g8 concerts

[bobtheduck]

i assume all those stars donate a million or two to the cause from their own pockets?

[twiglet4frog]

once this has then been started, and the governements are running there countries with a small degree of success then it is time to hold a few money raising charity events to plough money not into aide as such but into things like better hospitals, educational facilities etc so that their own people can help their own, teach there own and provide for their own but have been given the tools and equipment needed by the charitable and caring people of the world, this is how we can get these countries off the poverty line. I dont believe they will ever be rich countries, and there will always be a rich and poor divide, but that doesnt mean that every county has to live in squallor? they just need to be helped (and in some ways forced) into becoming self sufficient

[Artful]

I called you the ?er, bobtheduck meaning the person who asked the question, the questioner............ Sorry!

I'm surprised at how cynical people can be. Are people only interested in the concerts - no concert is synonymous with there's no poverty or famine at the moment in Africa. I still say BG, EJ, Bono, Sting do what they can, if they can - you are saying they have to give and let everyone know they have given, crikey! And the general public do they remain aware, have they been consistent over the 20 years?

[ludwig]

Why does being wealthy disqualify you from making a comment about poverty? If it does then no-one on this thread should be saying anything, because compared to someone who's starving to death, we're all extremely rich.

[justineo]

I don't think it would make a lot of difference if those stars did donate a million or two. Africa's made up of lots of countries, each with their own problems.  It can't be solved simply by setting up 'democratic' governments or pouring money into countries shattered by Aids, wars and years of exploitation.

[ESCENA]

I don't think that being rich disqualifies somebody from caring about poverty or fighting against it . Stars are not more responsible and more obliged to care or to give to Africa than us but its phony to ask constantly from people to give when a simple request to their businessmen friends of theirs or some pressure on international monetary institutions would make miracles in Africa. What i see is rich people keeping their money in their pockets while asking from the rest of us to pay the bill of their economic destructive policies in underdeveloped countries or of their interest in them.

[Gevs1966]

Everybody here who is expressing an opinion against the weekends events and posting a synical view has shown themselves up to be extremely ignorant and exactly the kind of people who need to be made aware of what the whole thing is all about.

It is NOT about pouring money into these Countries!

It is NOT just about African countries, it just happens that this is where the biggest problems are!

Yes a lot of African politics is corrupt but part of the point of this campaign is to put pressure on the G8 to take action to put an end to this corruption and educate those involved.

Africa does have a lot of things to offer the world in trade terms but the farmers etc are not paid fair price for their goods and companies in America and Europe export their goods to Africa for such a small that the local economies cannot compete.

In order to compete with Western trade they are having to produce more than what is reasonably possibly. This means that children as young as three or four are having to work on these farms etc. Something that was eradicated from this country years and years ago!

Yes people are unemployed in the EU and in this country but these people receive state benefits to ensure that they do not have to go hungry.

How any of you have the nerve to criticise somebody for helping such a worthy campaign is dispicable in my book. So what if these people do earn an amount of money to be envied by everyone, that is not the point! They probably do more for good causes than anybody on this site anyway! So what even if there is a little self interest on their part anyway, if they help to create a level of awareness that was previously absent (and by some of the responses on this thread that is pretty evident) then so what!

Stop being so f*cking ignorant. Find out what this whole thing is really about before you start having a go at those who are trying to help it

[justineo]

Should also remeber that the leaders at the G8 summit are leaders of democratic countries who have been put there by the electorate, in other words us.  They also have to listen to the people in their countries who don't want aid increasing or trading laws changed, meaning higher taxes or decreased services.  Maybe live8 will make us all a bit more aware.

[CarolG]

I used to get annoyed with celebrities getting people to donate money etc but now I believe that the majority of people are more likely to listen to Bono or whoever and it is just bringing awareness to whatever cause they are promoting.

In the case of Live 8 I don�t really understand what the problem is here. We were not being asked for our money but to add our names to a petition and stand up for what�s right. All of the artists performed free of charge as did the people introducing them. Also, as said before how do you know that Brad Pitt, and other celebs don�t give their money away? Elton John is well known for donating a huge amount of his wealth to charity and just because the others don�t talk about it, it doesn�t mean that they don�t. I once saw a programme about an Aids centre in San Francisco, the guy running it said that he regularly opens an envelope containing a cheque with a serious amount of money from George Michael, but he chooses to keep this private. Its also well known that Ian Brown goes around London handing out large sums of cash to the homeless, again, this is not something that he talks about. I for one don�t tell my friends which charities I give to so why should they?

[smee.tracey]

YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT We're talking about it. If it had been the bloke from the telly 30 years ago, no-one would have remembered or cared. Fair enough, Mr Pitt is a prat but it stook in our minds. That was the whole point of the whole Live8 thing!

[smee.tracey]

By the way bobtheduck, how much did you give?

[ESCENA]

Should someone go hungry to get considered poor ? Whats the diffrence really ? , African leaders don't give a f!! for the people and they keep the money for themselves whereas Eu/Americans also keep the money to themselves and gives us some money to prevent us from bothering them with revolts.

I agree with you Gevs about your knowledgeable comments nevertheless its also cynical to believe that
G8 are going to teach African dictators not to steal their own people when G8 indirectly with more civilized and softer manners they do the same to us via OASA, WORLD BANK, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, NATIONAL BANKS etc.

[luckyboy]

"Do you think your attending a concert puts pressure on Blair or Bush? "

Not on its own of course not, but don't forget this issue has not just appeared over the last few months, bono, geldof and others have put in a lot of ground work over the last few years, and have at least succeeded in shoving the issue of third world poverty, and debt relief way up the news agenda, and its that that moves the politicians ultimately, and there has already been some progress on things like debt relief,etc..as i said it might in the end.. end in failure, but that will not be the fault of the pop stars. and it certainly wont be the fault of geldof..

[Artful]

Well said, luckyboy.

[bobtheduck]

i didnt give anything but nor did i preach to others to give there are people in cardboard boxes in the uk who i give to they are my fellow countrymen

[ESCENA]

yeah, artists succeded at moving up poverty to news agenda , i give you this but if they treat the issue like a firework , a special day dedicated to
partying for poverty in the long run this is a mockery of the seriousness of africa problems not a serious attempt at addressing them.

[luckyboy]

Fair play to you escena you and others make lots of valid points...its just the sneering cynicism that accompanies a lot of the criticism by others that bugs me.