Money raised for Africa 'goes to civil wars'.

[beli]

Which was, just by reporting these kinds of opinions ...

The point of the democratic media is to report a variety of opinions. Anything else would be censorship. Besides, as Sad Punk has said, this is basically a book report by a journalist. Linda Herricks opinion is not mentioned nor implied (as far as I can tell).

PS I agree with some of the quotes of Loretta Napoleoni. She is not the first to say some of Live Aids funds never made it to its intended use.

 

[Liesje]

I just thought there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary hostility towards the journalist. She did not state she disagrees, but she did not state she agreed, either. It was her job to write that the author of a controversial new book is attending a festival in Auckland, and that's all she did.

I agree. There's nothing in that article I haven't read in ten other sources. No point in getting all worked up about it. My main complaint is that the article is too shallow, meaning she's just throwing out a few random quotes and some rumors, but I guess the point is to get you to read the book. I do not believe Jeffrey Sachs is the savior of Africa and there are things I disagree with him, but I won't go so far as to agree with whatever this author is saying about him. Again, I guess I'd have to read the book to have an informed opinion...

 

[JCOSTER]

I just emailed the journalist and told her to get off her high horse, open both eyes, and do some REAL writing, instead of writing one eyed bullshit like this!!

What crap....I hope this was and editorial rather than a factual piece.

 

[last unicorn]

I agree with Sad Punk, we should not confuse the writer of this article with the writer of the original book this article is refering to. It is mostly a book report. She may have some points here regarding Live Aid and development aid in the 80s. Articles like that shouldn't be dismissed completely, a critical approach to this issue is very important and legitimate. BUT as I have said before, it's a poorly researched book and the author is obviously very anti-Bono (and U2) and doesn't like celebrities in general. If she would have bothered to get her facts straight, it'd be ok, but the book seems to be based on her dislike for celebrity activists, Bono in particular. I'd be happy to help her get some information and facts about his campaigning.

 

[hcbiggs2002]

The point of the democratic media is to report a variety of opinions. Anything else would be censorship. Besides, as Sad Punk has said, this is basically a book report by a journalist. Linda Herricks opinion is not mentioned nor implied (as far as I can tell).

Believe you me, I have no problem with people voicing their opinion, what ever it may be. But I still, in fact it's all I've been saying, that this sort of negative misinformation doesn't help, and just gives more credence to all the neigh sayer's!

 

[Jamila]

I just emailed the journalist and told her to get off her high horse, open both eyes, and do some REAL writing, instead of writing one eyed bullshit like this!!

thanks gluey for contacting the "journalist" who wrote this piece because this is just what needs to be done when this sort of crap appears in the media.


I ask all U2 fans who might be interested in the issues that Bono & Bob Geldof have advocated for to keep a questioning mind about people like this "terrorism expert" who no one has never heard of and who is currently PROMOTING THEIR NEW BOOK
( $$$$$).



The programs that are currently in place to fight AIDS and extreme poverty ARE working and most of that money are funneled into NGO's working in the African countries that receive aid so the governments don't see a lot of these funds that fight extreme poverty and AIDS.



It is disingenuous for this author to reach all the way back into the 1960's for their "evidence" to support their argument.

While some of the foreign aid monies sent to many African governments was misspent during the period of the 1960's-1990's (often with the knowledge of the governments that sent that money),the NEW foreign assistance programs that DATA has been a part of creating alongside the U.S. & other governments of the G8 are geared against abuse of the money by these governments so that more lives can be saved in Africa.



This "expert" should ask the two million Africans who are currently alive on their ARV's due to the efforts of Bono & Geldof through ONE and GCAP (www.whiteband.org)
if current foreign assistance programs are failing.


Best to ignore people who want to make a buck off of unfounded negativity toward Bono.

 

[t8thgr8]

I dont see why Bono doesnt just take a month out of his time to personally deliver some of the money raised directly to those who need it. That may sound unreasonable but so is expecting the middlemen to remain honest...

 

[Rosebud]

So I sent an e-mail to the journalist yesterday. It was respectful and just outlining the inaccuracies and misinformation in her article.

(By the way, I appreciate what some of you have said -- about separating the journalist from the author she was writing about, but the thing is, she kind of presented those opinions as fact. It wasn't, "Author claims money sent to Africa goes...", it was that IT DOES. Investigative and expository journalism, as opposed to saying what ONE PERSON's opinion is. The article didn't back up those claims with any real evidence, and the things she cited was usually wrong. There was such an obvious bias, and that's just not acceptible. I would probably not care if this had been about some other issue - but this one is just too important to play games with, and there are too many people who have already bought into this garbage. )

Anywho...The journalist wrote me back today, and here's what she said:

"all I am doing is writing a piece about Napoleoni; the opinions are hers, not mine, and the piece is because she is here for a writers festival. apparently the tickets to her events are running red hot since the story appeared. best wishes"

I LOVE the next to last bit. And how she didn't address the inaccuracies at all...