Bono criticised for endorsing Shoot the Boer song

[Balfron]

BBC News - U2's Bono criticised for endorsing Shoot the Boer song

This was on the front page of the international version of the BBC News website. I suspect it was just ignorance on Bono's part, but it's a shame he has given people reason to doubt his judgement, as that might lead them to doubt both his political work and the quality of U2's music!

 

[nirniva]

I misread the thread title as "Bono criticized for endorsing Shoot the Beer song".
EDIT: As for my thoughts on the actual article: I doubt he intended any ill-will, but...yeah, probably not the smoothest move he could have made.

 

[Galeongirl]

I'm sorry Bono, but that was a bit stupid of you. That song is incredibly racist and used by people who proclaim that all white farmers should be killed...

 

[corianderstem]

I'm a little confused - am I understanding correctly that he was comparing it to songs about the IRA, which for the Irish, sometimes can be seen as a kind of folk song?

If so, I get what he's saying, but I don't know that I'd call that an "endorsement" as the article suggest.

Also, he's quoted as saying: "Would you want to sing that in a certain community? It's pretty dumb."

Bono dear, you should take your own advice and not even mention them in certain communities.

 

[may]

While I admire Bono for his activism in the past, I'm aggravated over his endorsement of this song. He is paraphrased as stating the song is similar to the songs supporting the IRA yet in the 1980's, he reportedly had a fit over a sign that said "SF=U2" because he thought it meant Sinn Fein=U2. However, Sinn Fein is the party that stands up for the Irish Catholics in Northern Ireland and is formerly?connected to the IRA. In the article, it sounds as though he is proud of those IRA supportive songs and at the same time shows contempt for them. He's being a bit hypocritical if you ask me.

 

[corianderstem]

Maybe he feels less strident about it now that there's been peace for a while, and he can look back upon it differently?

I don't know. I'm not quite so ready to call him hypocritical for something he said now versus something he said in 1987. People's feelings about stuff evolves over time.

And I can see a difference between making a (mistaken) connection between Sinn Fein and U2 and saying that some of those old songs are seen as folk songs.

 

[MMP]

For fuck's sake people.
A little interpretation please?
He's just saying it's a part of the culture in its context. D. W. Griffth's The Birth of a Nation is racist as hell but it's still a great film that everyone should see as a work of a art and as a historical document of its period. Same for this song or the IRA songs. Bono isn't saying that the message in the song is right.

 

[corianderstem]

I laughed at one of the comments in the article that said U2 was playing the song in concert.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

When you're rich and famous people assume you know what you're talking about

 

[lemonfly]

Yeah, Bono has put his foot in it. Not like him at all! ;-)
His comments could be construed as saying it's OK to sing songs supporting the IRA and killing white farmers as long as it's taken in context. I wouldn't be surprised if an apology of some sort were issued within the next few days.

 

[mama cass]

wow... just wow...

what a twit!

how can anything so racist have a "place"? unreal!

there's good culture and there's bad culture, and that is very bad culture...

and he used to sing IRA songs with his uncles did he?

blimey...................................... he just digs and digs and digs himself deeper doesn't he LOL

 

[Rachel D.]

First there was this:

U2 denies racism charge ahead of South Africa gig

And now this thing about the song. U2 seem to have pissed off everyone in South Africa.

But, seriously; U2 are racists? Give me a break. Anyone who knows anything about U2 should know better than that. But that won't stop people from believing it, especially since the media are all too happy to oblige.

 

[Salome]

I think referring to context was the most correct thing to do
as I doubt he truly knows the lyrics of this song it would be false for him to state an opinion whether or not it should be considered hate speech

 

[jameskinsella]

While I admire Bono for his activism in the past, I'm aggravated over his endorsement of this song. He is paraphrased as stating the song is similar to the songs supporting the IRA yet in the 1980's, he reportedly had a fit over a sign that said "SF=U2" because he thought it meant Sinn Fein=U2. However, Sinn Fein is the party that stands up for the Irish Catholics in Northern Ireland and is formerly?connected to the IRA. In the article, it sounds as though he is proud of those IRA supportive songs and at the same time shows contempt for them. He's being a bit hypocritical if you ask me.

He is refering to folk songs surrounding the old IRA prior to the Easter Rising (1916), not to the Provisional IRA in Northern Ireland. When Bono was a kid, the conflict in Northern Ireland hadn't even begun!

 

[LuckyNumber7]

When Bono was a kid, the conflict in Northern Ireland hadn't even begun!

Yes, it had.

 

[jameskinsella]

Yes, it had.

He would have been 10/11 years of age, so I suppose, technically, he was still a kid.

However, he mentions that these folk songs referred to the early days of the IRA - that refers to the old IRA (early 20th century), not the breakaway Provisional IRA in Northern Ireland.

 

[jameskinsella]

.....

 

[U2girl]

I'm a little confused - am I understanding correctly that he was comparing it to songs about the IRA, which for the Irish, sometimes can be seen as a kind of folk song?

If so, I get what he's saying, but I don't know that I'd call that an "endorsement" as the article suggest.

That's it, but it's Bono so ...

 

[LuckyNumber7]

He would have been 10/11 years of age, so I suppose, technically, he was still a kid.

However, he mentions that these folk songs referred to the early days of the IRA - that refers to the old IRA (late 19th/early 20th century), not the breakaway Provisional IRA in Northern Ireland.

He would've been 7 or 8.

But yes, different IRA.

 

[jameskinsella]

He would've been 7 or 8.

But yes, different IRA.

The Provisional IRA was formed in December 1969 and in the early 70's began what would be described as an insurgency campaign against the British forces, so he would have been 10-12 years of age when the provisional movement entered the public consciousness. But...lets not get bogged down with his age.

Once again, in case anyone is in any doubt, these folk songs refer to the old IRA which, as 'LuckyNumber 7' has mentioned above, is a very different kettle of fish.

Quite naturally, many Irish folk songs reference the War of Independence, the Easter Rising, and so on. This was the time of the Gaelic revival in Ireland, where there was a strong resurgence in literature, language, music, art etc... Indeed, one only has to look to the Irish National anthem to find references to Irish people as soldiers; impatient for the coming fight against the Saxon foe.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Just sayin. My mother grew up in Northern Ireland. I really dont wanna argue this. Conflict was around way before the Provisional IRA was the strong oppositional force. Plus, Bono was born in 1960.

 

[mama cass]

Once again, in case anyone is in any doubt, these folk songs refer to the old IRA which, as 'LuckyNumber 7' has mentioned above, is a very different kettle of fish.

thanks, i didn't think about that...

Quite naturally, many Irish folk songs reference the War of Independence, the Easter Rising, and so on. This was the time of the Gaelic revival in Ireland, where there was a strong resurgence in literature, language, music, art etc... Indeed, one only has to look to the Irish National anthem to find references to Irish people as soldiers; impatient for the coming fight against the Saxon foe.

lots of Irish poetry too around that time...

 

[sue4u2]

Talking about a song in the context of when and how it is sung is not endorsing it.
From another article linked from the one above:

Bono's reignites anger over 'shoot the Boer' song - Telegraph

“Anytime you mention this song, you are guaranteed to stir things up,” said Sheldon Morais, an editor on Talk Radio 702, a Johannesburg station. “There was a lot of discussion about this, a lot of anger from call-ins. It has died down during the day, and I think people realised he was not endorsing Malema and this song, just talking about protest songs in general.”

U2 are in South Africa as part of a world tour. A spokesman for Bono and the band insisted the singer’s comments were quoted out of context. “If you read the actual transcript, it is clear that Bono’s intention was not as has been reported,” she said.

 

[MMP]

Talking about a song in the context of when and how it is sung is not endorsing it.

Thank you.

 

[jameskinsella]

Just sayin. My mother grew up in Northern Ireland. I really dont wanna argue this. Conflict was around way before the Provisional IRA was the strong oppositional force. Plus, Bono was born in 1960.

I too was born in Northern Ireland, and have spent most of my life to date in it, except for 5/6 happy years in Dublin in the early 90's. I grew up with said conflict; like my parents generation before me, and have known of many people both in the Provisional IRA, and killed by the Provisional IRA.

Conflict has existed in Ireland, in some form or another, for many centuries. Although, it is important to point out that after the partition of Ireland, and prior to the so-called "Troubles", whilst degrees of division and discrimination existed in Northern Ireland, there was no open conflict.

As you have stated, Bono was born in 1960, and grew up in Dublin in the Republic of Ireland; where there was no conflict. There is a stark difference between the two - I just want to point that out to people who wouldn't be that familiar with Irish matters.

 

[mama cass]

well, the story is everywhere now, and his comment has been "welcomed by the ANC"

Bono rebel song row takes centre stage in South Africa | Music | The Guardian

 

[LuckyNumber7]

As you have stated, Bono was born in 1960, and grew up in Dublin in the Republic of Ireland; where there was no conflict. There is a stark difference between the two - I just want to point that out to people who wouldn't be that familiar with Irish matters.

Very well, good to see a Northern Irish face round here

 

[jameskinsella]

Very well, good to see a Northern Irish face round here

Thanks for the kind sentiments.

Though mine is simply an Irish face.

 

[11o´clock]

So...Is Bono a racist or not?

 

[BoMac]

What I really want to know, what I think the world deserves to know, the one piece of information that I think will help me sleep tonight, and the question that is on all of our minds at this time:

Spoiler

I hope that Bono is OK.