Live 8 - A failing cause

Im not sure to laugh or cry at statement in this article about live 8. Is this really raising awareness?

While most musicians who performed made mention of the purpose behind the event, it seemed lost on some concertgoers.

Marty Gradwell from Whitby, Ont., said he came to the Canadian gig "to rock out and enjoy the start of a warm summer."

Asked what prompted the worldwide music bash, he could only venture a guess.

"For AIDS in Afghanistan, is it?"

Organizers want Canada to immediately hike its annual aid to 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product - an increase that would mean more than tripling the $3 billion a year it now spends.

Prime Minister Paul Martin has said that's an unrealistic goal.

Source

What about the situation in Japan?

Live 8 Fails to Catch on in Japan

Added to the list of worldwide concerts at the last minute, the concert in Japan drew only about 10,000 people, all of whom were selected in a lottery. The venue in this Tokyo suburb normally holds about 20,000.

news.yahoo.com...

Tony Blair probably wishes he was in Canada to see Deep Purple

A few days prior to last month's U.K. federal election, a disapproving reporter for British newspaper The Mail on Sunday reported that 35 years ago, a 17-year-old Tony Blair flagrantly broke his school's curfew in order to catch a Deep Purple concert in Edinburgh.

jam.canoe.ca...

So do these people at the concerts and watching at home really think about the real issue?



[edit on 2-7-2005 by Dulcimer]

No, most of the people don't know the real issues. It's a chance for people to have fun and feel big in themselves that they're 'doing they're bit'. But even if most of them don't think too much about the real issues and just throw phrases around like 'free trade' and 'make poverty history', they're still making a difference. You can't deny that the world leaders are all going to know about Live 8 and the magnitude of people attending. The Live 8 concert is only partially about raising awareness. The main goal is getting the leaders to actually do something at G8 by doing something huge that they can't ignore.

I loved it when Jay-Z said we spend billions on killing people (Iraq?) let's spend billions saving people.

I want that t-shirt.

Originally posted by Lanotom
I loved it when Jay-Z said we spend billions on killing people (Iraq?) let's spend billions saving people.

I want that t-shirt.

He then went home to his mansion and swam around in money like scrooge mcduck.

Originally posted by Dulcimer
He then went home to his mansion and swam around in money like scrooge mcduck.

No doubt. I would too if I were him. That's big pimpin'

Originally posted by Dulcimer

Originally posted by Lanotom
I loved it when Jay-Z said we spend billions on killing people (Iraq?) let's spend billions saving people.

I want that t-shirt.

He then went home to his mansion and swam around in money like scrooge mcduck.

Hahahahahahahahaha.....that was the funniest thing i've read all day. It's so true as well. It's so much easier to be telling people how they should be spending their money then to kick some out of your own wallet.

The live aid concert 20 years ago was great. It started out as band-Aid and they got sued for copyright infringement and then went to USA for Africa and so on and so on. Just the contraversies made it a joy to anticipate. The actual show wasn't that bad either.

Now I look at Bob Geldof and I actually wonder why he's still alive. Dear god he looks older than keith Richards and THATS SAYING SOMETHING!!!!

It's almost as if its a dying gasp of those that are soon to be dead. Sad really, but if I was on my way out i'd be building up browny points too.

I'll probably miss the show this time around, at my age I need my beauty sleep. Well, beaty sleep is beyond me so I just need my sleep.

I hope it works though, I hope they raise ten billion dollars for the warlords and theives that will steal every dime raised. For no othe rreason then the rock stars will die feeling as if they had a higher purpose.

Wupy

It’s not about donations, it’s about awareness of poverty and dropping the debt.
If you think it’s ok that between 20,000 and 50,000 people will die today of poverty that’s your business.
If you don’t think this is acceptable all you have to do is log onto the live8live website and put your name on the petition, it’s as simple as that.
My two youngest kids(6&7) understand this so it can’t be that complicated.
And as seen as it’s one of Tony Blair’s missions to get rid of poverty it Africa I think he’ll be proud to be in the U.K.

it does seem like a lost cause a lot of people will watch this think then do nothing.... Like me for instance.... All I did was watch Pink Floyd enjoy those 20 min and went back to my life.... sounds bad but I'm sure I'm not the only one who did this.

Originally posted by DulcimerWhile most musicians who performed made mention of the purpose behind the event, it seemed lost on some concertgoers.

Marty Gradwell from Whitby, Ont., said he came to the Canadian gig "to rock out and enjoy the start of a warm summer."

Asked what prompted the worldwide music bash, he could only venture a guess.

"For AIDS in Afghanistan, is it?"

Ha Ha!! I can't say i never expected to hear such comments concerning these concerts. That Jay-Z Scrooge McDuck comment was great too!
I am just glad all these things are finished now!

How many signatures have they got? 25+ million last time I checked. How many are watching this? How many have internet access?

Alot more than 25 million.

I signed. Do I think it will change anything? Most likely not.

Things like these dont happen overnight.

Originally posted by Cy4111
it does seem like a lost cause a lot of people will watch this think then do nothing.... Like me for instance.... All I did was watch Pink Floyd enjoy those 20 min and went back to my life.... sounds bad but I'm sure I'm not the only one who did this.

of course not. CTV (canada) is currently running "the best of" live 8.

I actually went to the live 8 concert in Philly as I live bout 15 minutes from the Art Museum and most of my friends were clueless abut what the concert was about, one of them was just there to see Linkin Park.
I love the slogan, “were not asking for you money were asking for your voce”. Yeah right where do you think the money form the US is going to come from? That right my tax $$$.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
I actually went to the live 8 concert in Philly as I live bout 15 minutes from the Art Museum and most of my friends were clueless abut what the concert was about, one of them was just there to see Linkin Park.
I love the slogan, “were not asking for you money were asking for your voce”. Yeah right where do you think the money form the US is going to come from? That right my tax $$$.

Uhh..the slogan said "we're not asking for your money...". I don't see anything about the US giving money in that slogan.

I thought you were still in school WP? Didn't know you worked and were taxed. Anyway, I do agree that most people probably have no idea what the whole event is about and just go to it to see a free show, but I do believe that Geldolf and Bono have the right idea. You can be all cynical and crap about it, giving hell to the rock stars and saying they should give all their money to Africa, but this isn't about donating money. It's about the G8 countries wiping out the debt owed by Africa and negotiating more fair trade deals so that Africa can get itself out of debt. It's a fair enough idea.

And for those think its a lost cause, why don't you think of a better idea to wipe out poverty? It'll eventually come back to bite you in the arse. Poverty leads to illegal immigration and most of you hate that due to economic issues. Poverty leads to people joining extremist groups who can take care of their basic needs. Extremism leads to violence and we all know how that ends up. Or is it a case of "out of sight out of mind" where you don't see the poverty of Africa so you don't care? As you can tell, I personally think they (Live 8) have the right idea going, whether the people who go to see this have the right idea and truly do want to play their part, I'm not sure.

I have to agree with the comments made that the Live8 is a lost cause from the beginning.

Headline acts were chosen to encourage large numbers of the public to participate. Limiting tickets was more than likely to fuel peoples desparation to be a part of a select few to attend. Live8 will be forgotton about within 6months as has the Tsunami appeal and Mugabi will take all benefits and aid as has been done until now. If 3rd world debt is wiped out, the money lost will still have to come from somewhere. not out of geldofs pocket and I am sure that Bono will not be taking back his new Masserati to the showroom to donate the money to the cause. the truth is that many people in an ideal world would want an end to third world debt but in a realistic world if the wiping of the debt meant that you had to pay more money to the government through taxes there would be a public outrage.

You can throw alot of money at the Africa problem. Nothing will change. Foremost and firstly you have to get rid of the rampant corupption over there. I don't work my butt off so my tax dollars can be wasted again. How much money has been send there already with no noticeable change except whatever ruling juta gets richer.
Enough for now.

Here's what Fr Andrew of St Felix and St Edmund Orthodox Church had to say about this.
quote///
MAKE POVERTY HISTORY?


The meeting of the wealthy leaders of the eight richest or, at least, the eight most influential, countries in the world, the so-called G8, outside the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, is about to take place.
It had led to a string of televised concerts by millionaire pop musicians around the world, known as ‘Live 8’. The organizers of these concerts, watched, it is claimed, by billions, wish to draw attention to the plight of debt-ridden African countries.
www.orthodoxengland.btinternet.co.uk...

IX
helen

The G8 has agreed on all things to do with Africa except free trade. 100% debt will be wiped out, increase of aid, end to corruption and even the EU has joined in and will be increasing its aid..

Who said live8 couldnt change anything

What makes me laugh, is the Americans are complaing that they have to pay for aid through their taxes, yet you have no problem giving aid to Israel you guys give more aid to Israel then Africa

Hey, Israel must be in a bad state



[edit on 3-7-2005 by infinite]

Originally posted by infinite
The G8 has agreed on all things to do with Africa except free trade. 100% debt will be wiped out, increase of aid, end to corruption and even the EU has joined in and will be increasing its aid..



[edit on 3-7-2005 by infinite]

Who says live aid will end corruption?

Its all about meeting aid goals. Sure it has increased, but the goals for Canada are unrealistic. I dont think the country will fully accept the increase.

I think a lot of this 'corruption concern' is a red herring.

It's hardly the prime consideration or motivator, surely?

Just because 'we' don't like a government is hardly a reason to stand by doing nothing and letting hundreds of thousands or millions die.

Live8 has achieved plenty and was very worthwhile......and picking a handful of uninformed people to talk nonsense hardly proves anything, eh?

Should the all the US elections etc be cancelled and forgotten about because you can do something similar with some uninformed people in the voting lines?

[edit on 3-7-2005 by sminkeypinkey]

are we even sure that this poverty in developing ntions is a bad thing? if all these kids lived we would have an extra 30 000 people a day on earth.
if these countries we developed who would we exploit to maintainn our standard of living. how many of you would sacrifice abundent food for your self so that 30 000 more people a day
could crowd into africa?

you might say you would, but i think once you went hungry for a couple of nights you would say i dont care about these kids in africa. well ite not like thatr but ya know

just a thought