I’m with Damon on this one. I’ve been thinking about the Live 8 concerts taking place next month and I still can’t get behind them. When I was young, Band Aid and Live Aid was exciting. We all felt we were doing something, but this time around it all feels wrong. When you look at the usual parade of stars lining up for these concerts, if they all had a whipround, they could probably buy Africa. But this time it’s about the G8 conference. Hmmm…
I don’t get it. Even if we drop the debt and pump in the money, nothing will change. Why? Because of power and corruption, that’s why. It’s the same reason why all the millions that were raised from Live Aid and Comic Relief have left some areas untouched. If Bob said he wanted me to lend him a tenner so that he could raise a guerilla army and depose these despots that are killing and holding back these African countries, I would happily hand over my cash. Instead, we have that grinning Irish gimp, Bono, pontificating again…remember, this is the guy that spent £5,000 to get his beloved hat flown to him to a concert in Italy.
Live 8 makes Africa sound a lot worse than it actually is. Many African states are doing very well from themselves and this media marginalisation by the bleeding hearts actually upsets some African people. I saw one pundit from Africa on the news complaining that he is tired of being portrayed that he’s from a backwards, third world country. Granted, some areas are still impoverished, but this is mainly down to corrupt regimes, not famine or natural disasters. There’s a bigger humanitarian problem posed by AIDs in Africa and Bob and his pals should be concentrating on this and getting those stupid Catholics to stop preaching their dogma…oh wait a minute, Bob and Bono are good, god-fearing, Oirish boys…
Meanwhile, I am sure that all the stars involved in this will all get a big payrise on the back of the media frenzy. Cynical, moi? You betcha cotton socks I am…

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