MrBrau1
ONE love, blood, life
kimby said:
It would have been so easy:
"The band have stated they make charitable donations, but keep them private."
Does Bono put his money where his mouth is?
- Thread starter blueeyedgirl
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It would have been so easy:
"The band have stated they make charitable donations, but keep them private."
Neenie
War Child
If Bono did brag on that he gives a lot of money and how much, I think there could be more criticism than there is now. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.
Exactly, all the "hypocrite" cries would just turn into "braggart".
Pity those who can't see it is possible to be a spokesperson for charity yet being economic about paying taxes - not that paying taxes is charity - (raise your hand if you've never cheated at a tax report or ever tried to minimize your taxes ? you did ? go look in the mirror, then, hypocrite) while at the same time choosing not to talk about any donations.
Pity those who can't see it is possible to be a spokesperson for charity yet being economic about paying taxes - not that paying taxes is charity - (raise your hand if you've never cheated at a tax report or ever tried to minimize your taxes ? you did ? go look in the mirror, then, hypocrite) while at the same time choosing not to talk about any donations.
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
Oh no, please not just another thread about this. Why do people have to bring up these crappy articles?
Personally I am disgusted by people who are all up other people's business and money.
I don't care for this at all.
Bono says if charity is made public it's not charity.
It's pathetic to go around bragging about how much you donate to which causes.
If you want to do something for charity, just do it and don't wait for someone else to do it.
I think we should let these articles drift away into oblivion instead of strirring things up again and again by constantly quoting this crap.
*goes away to fill out form for tax reduction*
Personally I am disgusted by people who are all up other people's business and money.
I don't care for this at all.
Bono says if charity is made public it's not charity.
It's pathetic to go around bragging about how much you donate to which causes.
If you want to do something for charity, just do it and don't wait for someone else to do it.
I think we should let these articles drift away into oblivion instead of strirring things up again and again by constantly quoting this crap.
*goes away to fill out form for tax reduction*
indra
ONE love, blood, life
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- Jan 20, 2004
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last unicorn said:
Isn't debt forgiveness a form of charity? I mean that money was borrowed. And Bono is all for asking governments to do that. It doesn't get much more public that that. I don't think it's unreasonable to scrutinise him when he is essentially asking governments to force their citizens to give to charity (and don't tell me debt forgiveness doesn't take money -- if you loaned someone $1000 and they never paid you back and you eventually said "never fucking mind" you would still be out $1000), but he, through his businesses at very least, is sheltering his money from tax in ways people who are not stinking rich cannot, so he's at least partially avoiding the forced charity he's pushing on others.
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
U2 are still paying enough taxes. Even with the tax breaks, they pay more than anyone else.indra said:
I cannot relate to the amount of money these guys are earning, but I work in science and we all know that science here is dependent on public funding by the state, i. e. tax money.
Still I try to pay as little taxes as possible, which is an option for me since I have a second job and one of my best friends is a financial consulatants, so I know some tricks.
Still I don't feel that I don't have the right to demand public funding for science and for art, only because I am trying to avoid paying too much in taxes.
I still feel all of us are paying too many taxes. It's just annoying how governments are spending this money. I'd rather it would be used for debt relief in Africa or charitable causes than most other things. It's for example ridiculous how much money goes into sports or the military.
LuvandPeace1980
War Child
as if Bono would tell anyone how much he donates to charity..
He gets enough crap as it is without flaming it up by bragging about how much he gives..
Not that it matters anyway because even if bono gave every single thing he had ever made along with his life, it would not amount to how much him and geldof and anyone else associated with Make Poverty History has truely given anyway..
There are plenty of people in higher and lower positions who give alot less..
Your damned if you do and your damned if your don't
He gets enough crap as it is without flaming it up by bragging about how much he gives..
Not that it matters anyway because even if bono gave every single thing he had ever made along with his life, it would not amount to how much him and geldof and anyone else associated with Make Poverty History has truely given anyway..
There are plenty of people in higher and lower positions who give alot less..
Your damned if you do and your damned if your don't
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Sure the governments can forgive debts but that's different than giving charity money. You can say "country xxxx doesn't owe me money anymore" which is all nice and good will but that doesn't change that the same country xxxx still wouldn't benefit from some charity donations. (be it money, aid etc)
I also would like to see the government that exorts and forces its people to donating charity. They can only decide what to do with the tax money.
I also would like to see the government that exorts and forces its people to donating charity. They can only decide what to do with the tax money.
MrsSpringsteen
Blue Crack Addict
If it makes anyone feel any better, he flies coach. I read it in Star Magazine. Well he flew coach at least once, to Sundance. He was so cool about being cramped in his tiny seat and just flipped through a magazine and dozed off, according to a fellow flier.
rihannsu
Refugee
indra said:
NO, actually it is NOT. That is the basis of the arguements. If you have been listening to Bono he is saying it is NOT charity it is JUSTICE. These debts are unjust and it is unjust to hold generations of people responsible for debts they had no part in. Like if your grandparents ran up huge amounts of debt and you had to pay it. There are bankruptcy provisions for individuals and for corporations but not for soveriegn nations.
If you want to understand how truly criminal a lot of the debt situation is I recommend reading a book by Noreena Hertz called "The Debt Threat". I just finished it and it certainly explains it well in ordinary language that you don't need an economics degree to understand. When Bono talks about corruption on the part of the lenders as well as the borrowers you can understand it much better after reading this. The other benefit is that the first chapter covers Bono's work in Washington in 99-00 so you have a much greater understanding of why ATYCLB ended up a year late coming out and really highlights how much is done behind the scenes that never makes the press.
As for the tax issue, I'm not rich but I take advantage of every single tax break that is possible and if I had a LEGAL way to shift a portion of my income somewhere to avoid a sudden increase from 0% to 42% tax I would definitely take it. I have no problem with people legally avoiding taxes, it is the people who ILLEGALLY do not pay tax that hurt governments. But even if I did think that Bono shouldn't avoid tax while pressuring governments to give more to Africa there is still the fact that there are four other individuals affected by this tax increase and there is no way to justify them having to suffer a tax burden of 42% just so Bono won't look bad in the papers. The publishing royalties go to U2 and are divided equally. So the rest of the band would have to suffer in order to shut up a few malcontents. No way does that make sense.
Dana
Oh, no, didn't we just have the last Bono and his causes thread locked? 
I don't feel like getting into this again! 
Maybe later. 
But really, there is no way you can say he puts his MONEY where his mouth is like Bill Gates does. He does a lot for the cause, but he doesn't pay. And I am NOT getting into this again!
I don't feel like getting into this again! Maybe later. But really, there is no way you can say he puts his MONEY where his mouth is like Bill Gates does. He does a lot for the cause, but he doesn't pay. And I am NOT getting into this again!
JCOSTER
ONE love, blood, life
Is everyone fogetting that Bono is a christian, and as a christian when you give charity you are not supposed to announce it to the world so you get a pat on the back.
Its an action between you and God, he even states in the interviews I posted that it is in the scriptures and one hand doesn't tell the other hand how much it should give or how much it gave.
Its an action between you and God, he even states in the interviews I posted that it is in the scriptures and one hand doesn't tell the other hand how much it should give or how much it gave.
U2Man
ONE love, blood, life
didnt the band announce that they had donated an amount of money to africa during the vertigo tour?
JCOSTER
ONE love, blood, life
U2Man
ONE love, blood, life
but doesnt that make bono a bad christian, then?
Slipstream
Refugee
Axver said:
I totally agree. The only thing I'm interested in with Bono and U2 is their music and other artistic side projects.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I thought Bono doesn't declare himself a Christian per se.
I don't remember if it was because he didn't want to identify himself with one particular religion, or if it was because there was stuff about Christianity he didn't like ... I thought I remember reading something about that.
And in regards to Bono flying in coach - it's only his hat that flies first class.
I don't remember if it was because he didn't want to identify himself with one particular religion, or if it was because there was stuff about Christianity he didn't like ... I thought I remember reading something about that.
And in regards to Bono flying in coach - it's only his hat that flies first class.
Axver said:
JCOSTER said:
Our pastor talked about Grace in Giving this Sunday morning and one of his points was that we are to give privatly...or in your heart as it says in 2 Cor 9:7 (funny because I actually thought about the conversations on this board about this topic). Noone really knows for sure, but his faith probably has something to do with his silence on the issue of his personal giving. Makes sense to me.
biff
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
drdre12 said:
But we do know for sure. He has quoted Matthew 6 more than once to explain why he is silent on this issue of his charitable donations:
(An exerpt: "Take care! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.
When you give a gift to someone in need, don't shout about it as the hypocrites do--blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get.
But when you give to someone, don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing.
Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.")
He's made no big mystery here as to his motivations.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
U2Kitten said:
But really, there is no way you can say he puts his MONEY where his mouth is like Bill Gates does. He does a lot for the cause, but he doesn't pay. And I am NOT getting into this again!
Once again speaking authoritatively without facts... Well at least you are consistent.
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
Please stop making accusations about things you don't know anything about.U2Kitten said:But really, there is no way you can say he puts his MONEY where his mouth is like Bill Gates does. He does a lot for the cause, but he doesn't pay. And I am NOT getting into this again!
I can't believe we are going through this crap again.
I feel this sort of threads are an open invitation for people to bash Bono without knowing any facts.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
U2Kitten said:And I am NOT getting into this again!
Good.
U2Man
ONE love, blood, life
bono sings better when he lets his hair grow long.
Greenlight
The Fly
U2Man said:
Ah but did one of the band say they gave to charity or was it someone else? Whilst they may request that their donations remain anonymous, they can't stop anyone stating afterwards who was aware of the donation that U2 gave x sum to x charity.
I don't really give a toss whether U2 or anyone else gives to charity or not -it's their business not mine. As someone else said though it would be nice to get an impartial, fair interview for a change. I just got the latest edition of Q magazine (worth getting as there's a 27 page special on U2) and there is one bit where Tony Blair gives his thoughts on Bono. Now whilst he's probably in Q just to gain kudos, (no pun intended!), he does seem to speak from the heart and praises Bono highly "when you meet him you quickly realise that he is a genuinely good person" and talks about how other leaders are impressed with his knowledge and why they bother to listen to him.
U2Fanatic4ever
Blue Crack Addict
ok u2kitten.. for god's sake stop bringing up that crap again.. You are like a broken record. And frankly, I for one am friggin tired of it.
and it doesn't help that identical threads like the ones in the past and this ONE keep being started causing people to bring up the same discussions over and over again.
and it doesn't help that identical threads like the ones in the past and this ONE keep being started causing people to bring up the same discussions over and over again.
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U2Fanatic4ever
Blue Crack Addict
biff said:
this is exactly it. Thanks biff! This is the answer folks.. as has been brought up before and for some reason seem to get ignored. He believes in this, this is part of his faith. I actually just saw that interview where he states this.. It was a interview he did with Dave Fanning. This part of his life is not a concern of mine. His acheivements, actions are what count to me and I think the rest of the world too when it comes right down to it.
Jeannieco
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
U2Man said:
Jeannieco
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Speaking for myself, I trust Bono wholeheartidly to use the money he has made to do good. I know in my heart he is not a greedy SOB, out for number 1. So I trust he is using the money saved on taxes towards MORE good in the world. He smarter than any politician if you ask me. Just because he hasn't fully disclosed what he does for charity, I don't understand how people assume he is hoarding his money away and is therefore greedy. No way. Look at the facts of his public generosity. And I don't mean money, he is generous of spirit and that speaks VOLUMES!!
