St Bono The Hypocrite? - Daily Mail 12th August 2006 Pages 34-35

[enajh2]

 

[piomike]

Good article. I always thought besides donating the Bono, he should openly donate money. Leading by example I suppose...

 

[kellyahern]

How do you know he doesn't donate money already?

 

[BorderGirl]

Saints are just ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. They are always publicly crucified!
Bono is saintly in his message to prophetize/rally against world poverty.
I don't see how there is much conflict between his beliefs/messages and his hard work/business affairs.

 

[Merc]

I think someone at the Daily Mail is really bored right now - they must be if they don't have anything better to write about...


ETA: Sounds a bit like the writer really likes the tall poppy syndrome, or "The Law of Jante" as we call it here:

There are 10 different rules in the law, but they are all variations on a single theme and are usually referred to as a homogeneous unit: Don't think you're anyone special or that you're better than us. The 10 rules are:

1) You shall not think that you are special.
2) You shall not think that you are of the same standing as us.
3) You shall not think that you are smarter than us.
4) Don't fancy yourself as being better than us.
5) You shall not think that you know more than us.
6) You shall not think that you are more important than us.
7) You shall not think that you are good at anything.
8) You shall not laugh at us.
9) You shall not think that anyone cares about you.
10) You shall not think that you can teach us anything

 

[youvedonewhat]

I'd like to know exactly what the message is in this article. Yeah, he's rich. Yeah he's got a head for business. So the point is? Ok, we know he lobbies for the third world who are poor. We know that by contrast, he's loaded. Is it wrong for someone to be loaded and still care about people or is he expected to give all his vast wealth away? What about other celebs who are loaded and do nothing about ppl less fortunate then themselves? There are so many on the rich list that do bugger all for 'good causes' that I think this reporter should be hounding them instead. (Besides, I wonder if there's a little jealousy here..pfft...) It's all stuff just to fill the paper....

 

[JCOSTER]

I don't think Bono ever claimed to be working class. I do remember him saying he could fit in with everyone.

On his properties, why if these are the places he likes to live in why not, some people do have vacation homes, maybe not to this extent but they do.

If, his penthouse was lavishly furnished, that would be commented on as well.

His house in Dublin, with all the people visiting there, he should be able to acuire as much privacy as he could afford.

Fleet of cars, Masarati & an old volvo. He can't even drive.

The plane carries crew & the "their" families, with all these people you cant possibly always eat in a resteraunt, attend church, and get schooling can you?

There has to be more to the story of the guy awaiting sentence.

This article was a little hypocritical in its own right. Did they want you to like Bono or go against him?

They could have had more information on his life etc.

I have read numerous times the cash donations that he has made and about a little girl they took in as family that suffered the after effects of Chernobyl.

After seeing numerous concerts, and following his life, the man sleeps they say 4 hours a day and is always working. 30 years in the music business living a basically clean life can justify his wealth. Hes worked hard for it.

When someone is doing some kind of good in this world, why are people always trying to find something bad in it. Is jealousy that they are not as giving and charitable?

 

[Babydoll]

^^ I agree exactly, YDW - you said it perfectly.

They prolly wrote that because they are used to rich people who care only about themselves and no one else...

 

[schnumi]

Indeed why are you not allowed to buy yourself luxery stuff?

He is not saying to other people to sell their jaguars or Ferrari's.

He is just asking them to also give money for charity etc.

Nothing hypocrite about that.

 

[europop2005]

i dont see anything wrong with a tour plane or a maserati...whats this writers point?

 

[SunBloc]

Blatant insinuation used to sell papers... Paul Scott is looking more like the hypocrite to me.

 

[hcbiggs2002]

Probably coz Bono has a private plane and a maserati and the writer of the article hasn't i.e. pure envy!!

And this whole business about the tax evasion, I'm no expert in these things, far from it, but maybe the reason for the movement of some of U2s assets to Holland might be coz the the company simply couldn't afford to pay the extra taxes!?!

 

[kafrun]

How dare Bono enjoy the wealth he worked so hard for

I for one intend to wave my rolling pin at him in Hawaii

 

[europop2005]

i cant imagine the property taxes for the U2 tower building in Dublin

 

[JCOSTER]

If we could move to where the taxes are cheaper for business I would move my company too. My husband has his own business and the taxes are unreal!!!!

 

[pattip2000]

So, Bono travels with a priest? Cool. Has anyone heard this before?

 

[yeter]

So, Bono travels with a priest? Cool. Has anyone heard this before?

I've heard this before. I think it is Father Jack Heaslip (Sp?). He has known the band since they were schoolboys and travelled with the band for the Vertigo tour. With the band, though, not just bono. If im not mistaken, i think father Jack was the one who married bono and ali.

 

[scooperina]

I get so tired of people bad mouthing each other. This article is stupid. No one can persume to know why Bono makes the decisions he does. In my opinion, wealthy or not, Bono has the presence and grace to give a voice to millions who are not heard on our planet. Any one who can do that deserves our respect and to heck with journalists and these ridicuolous stories.

 

[kellyahern]

It does have a nice picture in it though .

Thanks for the scan Alan .

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

It all boils down to one simple thing. If you're a public figure, you can do nothing right. There will always be someone more than willing to twist everything you do into the wrong thing.
If you're rich and famous, and openly donate money to charities, you get accused of doing it for publicity. Sort of reminds me of a line from an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical: "I'm making donations just large enough, to the correct charities."
If you're rich and famous, and openly donate your time, self, and name (as Bono does), you get accused of doing it just for publicity, and if you don't openly donate money alongside your time, then you become a hypocrite.
I have no doubt in my mind that Bono gives plenty of his own money, he just doesn't make a big show of it. And think of the backlash there would be if he did. Because as a celebrity, no matter what he does, someone will jump up to criticize him for it.
In the end, I understand, and I'm sure he certainly understands, that giving his name and time is much more important than his money. "Love is justice, not charity". The western world needs to have the plight of Africa shoved into our faces. Without Bob Geldof, and Bono, and others constantly reminding us that there's a continent across the water bursting into flames, that needs a little bit of a helping hand, I'm afraid the greater majority would be all too happy to just casually forget it all, let it fade into the background, in favour of focusing on issues closer to home. Money is important, yes, but awareness is even more important. Without awareness, where would the money come from?

 

[BonoFox1]

I don't think Bono ever claimed to be working class. I do remember him saying he could fit in with everyone.

On his properties, why if these are the places he likes to live in why not, some people do have vacation homes, maybe not to this extent but they do.

If, his penthouse was lavishly furnished, that would be commented on as well.

His house in Dublin, with all the people visiting there, he should be able to acuire as much privacy as he could afford.

Fleet of cars, Masarati & an old volvo. He can't even drive.

The plane carries crew & the "their" families, with all these people you cant possibly always eat in a resteraunt, attend church, and get schooling can you?

There has to be more to the story of the guy awaiting sentence.

This article was a little hypocritical in its own right. Did they want you to like Bono or go against him?

They could have had more information on his life etc.

I have read numerous times the cash donations that he has made and about a little girl they took in as family that suffered the after effects of Chernobyl.

After seeing numerous concerts, and following his life, the man sleeps they say 4 hours a day and is always working. 30 years in the music business living a basically clean life can justify his wealth. Hes worked hard for it.

When someone is doing some kind of good in this world, why are people always trying to find something bad in it. Is jealousy that they are not as giving and charitable?

I agree with you totally JCoster!!..news like this has been popping up for years...Bono has as much right to spend his millions how ever he wants, he tirelessly lobbys for his campaings
maintaing himself aware of the results..He could just donate money and call it a day, but he chooses to go above and beyond..
What about the celeberties who throw their money on drugs ect...??? We know who they are..but then someone has the passion to try and change the world he gets cruxified!...
I believe we as the human race have the to do something about the less fortunate ...Bono is making people aware that it is everbodys job to "care"...
It is so easy to judge for some people like the writer of the article
for one Im not affected in anyway how I feel about the Bono and
the band...

 

[bonocomet]

to both of the above, and thanks to the original post for sharing with us.

 

[Dismantled]

this article blows

 

[u2trinity]

I agree with you totally JCoster!!..news like this has been popping up for years...Bono has as much right to spend his millions how ever he wants, he tirelessly lobbys for his campaings
maintaing himself aware of the results..He could just donate money and call it a day, but he chooses to go above and beyond..
What about the celeberties who throw their money on drugs ect...??? We know who they are..but then someone has the passion to try and change the world he gets cruxified!...
I believe we as the human race have the to do something about the less fortunate ...Bono is making people aware that it is everbodys job to "care"...
It is so easy to judge for some people like the writer of the article
for one Im not affected in anyway how I feel about the Bono and
the band...

your post was beautifully stated .

 

[2orangecats]

That writer is so preachy.That's news to me that Bono is moving away from music and into finance. Why are they back in the studio again then? Plus B prolly donates so much to charities anonymously too -- right? No one really knows how much he gives of his own money...in addition to all his time, effort, etc... Ahh...the world is just a better place with Bono in it and that's all there is to it!

You guys should write a letter to the editor from the Pleba girls.

 

[JCOSTER]

Did the writer ever think that maybe Bono is setting himself up to make gazillions and then he will do good with the money or maybe even buy Africa out of poverty?

 

[BorderGirl]

He is not saying to other people to sell their jaguars or Ferrari's.

He is just asking them to also give money for charity etc.

Right on.

 

[BluRmGrl]

Where to start? There are sooo many points on this cactus.

So Bono has made a lot of money singing in a band & he's used it to buy homes, luxury cars and fine food and drink? Blasphemous!

He's taken some of his spoils from the singing gig and turned it into investments & his band have reportedly announced they are moving some operations to a European nation more lenient in taxation (just like the REST of us would do it we needed to/could afford to)? Blasphemous!

His band owns an airplane, purchased to carry them to and from shows? (Keeping in mind that even if "them" was limited to wives/significant others, children, management and assistants, you could be talking about..... mmm, just a sec.... approximately 17 people BESIDES the band!) Blasphemous!

The guy's found a calling in life that he feels strongly about & has decided to use his celebrity as a way to meet & greet/confer with people in a position to possibly help him further his charitable agenda (read: politicians & assorted capatilists)? Blasphemous!!!



#1) Don't confuse what the band does as a group with what Bono may or may not do as an individual.

#2) I don't believe it's any of my business or anyone else's what he does with his own person finances. (So what if we found out he'd never given a thin dime of his own fortune to Aid for Africa or whatever? He could give his & the rest of the bands life savings away & it would just be a drop in the bucket - he asks governments to give because that's where the real top of the food chain is.)

#3) I understand giving some background info to fill your story or give people who don't know your subject a more rounded (biased?) view of them, but really - if this story is about a liberal 'saint' who's hobnobbing & conspiring with questionable capitalists, pray tell what the Hell do smarmy comments about the man's apartment in New York have to do with anything??????
"It was charmless and stark".... "There was absolutely no warmth"

I get it that not everyone is enamored of the man as we are & that many see him as an absolute hypocrite to be so rich & go around asking governments to give away tax money to a country that many would just as well forget even exists, but like another poster said: Bono can't win. Truth is, he's a gigantic celebrity & that makes him a gigantic target for critisism. It comes with the territory & I'm certain he's developed a thick skin against it.

I just like to know what celebrities this reporter thinks are doing a more respectable or honorable job with their fame?????

 

[preciousstone]

Ok come on now...Bono is not perfect. There ARE people out there that don't like him. Let this guy have his opinions.

 

[hcbiggs2002]

^Yes the man has the right to his opinion but we're just stating our opinion that he is WRONG!! It's the old 'Damned if you do and damned if you don't' syndrome! It won't matter what Bono does, they'll always be some 'knowitall naysayer' wagging their proverbial finger at him!!