Just where are the protests? Bono

[gvox]

Like I've mentioned on numerous occasions, its troubling how people can get all riled up over injustices and comments and whatnot, but when it comes to Africa they have -all to say.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=2319414

Bono Demands Protests for 'Forgotten War' in Africa
Mon March 3, 2003 07:00 PM ET
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Rock star turned third world campaigner Bono questioned on Monday why millions of people had not turned out onto the streets to draw attention to the victims of Africa's "forgotten" war against AIDS.
Drawing a comparison with the recent mass protests against U.S. plans for possible war against Iraq, Bono said millions of poverty-stricken Africans would die over the next few years without vital medicine to help them combat the deadly virus.

"While I am inspired to see people out on the streets to defend the potential loss of life in Iraq, two million Africans will die next year and the year after because they cannot get hold of medicine," he said.

"I want to know why there aren't a million people out on the streets for this other forgotten war," Bono said after being honored at the Irish Music Awards for his work on behalf of the world's poor.

"If it happens to be a black person's life, how much value do we place on that life?" he added.

The U2 frontman is heavily involved in highlighting the plight of the world's poor through his work to speed up debt relief to poor nations and also help AIDS sufferers.

 

[oktobergirl]

I think many many many people feel this way.

I am glad Bono finally said this to the press.

If we are counting numbers, 6500 people will die today because of AIDS.

Will we lose that many people in an entire war with IRAQ?

How much is a African life worth? Not as much as an American or a British one, apparently.

 

[Scarletwine]

I agree there should be people marching for Africa.

However, the current UN estimates are 300,000 to 500,000 civilian deaths in Iraq. That number is significant and can be prevented totally.

The protests are also in part to prevent the US from unilateral action.

 

[oktobergirl]

Good point. However, we are DOING something about the IRAQI situation arent we? ( not that I agree totally with it). We aren't doing shit about Africa.

 

[nbcrusader]

However, the current UN estimates are 300,000 to 500,000 civilian deaths in Iraq. That number is significant and can be prevented totally.

THe number sited is far too low. It is more like 1.5 million. That is the estimated number of Iraqi civilians that have died because of Saddam.





Oh, you are probably not marching because of that. Sorry.

 

[gvox]

THe number sited is far too low. It is more like 1.5 million. That is the estimated number of Iraqi civilians that have died because of Saddam.

No, that is the number another esteemed FYM member estimated based on some cockamemie assumption that Saddam was responsible for just about all deaths in the middle east since the 80s, and even his calculation included military personnel from other countries.

Good try tho!

 

[nbcrusader]

Setting the exact number aside, which is of greater concern? The number of civilians that are dead because of Saddam, or one estimate of the number of civilians that might dies from full scale military action?

 

[gvox]

Actually, in the context of this thread, neither, and I would greatly appreciate if you would cease discussing Iraq in this thread, like right about now.

If you read Bono's comments, it would appear to me that this is the type of thing that has him riled up.

This thread is about Africa, not Iraq.

Thank you

 

[nbcrusader]

Sorry for the detour into Iraq.

I agree with Bono's underlying argument - society tends to get riled up over one "fashionable" issue and forgets the tragedies that occur elsewhere.

 

[gvox]

 

[Scarletwine]

Drawing a comparison with the recent mass protests against U.S. plans for possible war against Iraq, Bono said millions of poverty-stricken Africans would die over the next few years without vital medicine to help them combat the deadly virus.

"While I am inspired to see people out on the streets to defend the potential loss of life in Iraq, two million Africans will die next year and the year after because they cannot get hold of medicine," he said.

"I want to know why there aren't a million people out on the streets for this other forgotten war," Bono said after being honored at the Irish Music Awards for his work on behalf of the world's poor.

"If it happens to be a black person's life, how much value do we place on that life?" he added.

Gabriel,

Sorry I wasn't trying to hijack your thread to another one about Iraq. I was replying to Oktobergirls statement. God knows there are enough Iraq threads going on.

I truly believe if the same statistics were European it would have been stopped years ago.
There are 2 problems facing the side for Africa. One is undoubtubley that it is the "dark continent" anyone living in the US cannot believe otherwise. I hear racism eveyday in my small part of the world. I grew up in the south and while racism was predominate when I was young it had almost melted away in the last several years. However, here in the Heartland rural areas it is alive and well. Mostly due to ignorance and fear. As Mike Moore says we are afraid because the nightly news says to be.

The other is the apathy for third world countries period. It is almost the idea "we pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps and you should too".

I don't have answers only what my letters and e-mails can do.

 

[verte76]

I would be glad to attend a demonstration protesting the crisis in Africa. I think we should have demonstrations publicizing it. It's currently not getting half the publicity it should be getting. I think this and the Iraq controversy are two different topics. There are people with differing opinions on Iraq who basically agree on this issue.

 

[oktobergirl]

hmm interesting idea verte.........

 

[jinn77]

Why is Bono so reticent to talk about Iraq? Worried about record sales in the USA? Or am i just being an asshole?

 

[sue4u2]

You're right, scarletwine, to a degree. I'm in the south and unfortunately, racism hasn't completely melted away. I can't even begin to count how many friends/people, I have had to let t go there own way, simply because of their attitudes about blacks, jews or any other group they saw fit to target.
But I have singled out a few who seem to be on the right track and educate them along. When I talked with a couple at lunch yesterday, it seemed to help when the subject of how exactly the people suffering from aids in africa would know when, how to take their medicine. This lady, I thought, was well educated, said...Will we supply them with watches, also? I tried to explain that with medicine comes education, medical facilities and follow up. They aren't walking hundreds of miles across the desert to throw away the very thing that will save their children. At this time the subject changed and we left, but not before she said I had a point... Baby steps... and Yes, verte76... I second that motion..Great minds, your's and Bono's of course...

 

[verte76]

Why is Bono so reticent to talk about Iraq? Worried about record sales in the USA? Or am i just being an asshole?

I wouldn't call Bono "reticent" on Iraq. He attended the protest demonstration in Dublin on February 15, and has stated his opinion against the war several times since then, including his Musicares talk. I think he is trying to be diplomatic about this issue because he works with politicians who want to go to war with Iraq. It's not like he can change either the U.S. or the British government's position on Iraq, anyway. He doesn't want to act like an hole about it. I think his statements about Iraq have been very civil and rational, just the way they should be.