN-fair trade and a vast population which, in many sections, is only a couple of generations removed from the stone age.
Yesterday was just another excuse to demonstrate the national propensity for wallowing in mawkish sentimentality. We saw it when Diana died, when the Soham girls were murdered, when Ken Bigley was murdered, during the Tsunami Appeal, etc. etc. ad infinitum, ad bl**dy nauseam. The G8 Conference comunique, which was written last week, will have some very soothing words to say about the condition of the poor and that will be it. The sense of national guilt will be stroked into quiescence and put back in its box till next time.
However, it was nice to see Pink Floyd playing together again, so perhaps the day was not a complete non-event.
Why are we not united in our criticism of current government mis-spending? Why are we not writing to Cormack Murphy O'Connor demanding that instead of his mimsy support of a ridiculous march he actually does something to try and fill the shoes of his predecessor and tackle the Pope on the issue of Condoms and AIDS? Why are we allowing people like Mugabe of Zimbabwe to get away with impoverishing, starving and oppressing his own people?
And while we are at it, do you really think a couple of choruses of "all you need is love" is going to do anything to influence the muslim government of the Sudan and persuade them that genocide is actually a bad idea?
But no, what we have here is the usual socialist response to any problem - throw money at it. We won't concern ourselves with where the money goes or what it is spent on, just so long as it is an amount so obscenley large that it assuages our guilt for a while until the next crisis, or until Saint Geldoff and his chums need their next five minutes in the global limelight.
The real problems are Bad Governance, Corruption, UN-fair trade and a vast population which, in many sections, is only a couple of generations removed from the stone age.
Yesterday was just another excuse to demonstrate the national propensity for wallowing in mawkish sentimentality. We saw it when Diana died, when the Soham girls were murdered, when Ken Bigley was murdered, during the Tsunami Appeal, etc. etc. ad infinitum, ad bl**dy nauseam. The G8 Conference comunique, which was written last week, will have some very soothing words to say about the condition of the poor and that will be it. The sense of national guilt will be stroked into quiescence and put back in its box till next time.
However, it was nice to see Pink Floyd playing together again, so perhaps the day was not a complete non-event.
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It might interest you to know where the host of this years G8 Conference was today. Tony Blair was in Singapore to try and persuade members of the International Olympic Committee to allow us to spend hundreds of millions of pounds on two weeks of "Sport".
This is the man who only a couple of weeks ago told us that he was listening to the public.
This is the man who only a couple of weeks ago told us that he was listening to the public.
Blimey! Change my tablets quick, l agree with a lot of what A-b just posted.
Yesterday was about awareness. We are talking about it now, just as people all over the world will be. Not just the music, but the political issues raised and if a conccert can or should be able to change policy towards third world debt.
As for the reason why the super powers aren't too bothered about genocide and corruption is there's no money in it. The 'World Police' hat only seems to be donned when it suits, the rest of the time a blind eye is much the prefered and easiest option.
Sooooooooooooo glad someone out there liked Pink Floyd, there's always one.
Yesterday was about awareness. We are talking about it now, just as people all over the world will be. Not just the music, but the political issues raised and if a conccert can or should be able to change policy towards third world debt.
As for the reason why the super powers aren't too bothered about genocide and corruption is there's no money in it. The 'World Police' hat only seems to be donned when it suits, the rest of the time a blind eye is much the prefered and easiest option.
Sooooooooooooo glad someone out there liked Pink Floyd, there's always one.
There's two. I liked them as well.
I would like to think that Live 8 having drawn our attention to the various different situations in Africa will have done some good. I'd like to hope that changed will take place but I have to agree with A-b that throwing money at it isn't the answer. If the money goes into the pockets of the oppressors it simply makes some of those situations worse.
On the one hand we have the almost ludicrous PC situation here where you daren't mention anyone else's religion or ethnic origins for fear of being branded a racist whilst elsewhere ethnic cleansing takes place and the rest of the world doesn't bat an eyelid. Makes you wonder somewhat about the sense of proportion doesn't it?
I'm just watching a program about Rwanda and Sudan. Perhaps without Live 8 this program wouldn't have been shown. But will telling us about it actually help to change anything?
I feel that we are fighting a losing battle and desperately wish we weren't.
I would like to think that Live 8 having drawn our attention to the various different situations in Africa will have done some good. I'd like to hope that changed will take place but I have to agree with A-b that throwing money at it isn't the answer. If the money goes into the pockets of the oppressors it simply makes some of those situations worse.
On the one hand we have the almost ludicrous PC situation here where you daren't mention anyone else's religion or ethnic origins for fear of being branded a racist whilst elsewhere ethnic cleansing takes place and the rest of the world doesn't bat an eyelid. Makes you wonder somewhat about the sense of proportion doesn't it?
I'm just watching a program about Rwanda and Sudan. Perhaps without Live 8 this program wouldn't have been shown. But will telling us about it actually help to change anything?
I feel that we are fighting a losing battle and desperately wish we weren't.
garinda said:
If only they had oil in Zimbabwe!
While some may well have gone for a "free concert" it is like the 9p beans in the supermarket. A loss leader to attract attention to other items. So who could not go or watch on tv & not now know about the main issue of relieving third world debt. However one Mr G Bush has finally made a comment I do agree on. There is no point in relieving third world debt while corrupt politicians & governments are allowed to continue as they have, simply to end up back at stage one in another twenty years time. It must be written in & agreement obtained that these greedy obnoxious self centred officials must be dealt with & replaced with a system that will ensure that this does not happen again. Otherwise it will be as bad as casting pearls before swine. It will take more time than one days concert or a day or two at Gleneagles by eight influential men to achieve this. However the writing is now firmly on the wall & as we all know good graffitti is hard to remove.
Some members have suggested tht the concerts were about "raising awareness".
Whose awareness?
The problems of Africa and the poor of the world have consumed more acres of newsprint and miles of videotape than any other subject. Do we have such a short collective attention span that we need a handful of strutting poseurs to remind us of our obligations every twenty years or so?
Or was it perhaps the awareness of politicians? Errmmm, weren't debt re-structuring and trade issues already on the agenda of the G8 conference before Saint Geldoff stuck his foul-mouthed oar in? Seen in this light Live8 is little more than a bandwagon for the self-satisfied and the sanctimonious, a vehicle for the political enthusiasms of people with more money than sense and more influence than is good in any democracy.
Whose awareness?
The problems of Africa and the poor of the world have consumed more acres of newsprint and miles of videotape than any other subject. Do we have such a short collective attention span that we need a handful of strutting poseurs to remind us of our obligations every twenty years or so?
Or was it perhaps the awareness of politicians? Errmmm, weren't debt re-structuring and trade issues already on the agenda of the G8 conference before Saint Geldoff stuck his foul-mouthed oar in? Seen in this light Live8 is little more than a bandwagon for the self-satisfied and the sanctimonious, a vehicle for the political enthusiasms of people with more money than sense and more influence than is good in any democracy.