Do you agree with this quote from Bono?

[the olive]

This quote (re 9/11) is from the new Spin magazine interview with the band. I think Bono makes some good points, but if I was American I might take some offense to the latter part... What do you think?


"Whenever you see this kind of darkness, there is extraordinary
opportunity for the light to burn brighter. Not to sound too corny, but there's a
real opportunity here for a whole new way of seeing the world. I think in the
history books this will be seen as the end of America as an island -- the
isolationism and the sense that you didn't actually need the rest of the world.
Relatively few Americans even have passports -- you were an island entirely
unto yourselves, and now that's no longer the case. You need to be able to get
on with the rest of the world because your might is so powerless against this
kind of hatred -- it's a whole new thing. There are some very smart people who
have already figured out that the only resolution here is to deal with the root of
this, which is abject poverty. So the hard questions that have to be asked and
answered are going to bring in a new era, a good karma for this country, and
I'm really excited about that."

 

[gherman]

He's 100% right! I was born in Canada and am now living in the U.S. Since I was 14 and what he says is true. Many of my friends don't have passports when I have two. Also I don't think there is anything to be insulted by. I am Amerian as anyone else here and I was able to see America as and imigrant and as a native. Bono says nothing bad here just the truth.

 

[SamanthaPuff]

It's true Americans don't travel abroad like Europeans but consider please that America is very large, much larger than Europe! For us it's very easy to travel from state to state, but in Europe the countries are as small and close together as our states but you have to have a passport to enter each one~ so naturally more Europeans must have passports! I have been to Canada and I know Americans don't even need a passport to go there. So think about that~ we have thousands of miles to travel without the need of a passport. It's not the same for Europeans. The British and Irish are on islands so everywhere they go is a journey!

Speaking of 'poverty' lots of us would love to travel the world but there is a problem of money for such trips for the majority of average hard working American people. International travel is expensive and remains only a dream for most of us. It's a luxury most of us cannot afford.

------------------
~Just as you find me, always I will be, a little bit too free, with myself~

[This message has been edited by SamanthaPuff (edited 12-11-2001).]

 

[hotasahandbag]

i am a native of the US, i love my country and i couldn't agree with him more here. the problem is many americans don't take anything that could vaguely be construed as criticism of the US, it's people or policies well. this phenomenon seems to have gotten worse since 9/11. no matter where you live, or who you are, there is always room for improvement. if we as a whole run around denying our flaws, we set ourselves up to be right back in the same situation at some later date. peace

 

[HelloAngel]

Originally posted by SamanthaPuff:
It's true Americans don't travel abroad like Europeans but consider please that America is very large, much larger than Europe! For us it's very easy to travel from state to state, but in Europe the countries are as small and close together as our states but you have to have a passport to enter each one~ so naturally more Europeans must have passports! I have been to Canada and I know Americans don't even need a passport to go there. So think about that~ we have thousands of miles to travel without the need of a passport. It's not the same for Europeans. The British and Irish are on islands so everywhere they go is a journey!

Speaking of 'poverty' lots of us would love to travel the world but there is a problem of money for such trips for the majority of average hard working American people. International travel is expensive and remains only a dream for most of us. It's a luxury most of us cannot afford.

I couldn't have said it better.

I went to London once, when I was 12. It cost so much money, and the fright of flying such a long distance, just isn't worth the trip for me - just like alot of citizens in the R.O.W. don't come to the US because of the money issue as well. Bono most certainly has a point - and unfortunately, the US is an island, a hard-working island, that cannot drive or take a ferry to another continent(unless of course, you were to go to South America, of which I suppose, you could drive or take a ferry).

I dunno.. I have nothing else non-rambling to say here..

 

[drumkeeran]

I have many friends who do not travel outside their birthplace, much less their state or country. Traveling and knowledge of the world outside the US gives you such a wonderful perspective (and sometimes very daunting) on how much freedom and material wealth we sometimes take for granted. I agree with Bono, who is also looking for the events in the world to take us to a better place. Who wants any of this suffering and loss of life and happiness to be in vain?

I know when I traveled to Caracas, Venuzuela as a college student the tin shacks immediately next to the millionaire homes and the armed soldiers on the street corners brought a whole new perspective of what it can be like outside the US.

I hope our eyes are opened, even just a little bit more to the world around us and those fellow world citizens that we most certainly need and should thank for their support.



------------------
If your glass house should crack....POE

 

[Hitman]

Originally posted by SamanthaPuff:
It's true Americans don't travel abroad like Europeans but consider please that America is very large, much larger than Europe! For us it's very easy to travel from state to state, but in Europe the countries are as small and close together as our states but you have to have a passport to enter each one~ so naturally more Europeans must have passports! I have been to Canada and I know Americans don't even need a passport to go there. So think about that~ we have thousands of miles to travel without the need of a passport. It's not the same for Europeans. The British and Irish are on islands so everywhere they go is a journey!

Speaking of 'poverty' lots of us would love to travel the world but there is a problem of money for such trips for the majority of average hard working American people. International travel is expensive and remains only a dream for most of us. It's a luxury most of us cannot afford.

Very well said, Samantha!! You often hear about the ignorance of Americans. The fact is, we are as much aware of different cultures as Europeans are. We are aware of the differences between New Yorkers and Bostonians and the Southerners and the Midwesterners and the Texans and those surfers from the West Coast. I have backpacked across Europe, but just because some have not and have only graced the many miles that make up the United States of America does not make them any less privy to the plight of the world than any European who has traveled within their continent.

 

[pax]

SamanthaPuff and HelloAngel already said everything I was gonna post.

I completely concur.

------------------
If you cannot live together in here, you cannot live together out there, let me tell ya. --Bono

You've got to cry without weeping, talk without speaking, scream without raising your voice... --Bono

 

[sulawesigirl4]

I actually agree with the statement. I don't really think 'travel' as such is the issue tho. I think Bono is talking about the mentality of America. We are far enough away from the rest of the world geographically and our culture is so pervasive (ie. McD's, Nike, and MTV), that we have lost to an extent the ability to really understand and dialogue with other nations/cultures. We tend to want the world community to do things our way and not understand when they hold views that may be diametrically opposed to ours. And when we don't agree, we just decide we don't need them anyways. That short-circuits meaningful two-way understanding. I *think* that's the point that Bono is trying to make.

Now as far as it being expensive to travel internationally...that's simply not true. I should know, I just got back from 2 months in Europe and the whole thing cost me less than a semester in college. It's all about knowing when to go and how to do it cheaply.

-sula

 

[80sU2isBest]

Originally posted by SamanthaPuff:
It's true Americans don't travel abroad like Europeans but consider please that America is very large, much larger than Europe! For us it's very easy to travel from state to state, but in Europe the countries are as small and close together as our states but you have to have a passport to enter each one~ so naturally more Europeans must have passports! I have been to Canada and I know Americans don't even need a passport to go there. So think about that~ we have thousands of miles to travel without the need of a passport. It's not the same for Europeans. The British and Irish are on islands so everywhere they go is a journey!

Speaking of 'poverty' lots of us would love to travel the world but there is a problem of money for such trips for the majority of average hard working American people. International travel is expensive and remains only a dream for most of us. It's a luxury most of us cannot afford.

Exactly what I was thinking! It would be nice to be able to afford to go to a lot of countries and experience other cultures. It's good that Bono can afford that; I am happy for him. I can't afford it.

 

[U2Bama]

A semester at my alma mater = about $10,000; too expensive.

But I ate Arabic food for dinner last night; does that count for anything?

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Originally posted by U2Bama:
A semester at my alma mater = about $10,000; too expensive.

But I ate Arabic food for dinner last night; does that count for anything?

lol. Let me revise. Total travel cost (air, food, trains, lodging)...about $3000. it's all about priorities.

Not about being priveledged.

 

[SkeeK]

Originally posted by sulawesigirl4:
I actually agree with the statement. I don't really think 'travel' as such is the issue tho. I think Bono is talking about the mentality of America. We are far enough away from the rest of the world geographically and our culture is so pervasive (ie. McD's, Nike, and MTV), that we have lost to an extent the ability to really understand and dialogue with other nations/cultures. We tend to want the world community to do things our way and not understand when they hold views that may be diametrically opposed to ours. And when we don't agree, we just decide we don't need them anyways. That short-circuits meaningful two-way understanding. I *think* that's the point that Bono is trying to make.

-sula

That's what I was gonna say. That is really what Bono's talking about.. it's about the attitudes and the realities, not the destination of the average middle class american family vacation.

 

[The Wanderer]

it will be interesting to see what role the EU plays in helping all of these things get accomplished

 

[U2Bama]

Originally posted by sulawesigirl4:
our culture is so pervasive (ie. McD's, Nike, and MTV),

And I just heard that Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are going international. That is great news for the rest of the world.

 

[HelloAngel]

Everyone has made wonderful points.

I would also like to add that although I do not currently have the money to travel abroad - the want is very much there to do so one day when I can afford to, and it won't drain my bank account, I will.

Luckily, though, I do read up on international affairs, other countries, other religions, and do have friendships with people from many cultures, and so I wouldn't consider myself ignorant to the ROW, and what's goin on, so to speak. The rest of America, I cannot and will not speak for. I most certainly concur with Bono's assertion of most Americans not seeing past the East and West coasts of our nation.

------------------
No alarms and no surprises, please.

 

[speedracer]

Poverty might be the motivating factor for some terrorists, but it's not the sole factor for all of them. I'd expound this point further, but that's a topic for FYM.

 

[TheU2]

Originally posted by U2Bama:
And I just heard that Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are going international. That is great news for the rest of the world.

Bama....you crack me up.

CK

 

[Crzy4Bono]

Originally posted by U2Bama:
And I just heard that Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are going international. That is great news for the rest of the world.

------------------
She's gonna dream up a world she wants to live in / She's gonna dream out loud.
Visit my web page at www.u2page.com

 

[Seconds]

Most of you are not understanding what Bono is saying. He's not saying that Americans should travel more often to other countries (that would be incoherent nonsense). He is using that message metaphorically.

He means to say that Americans don't realize what is going on in the rest of the world. A part of the world is dying of hunger and poverty, but most americans never see this.

He continues by saying that this extreme poverty is a cause of the Sept 11 attacks.
He ends by saying that fighting the root of the problem, poverty, is the only way to win this type of war.

Come on people. Read between the lines. Now I understand why so many Americans have no Idea what Bullet The Blue Sky was all about.
The man is talking about poverty and most you are talking about a trip to Tuscany.

 

[The Slow Loris]

Seconds, very well put...

------------------
Skinny the Link

 

[mbi16]

Originally posted by Seconds:
Most of you are not understanding what Bono is saying. He's not saying that Americans should travel more often to other countries (that would be incoherent nonsense). He is using that message metaphorically.

He means to say that Americans don't realize what is going on in the rest of the world. A part of the world is dying of hunger and poverty, but most americans never see this.

He continues by saying that this extreme poverty is a cause of the Sept 11 attacks.
He ends by saying that fighting the root of the problem, poverty, is the only way to win this type of war.

Come on people. Read between the lines. Now I understand why so many Americans have no Idea what Bullet The Blue Sky was all about.
The man is talking about poverty and most you are talking about a trip to Tuscany.

Ding Ding Ding, although the other points raised about Americans are all valid, like Seconds said that's not what he was talking about. So in answer to your question Olive yes I agree.

My fear is though that those "hard questions that have to be asked" aren't going to be asked, or are but will be ignored because of this sense of isolation. Yes WTC has been a wake up call, but economically we can still say we're pretty isolated so there's a possibility that the chance to turn this into good Karma will be passed up. I pray it doesn't but only the future will tell.

------------------
Tha Prickly Comedian

[This message has been edited by mbi16 (edited 12-11-2001).]

 

[hippy]

Right on, Bono!

*remembers why she loves Bono so much*


------------------
One love, one life...
Give peace a chance!
Don't let the bastards grind you down!

Bono: I don't walk, I swagger! I sashayed once, but just once. It wasn't for me.

 

[Klodomir]

Way to lose track of the point. Is everything a potential insult these days? You are missing so much input from people (such as myself) who are afraid to step on people's toes.

 

[UV2001]

I agree with that 110% People often say that my points of views on things are nieve and idealistic well whether they are or not Bono always ends up doing a speech about my nieve points of view that I keep preaching to everyone around me. The world needs people like Bono because he may not be 90 odd year old with all those years of wisdom behind him but he is still a very wise man and has a good heart. The third world problem needs resolving. I don't see how people who have the power to get rid of the debt can sit back and have all those deaths due to the poverty of the third world on their concience. I know for a fact that if I was able to do something and did nothing I would not be able to live with myself knowing how many people had died because I a wanted more pieces of paper in the bank. Anyway enough of this otherwise I will go on all day lol.

 

[sharky]

I agree with Bono'a quote and what some of you have said. The US is such an elitist nation at times. If you watch NBC's nightly news and compare that to the BBC's nightly news [runs on public tv here in the US] you see a big difference in the amount of stories and depth of those stories about international issues. The US media totally ignores those issues.

On a side note, while I agree with Bono I don't think its going to happen. After the attack on the Trade Center, all these Americans got all patriotic, putting up their flags, fighting for America, etc. I live in New York City and have been deeply affected by what happened that day. If Americans were there that day or see the site with their own eyes, they would realize that there is no way you could put any boundary on what happened there. This wasn't an attack against America, this was an attack on humanity. But some Americans are so egotisitical that they think this is all about them.

Sorry if this sounds harsh but I just don't think most Americans have even tried to understand what really happened that day and why it was done.

------------------
"Things will not be the same in this city for us." -Bono, Dublin, February 1980

 

[80sU2isBest]

How "abject poverty" is the root of the attacks on 9/11, I'll never know. Makes not one bit of sense to me.

Here are the roots.

1)USA stands beside our ally, Israel. Many nations hate this.

2)Osama bin Laden is a hateful lunatic.

3)The people who planned/committed the acts are/were lunatics.

[This message has been edited by 80sU2isBest (edited 12-12-2001).]

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Originally posted by 80sU2isBest:
How "abject poverty" is the root of the attacks on 9/11, I'll never know. Makes not one bit of sense to me.

Here are the roots.

1)USA stands beside our ally, Israel. Many nations hate this.

2)Osama bin Laden is a hateful lunatic.

3)The people who planned/committed the acts are/were lunatics.

[This message has been edited by 80sU2isBest (edited 12-12-2001).]

Osama bin Laden is angry with the government of his native country Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia like many Middle Eastern nations is run by an oligarchy of very wealthy upper class rulers who are completely out of touch with the people they rule. The rich stay rich, the poor stay poor, and when people are without the economic means to improve their lives and change their world, they are more apt to act in dangerous and irrational ways. This state of affairs also makes fundamentalist and extremist religions much more attractive. The U.S. supports the Saudi government and others like it, therefore it is easy to move the blame to the U.S. as the instigator and perpetuator and justify oneself in attacks against it.

I think that's a basic outline of how this goes. I've seen the same thing happen in Indonesia. So while poverty may not have been the immediate reason for the attacks, I think it is definitely a valid underlying reason and one that we can actually DO something about in the future.

 

[speedracer]

Originally posted by sulawesigirl4:
Osama bin Laden is angry with the government of his native country Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia like many Middle Eastern nations is run by an oligarchy of very wealthy upper class rulers who are completely out of touch with the people they rule. The rich stay rich, the poor stay poor, and when people are without the economic means to improve their lives and change their world, they are more apt to act in dangerous and irrational ways. This state of affairs also makes fundamentalist and extremist religions much more attractive. The U.S. supports the Saudi government and others like it, therefore it is easy to move the blame to the U.S. as the instigator and perpetuator and justify oneself in attacks against it.

Osama bin Laden isn't one of the poor guys. He's one of the rich guys, remember? The reason he's pissed off at the Saudi government is because he doesn't regard them as a properly Islamic state, probably because of their relations with American infidels. He may be recruiting poor people to his cause, but I don't think that ObL is, on the whole, fighting for the poor, oppressed people of the Middle East. If anything, the type of government he wants would be even more repressive than the ones currently in place.

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Originally posted by speedracer:
Osama bin Laden isn't one of the poor guys. He's one of the rich guys, remember? The reason he's pissed off at the Saudi government is because he doesn't regard them as a properly Islamic state, probably because of their relations with American infidels. He may be recruiting poor people to his cause, but I don't think that ObL is, on the whole, fighting for the poor, oppressed people of the Middle East. If anything, the type of government he wants would be even more repressive than the ones currently in place.

Oh absolutely, he's not one of the poor! But he's playing on their condition and offering them a chance to feel like they can DO something. Basically what I'm saying is that if people had more stable, economically upward lives in that area they would be less apt to jump on the Osama bandwagon. Discontent breeds unrest and radicalism.