Sir Bob Geldof, Bono Give Accolades To G8 Leaders For Global Aid. What Did Live 8 Accomplish In The Broad Political, Economic Scope? An Analysis.
By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 11, 2005
Sir Bob Geldof and Bono openly praised the leaders of the G8 nations and consider the G8 Summit’s resolve to ‘’Make Poverty History’’ a great success. The summit, which concluded Friday 7/8/2005, accorded two milestone decisions.
1) To double aid to Africa to $50 Billion by the year 2010.
2) To grant $40 Billion of debt relief (canceling/forgiving debts) for 18 countries worldwide.
Speaking together at a press conference held Friday 7/8/2005, at the conclusion of the G8 Summit, both Geldof and Bono agreed that the G8’s decisions will ultimately save millions of lives from starvation and insufficient healthcare. Bono said ‘’We’ve pulled this off. The world spoke and the politicians listened. A mountain has been climbed here. But it’s worth just stopping for a second and looking back down the valley at where we’ve all come. Doubling aid for Africa has not been easy, and it’s been a very hard sell for us salesmen. And I’m proud to report that these figures are very meaningful.’’
Sir Bob Geldof exuberantly lauded the Summit. ‘’The summit in Gleneagles (Scotland) is a qualified triumph. A great justice has been done.’’
Obviously, both Irish rockers, social and political activists realize that this is not the end of world poverty, and a bounty of issues all still play a major role in eradicating indigence. But, indeed it is a monumental, significant step, towards a future where potentially, poverty will in fact be but a part of past history. As Bono stated, ‘’ It’s not the end; it’s the beginning of the end.’’ Bono also advised the G8 nations’ leaders that they will be held accountable for making good on their decisions.
The July 2, 2005 Live 8 International, 10 city concert event spectacular in particular, along with the global public’s 26.4 million ‘’Unite’’ text messaging petition campaign conducted during Live 8, the ‘’One’’ and ‘’Make Poverty History’’ campaigns with their global public petitions and televised public service announcements starring the likes of celebrity elite and artists Brad Pitt to Bono, the public protests in Edinburgh during the G8 Summit, the international media attention, and the heightened global public awareness and outpouring of support, all have been deemed pivotal, successful factors that did indeed, in fact put pressure on the G8 leaders to make the issue of global poverty, especially that in Africa, a top priority issue to be focused on, addressed, and resolved as much as possible.
Live 8, and the subsequent campaigns, media attention, etc, accomplished precisely what Geldof and Bono had hoped for. Taking an issue that was on the backburner, and making it a topic of everyday dialogue from water coolers to newsrooms to political conference rooms. 3 months ago, most people in the 8 western nations had no idea of the existence, much less the scope of Africa’s and the world’s developing countries’ plight.
While cynics can and will continue to drone on endlessly about how Live 8 and charity/benefit concerts don’t tackle the political and economic semantics that are at the center of hard core facts, of corrupt, murderous, dictatorship, puppet regimes, who oppress and murder their own people in Africa and 3rd world countries, last week’s terrorist bombings in London showcase a much broader perspective of what is at stake.
Since the beginning of mankind, democratic nations have waged battles, and yes wars, to overthrow such regimes. The current situation in Iraq is the classic example. And what do the USA and UK get for trying to emancipate the people of Iraq in a free, democratic environment, and for trying to assist the people in successfully developing and progressing their nation? Resentment, violence and terror inflicted on us for involving ourselves in the political affairs of other nations who think us arrogant, pompous, and imperialistic for what we see as trying to improve their quality (and value) of life.
We cannot wage war on an entire continent (Africa) and hordes of 3rd world nations in our attempts to fight tyranny and engage freedom and development in these nations. It simply can’t be done. The USA, UK, France and other western leading nations have tried and we have had our share of Vietnams, Afghanistans, Nicaraguas, Iraqs, Ugandas, Congos, etc. As has been the case with all of the aforementioned countries, the very oppressed people of these war torn, poverty plagued nations resented us and didn’t even want us there, thinking us pompous infidels for having the audacity of involving ourselves in their nation’s political affairs and climate, or the people were happy to have us there to instill freedom within their culture, but as soon as we rid a nation of one corrupt regime or dictator that we displace, another one swoops right in again to takes its place.
Bob Geldof and Bono (nor the G8 Summit) can’t play the ongoing parents or be the police of billions of people. Geldof and crew tackled what IS possible, feasible, with resounding success.
We can only do so much for the people of these beleaguered nations. Offering to purge these nations of corrupt rulers and offering advice to them as to how to run their nations, leads to antagonizing the peoples of these nations.
History shows that there are all too numerous nations who go through an endless ebb and flow of political unrest. We can’t be the guardians of the world. But…we can help undermine these regimes with….empathy and humanity….which often works where politics fail.
That is what Geldof, Bono, Live 8, Live Aid, the Long Walk For Justice…are all about. Slipping in under the radar of these twisted 3rd world governments and providing food, healthcare, education, safe harbor to those people within our grasp and capability to help, to save.
I truly don’t feel that Sir Bob Geldof and Bono think that whatever good may potentially come out of this landmark decision from the G8 Summit and any leverage that Live 8 had in influencing the G8 leaders’ decision, will permanently save the world and end all human suffering and social injustice forever. In fact Geldof himself, has said so. But Geldof has said, that to not TRY to do whatever he, or you, or I, or any of the western leaders of the world can do to help…is unacceptable.
Critics, with your selfish, pompous chides and taunts, and by the way, I don’t see any of you working your tails off for endless years, putting yourselves on the line as Geldof and Bono do; get a reality check. Geldof is not an idealist, but he’s not a cynic either. As Sir Bob so urgently and stalwartly exclaimed at Live 8 to the worldwide audience watching and tuning in, when he brought Birhan Woldu, (the child near death of starvation seen in the original BBC documentary footage shown at Live Aid, and shown again at Live 8), out on stage, now a lovely, radiant woman of 24, now achieving..anything her dreams and imagination might be, as she is now an accomplished student at agriculture school, ‘’Don’t let them tell us why we should even try. Don’t let them tell us why we should accept defeat. Because of a concert we put on (Live Aid) this beautiful woman is alive today. Don’t let them tell us this doesn’t work! This stuff works. YOU work!’’
I am certain Birhan Woldu,…and the countless millions more lives…of people who will now literally LIVE as a direct benefit from Live 8…and from the G8..would most profoundly agree. Her life, one life, any lives, are worth 10 global concerts and an audience of 3 billion. And many concerts more. However many it takes, it’s worthwhile. Critics also bellow about star trips, celebrity, increased music artist record sales, pomposity that maybe was somewhere in the equation of Live 8. Bob Geldof and every single person involved with Live 8, from music or movie superstars, to organizers, to unpaid volunteers, whatever their selfless..or otherwise agendas, motives, who the hell cares?
The end result…no matter how you criticize it, dissect it, it doesn’t matter. What it all comes down to is it works in saving lives. And 2 parties benefit here. Those involved with and who were watching Live 8, whose hearts are now aware, touched, filled with compassion and have…taken successful ACTION to help those in need, and significantly…the lives that have and WILL be saved. A mutual connection and bond in answering the call to action, the call to arms, of grace, of hope, of humanity, in the brotherhood of mankind.
Whatever God you may pray to, whatever political doctrine you may adhere to, on Saturday July 2, 2005, we all spoke with one collective voice of hearts, of humanity in the family of man. I never thought I would be so wrong when I said that on July 13, 1985, with Live Aid....music, and rock music at that, had its finest hour.
But, this is a delightful way to be wrong, because on July 2, 2005, I witnessed once again, music, and rock music at that, had oh how wonderful..yet another finest hour, and proved that man’s good will and ability to rise to the occasion, gather and call to arms and action a most powerful voice of good and positive action, can happen again and again. It can, it did, and it will. It’s spark, it’s light is within all of us.
I never felt so proud to be part of one global heart of the common thread that connects us all. But as someone once said so beautifully about Live Aid, and what has now also proven true with Live 8, ‘’We all wanted to help. We saw the harrowing pictures on TV. What could we possibly do? Geldof gave us this immense way to help. Geldof made it all so easy.’’ Yes, and Sir Bob Geldof and the Live 8 and Live Aid organizers also had and did all of the exhaustive, laborious work for Live Aid..and now with Live 8.
I can say that during Live 8, and the subsequent week of triumphant, sentimental hurrahs in its wake, I haven’t shed this many happy tears since….well Live Aid. Every jubilant tear marked and was well worth the joy, pride, exhilaration, and sincere privilege that I felt in Sir Bob inviting me and some 3 billion people around the world to embrace our fellow brethren of this grand planet with hope, with faith, with dignity, with compassion, and with justice.
By the way, Bob Geldof has been nominated for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for Live 8 and pledging his tireless, endless work on behalf of and to help resolve poverty in Africa and around the world, (which he also was nominated for in 1986 for his work with Live Aid). Personally, I want and hope that he receives it. He most certainly has earned and is deserving of it.
But for those git critics, I would like to say that, no Bob Geldof is not a saint. I don’t want him to be. He is more. He is a flawed, abrasive, angry, mercilessly driven, blunt, ….wide eyed with wonder, optimistic, open to any positive change and possibility, faith filled, hope filled, actively involved, selfless, compassionate measure of a true and good man who will never cease…trying…to make a positive difference in bettering the world, in forever traveling and treading the road of the long walk to justice.
In closing, I think singer Dido put it best in her signature song ‘’Thank You’’, which she performed at Live 8. On behalf of myself, people all over the world, and the people whose very gift of life itself will directly benefit from Sir Bob Geldof’s and Bono’s and everyone involved with Live 8’s, gracious deeds, “I want to thank you, for giving me the best day of my life”.
By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 11, 2005
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