Bono: Welfare statist, heckler

[Ron Burgundy]

linky

How dare someone question Bono? Celebrities always know what's best for poor people.

[Paragon]

I've been mildly curious for awhile as to what Bono's response would be after hearing that foreign aid might be prolonging poverty instead of the other way around. Can't say that I'm too surprised lol...

[DMACM]

After reading that link, what was Bono upset about? Does he think that people will be discouraged from sending aid because of this? I have been recently thinking that I would like to donate some money to help aid in the Darfur crisis. Having seen the images on television though I wonder about the long term solution and where that money will go. It seems to me that the displaced villagers are living in the desert and the only thing that will keep them alive is a perpetual stream of money from the west or some other source.

[Ron Burgundy]

[ QUOTE ]
After reading that link, what was Bono upset about? Does he think that people will be discouraged from sending aid because of this? I have been recently thinking that I would like to donate some money to help aid in the Darfur crisis. Having seen the images on television though I wonder about the long term solution and where that money will go. It seems to me that the displaced villagers are living in the desert and the only thing that will keep them alive is a perpetual stream of money from the west or some other source.

[/ QUOTE ]

The problem is that the money ends up in the Swiss bank accounts of the politicians, and doesn't get to the poor people.

[Copernicus]

Just so Elwood doesnt feel singled out when he gets here, U2 sucks also. To paraphrase Henry Rollins, they are a bad Las Vegas lounge singer backed up by a guitarist with one riff. (Bullet the Blue Sky was the best version of that one riff, and a passable song, though).

[Borodog]

[ QUOTE ]
Just so Elwood doesnt feel singled out when he gets here, U2 sucks also. To paraphrase Henry Rollins, they are a bad Las Vegas lounge singer backed up by a guitarist with one riff. (Bullet the Blue Sky was the best version of that one riff, and a passable song, though).

[/ QUOTE ]

Well here comes the [censored] apocalypse; I agree with Copernicus.

[tolbiny]

[ QUOTE ]
After reading that link, what was Bono upset about? Does he think that people will be discouraged from sending aid because of this? I have been recently thinking that I would like to donate some money to help aid in the Darfur crisis. Having seen the images on television though I wonder about the long term solution and where that money will go. It seems to me that the displaced villagers are living in the desert and the only thing that will keep them alive is a perpetual stream of money from the west or some other source.

[/ QUOTE ]

Put it this way- if there is a perpetual stream of money flowing because a bunch of people are living horrible existences somebody is going to make a lot of money ENSURING that they continue to lead miserable lives.

[andyfox]

Jimiiny cricket, something the three of us agree on.

[CallMeIshmael]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Just so Elwood doesnt feel singled out when he gets here, U2 sucks also. To paraphrase Henry Rollins, they are a bad Las Vegas lounge singer backed up by a guitarist with one riff. (Bullet the Blue Sky was the best version of that one riff, and a passable song, though).

[/ QUOTE ]

Well here comes the [censored] apocalypse; I agree with Copernicus.

[/ QUOTE ]

JoA and I discussed this exact feeling earlier

[Nielsio]

[ QUOTE ]
linky

How dare someone question Bono? Celebrities always know what's best for poor people.

[/ QUOTE ]

Andrew Mwenda, a Ugandan journalist and social worker, now a fellow at Stanford, made the case most strongly. He argued convincingly that 30 years of Western aid to Africa has achieved nothing at all. More, he said that the persistence of African poverty could be explained, in part, by aid. He explained that aid had convinced the brightest Africans to work for corrupt governments rather than as entrepreneurs, and it had "distorted the incentive structure."

"What man or nation," Mwenda asked, "has ever become rich by holding out a begging bowl?"

Far better, he said, is finding Westerners to invest in African entrepreneurs or businesses, which would create wealth. Mwenda, like other speakers, described at length the investment opportunities in Africa. (I half expected the pitch to be directly addressed to Doerr et al.)

This line of argument enraged Bono, however, who began heckling Mwenda.

<font color="red">"Bollocks!" he shouted. "That's [censored]."</font>



That sounds like someone who has peace of mind and is comfortable with his beliefs.





Anyone hanging with this crowd MUST be doing good, right?