Reggie Thee Dog said:
I haven't read this whole thread, but I will say that my wife, who is always on the fence when it comes to Bono's preaching and causes, is thoroughly impressed with his tenacity on the AIDS and debt relief efforts.
People who can't stand Bono's cause tend to stand in two corners:
1. Those who have always hated him
2. People who have much more conservative values and want to know why some "Irish guy" is so involved in our politics
Now, I am completely basing this on my dealings with Bono bashers, but I don't know of any others I run into.
Bono is the real deal. He's not some "rock star" who's making a half-assed attempt for a cause. He's in this for the long run.
Well... not necessarily. I have "much more conservative values" but I'm glad Bono's doing something. I can understand why, should it matter that he's a rock star? If you feel something is just not right, I think you, whatever you do with your life, have a right to say so.
Why should an Irish rock star be doing this, well he was asked for help from the people who started the Jubilee 2000 work. Think Jamie Drummond? was the head person. He asked for Bono's help with this movement to drop the debts of the poorest nations to the richest, based on the Old Testament concept, every 40 years, all debts are forgiven.
That right there, will lose him popularity in some people's minds. "Oh great, some Bible-thumper again telling me what to do..."
I know people who are upset with Chris Martin, for saying for Americans to vote for Kerry. People don't want to be told to vote for someone, who isn't from that country. I think people who aren't U2 fans, see or that Bono is at the DNC, automatically think he's there to support Kerry.
Bono is there to make sure the goals of DATA are not ignored, which also why he's going to the RNC. He's not there to support either candidate, but to make sure whoever may become the President, or remains in Bush's case, will not ignore what Bono and DATA/Jubilee have been working on for these past few years.
Call me crazy, in my own opinion, my belief, I think maybe God's using Bono to do this stuff, drop the debt/Jubilee, DATA. Bono brings up the "Catholic guilt" thing at times. If Bono didn't become famous by the success of U2, would world leaders be sitting with him, discussing world issues? Unfortunately the way the world is, "famous" people have gotten a kind of currency, that allows them to do things, not everyone else can do.
But just watch, people will hate Bono for going to the RNC too. He'll probably lose a lot "street cred" among the music industry. Look into all the musicians who want Kerry to be elected President.
Damned if you, damned if you don't, is right.
. I can definitely sympathize with Bono on that.
Well, all I will add to this is, people are passionate about politics, so they will feel strongly about issues and causes, etc. Bono, is definetly one of them, and as he 'plays both sides of the field' for More focus on Aides, Debt reduction, etc.., I respect him for it. I have not always agreed with Bono, but at least he does not sit around complaining about things in the world, and makes no move to do anything! And I agree, Bono is not writting about God, Christianity to make himself More popular! It doesn't work that way!! And to blue-this has happened to the Band and Bono more than you know, fans leave, fans stay. then there are those that Just discovered them..go figure? 
