Jump to content

Live 8


Guest
 Share

Recommended Posts

I've also been following this since I heard about it. I think it's a great thing they're doing. The site says that they are expecting 2 billion viewers; I heard on NPR and other stations that that number could pass the 5 billion mark.

I also added my online signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, to me it kind of looked a bit like a massive publicity stunt.

It's no secret that Africa has problems. If money was the solution, it would be fixed already. The problem is there's no infrastructure. A large portion of the continent is existing in exactly the same conditions as it was 1500 years ago. Where more civilized areas thrive, it took many, many years for those cities to develop. You can't simply start sending food and supplies: there has to be methods of distribution.

It's not a question of poverty, either. How can someone have a job or make money, if there are no businesses? How can someone buy food, if there are no stores? Even if there were stores, they couldn't get food to sell because there are no farms to grow it. The people simply don't have the skills or abilities to take care of themselves above a primitive level. In areas where there is government and infrastructure, only those in power live comfortably.

All the money in the world will not fix this.

If those musicians really wanted to make a difference so bad, they would be in Africa right now, digging wells and cultivating fields, and teaching the people how to mix concrete and build structures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The musicians are doing what they do best. The intent was not to raise money, but draw attention to that part of the world. There is a summit meeting in a couple of months where a lot that concerns this part of the world will be decided by the powers that be. If you sign the letter it just lets our politicians know we are watching and we care about this situation. No money is required.

I don't care how cynical you are, you have got to hate the fact that these children die so needlessly.

Smallpox was wiped out by just over US$100m worth of targeted aid. Polio is also close to being eliminated.

Mozambique's economy grew at an astonishing 12 per cent in the 1990s when aid constituted 50 per cent of its income.

In Tanzania, debt relief enabled the government to abolish primary school fees, leading to a whopping 66 per cent increase in attendance. As a result, 1.6million more children now attend school.

Debt relief helped kick-start Mozambique's impressive recovery from civil war and terrible floods and enabled its government to vaccinate 500,000 additional children.

NOW IS THE TIME, THIS IS THE YEAR - OUR LEADERS HAVE THE POWER TO END POVERTY - BUT WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THEM USE IT

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well.. I think they really wanted to get the tag of "greatest concert ever"

Draw attention? How didnt we know about this for years now, Sally Struthers been pushing that Feed a Child program since the 1970s.

Maybe I am an insensitive grouch, but things like this set me off :mad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...