How Should U2 Respond To The Tsunami Disaster?

[jick]

U2 have been known to fight for political and social causes, from peace in Northern Ireland to Debt Relief in Africa. I think now should be the perfect opportunity for them to help causes of devastation brought about by natural catastrophes.

With the death toll soon to reach 100,000 while the countries affected being poor countries (some of them at least), it looks like their economy could plumet and they will only get poorer. It's time for U2 to do their part.

Being the biggest rock band (and perhaps the senior citizen among relevant musicians), I feel they should be the one to instigate and organize a concert for the benefit of these poor victims in Asia. Or I think they should help in their own way.

So now let me pose these questions and I'd like to know your opinions:

-What involvement do you expect U2 to have in aid for the Asian Tsunami Disaster?

-Should U2 take a leadership role among musicians of our generation to help? Or should musicians even help at all?

Being from Asia, I do hope U2 will help in any capacity. However, sometimes I think Bono frowns upon helping catastrophes like this because a few hundred thousands are miniscule compared to the millions who die in Africa and are never featured/reported in the media unlike a plane crash that kills a few hundreds which are prominently featured in the media.

So perhaps U2 have their pet causes, or perhaps U2 feel the need to take a leadership role for musicians to help in whatever capacity they can. I'm not quite sure.

Cheers,

J

 

[beli]

If Bono took on any more causes he may well be ridiculed. He really needs to pick a few causes and stick to them otherwise he will come across as a whineybaby.

The rest of U2 are tarred with the same brush, regardless of their involvement or, lack there of, in his aid work.

I really think this would be better handled by one of the younger popstars who doesnt have a cause as yet.

 

[yimou]

In a situation like the Tsunami disaster, then i think it would be utterly tasteless if people need entertainment or a speech from a band in order to cough up money to help the victims.
Emergency help is needed, and if people can´t realise the importance of this without the help of U2 or other stars, then its a sad sad thing.

Ofcourse a benifit concert in the future would be great. If it need to be U2 i dont know,

 

[beli]

But the ramification of this disaster will go on for years. As time goes on it will slip further and further down the google news page as well as actual newspapers. Someone needs to keep it in the public eye.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

I think a donation to the relief services would go a long way.

 

[Aardvark747]

I think a donation to the relief services would go a long way.

Ditto. They've probably already given an undisclosed amount.

 

[Zoovation]

I'm sure that U2 made a donation already.

 

[Zootomic]

If anyone is interested in making a donation you can do so through Amazon.com. You can donate a minimum of $5 using your Amazon account and the donations go to the Red Cross. This is a great idea for those who already have an Amazon account. Of course you can also donate through other organizations such as Unicef.

As for U2, they probably have or will make personal donations and they will probably be involved if someone decides to do a benefit concert or cd in the future. But I don't think it's necessary for Bono or the whole band to make any type of statement about the disaster at this time. Maybe next year when this story has fallen off the front pages Bono may remind people during concerts that donations are still needed, but he doesn't need to do that now. The need is clear to anyone who has seen the accounts of the scale of this disaster.

 

[Lara_Croft]

we don't need to pretend something from U2 related to tsunami. Bono expressed his feelings about that on tuesday interview on bbc 4 radio. The best we can do, donating something via mobile phone, credit card etc.

i think they will do something but not as u2 but as personal donations.

 

[bw in dc]

The last thing U2 needs to do is thrust themselves into the forefront of this disaster. That could easily be interpreted, rightly or wrongly, as added publicity to sell records. Lay low.

The essence of character is doing the right thing when no one is looking. U2 should do whatever they do for this cause, collectively or individually, on a private basis.

 

[Liesje]

The essence of character is doing the right thing when no one is looking.

 

[jick]

U2 were quite high profile with some of their causes with 9/11 being the most obvious as they added shows and marketing it as a healing experience for those devastated by 9/11.

I think that towards the end of the tour, U2 could add an Asian leg/concert in one of the quake-torn countries (realistically Thailand) just to show that everything there is back to normal and that they are healing already. It would be like Sarajevo part 2.

Also, it would be a great opportunity for U2 to finally do an Asian show outside Japan. I mean 25 years in the biz and still not a single non-Japan Asian show?

Cheers,

J

 

[Liesje]

U2 were quite high profile with some of their causes with 9/11 being the most obvious as they added shows and marketing it as a healing experience for those devastated by 9/11.

They didn't have to market it as such; for many people it WAS a healing experience.

 

[anitram]

Also, it would be a great opportunity for U2 to finally do an Asian show outside Japan.

I think it would actually be a nice idea to do this, akin to the show they performed in Sarajevo on Popmart.

 

[starsgoblue]

However, sometimes I think Bono frowns upon helping catastrophes like this because a few hundred thousands are miniscule compared to the millions who die in Africa and are never featured/reported in the media unlike a plane crash that kills a few hundreds which are prominently featured in the media.

I find that mildly insulting. Are you actually suggesting that he places value on one life more than another? I think his 'track record' and his words have shown otherwise for a long time now. Besides, U2 has always had links to social causes listed on thier websites....I don't think their response to worldwide issues have ever been shortsighted.

 

[JOFO]

The last thing U2 needs to do is thrust themselves into the forefront of this disaster. That could easily be interpreted, rightly or wrongly, as added publicity to sell records. Lay low.

The essence of character is doing the right thing when no one is looking. U2 should do whatever they do for this cause, collectively or individually, on a private basis.

I agree.

However, there are sure to be certain artists who are going to jump on this and organize a concert or whatever, partly for the right reasons, partly for the noteriety. I won't name names.
sorry if that's a little cynical at a time like this; whoever raises money however they do it is needed right now.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The essence of character is doing the right thing when no one is looking.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

U2 were quite high profile with some of their causes with 9/11 being the most obvious as they added shows and marketing it as a healing experience for those devastated by 9/11.

I think that towards the end of the tour, U2 could add an Asian leg/concert in one of the quake-torn countries (realistically Thailand) just to show that everything there is back to normal and that they are healing already. It would be like Sarajevo part 2.

Also, it would be a great opportunity for U2 to finally do an Asian show outside Japan. I mean 25 years in the biz and still not a single non-Japan Asian show?

Cheers,

J

the 2nd american leg of the elevation tour was planned and announced well in advance to 9/11... they did not announce these shows as a "healing" for those effected by 9/11, it just happened that way.

 

[beli]

Re: Re: How Should U2 Respond To The Tsunami Disaster?

The world values life differently. Plane crashes of westerners DO make higher priority on the news. This is then followed by starving Africans. Asians come last.

The donation and media attention to different events is quite marked. African disasters bring in the most amount of income for charities as Africans and their lifestyle least resemble the average 'Westerner" (for want of a word).

Asians, particulary Indians, receive less empathy from the west because some of the peoples dont look all that different. Seriously.

Asians are ranked below Westerners, and Africans.

Does anyone remember the old tv show "Not the Nine Oclock News"? They used to run a "racially adjusted death toll". It was unfortunately funny cause it was so bleedin accurate.

 

[jick]

Re: Re: Re: How Should U2 Respond To The Tsunami Disaster?

The world values life differently. Plane crashes of westerners DO make higher priority on the news. This is then followed by starving Africans. Asians come last.

The donation and media attention to different events is quite marked. African disasters bring in the most amount of income for charities as Africans and their lifestyle least resemble the average 'Westerner" (for want of a word).

Asians, particulary Indians, receive less empathy from the west because some of the peoples dont look all that different. Seriously.

Asians are ranked below Westerners, and Africans.

Does anyone remember the old tv show "Not the Nine Oclock News"? They used to run a "racially adjusted death toll". It was unfortunately funny cause it was so bleedin accurate.

I don't agree. CNN and the other news networks have given round-the-clock coverage for the disaster.

So many Africans die everyday from famine and AIDS and other diseases that Bono has even mentioned it is already like genocide. But because they die everyday and it is such a regular thing for them to die, then it is not media-worthy.

I think the reason is that the Africans are is such remote places that they don't have CNN or other news networks, so it is not worth the networks time to actually feature those everyday to a market that doesn't subscribe to their news, unlike say Iraq where the headlines (before the tsunami/quake) was always about deaths (only in the handfuls, not millions) brought about by car bombs in Iraq.

Bono and the gang must be of the opinion that those who have less is life need more help. The Africans have less than the Asians as the ratio of Africans who die everytime is quite consistent while Asians don't suffer from that much famine or regular death (I prefer to categorize the tsunami as force majeure).

So I would understand why U2 would rather not do high-profile work for the disaster victims aid. Asia also isn't really one of U2's most important markets for selling their music so it won't make sense to do public stuff in Asia or for Asia.

Cheers,

J

 

[starsgoblue]

Africa isn't a big market for selling U2 albums either...that's not stopping Bono. That comment made NO sense and was totally ridiculous.

 

[beli]

Jick, I disagree. I used to work for Oxfam. It is much easier to get African issues on the news than it is Asian issues. I wish I had the annual radio appeal statistics with me.

Basically the appeals were African issue based. During the year of a previous Indian earthquake the appeal was pitched at this disaster and the total amount of donations dropped markedly. The following year we went back to focussing on Africa and the donations increased.

There might be round the clock coverage at the moment but its already starting to drop. Its not the first issue on google news anymore.

 

[Liesje]

Re: Re: Re: Re: How Should U2 Respond To The Tsunami Disaster?

So I would understand why U2 would rather not do high-profile work for the disaster victims aid. Asia also isn't really one of U2's most important markets for selling their music so it won't make sense to do public stuff in Asia or for Asia.

Jick, we all know how you feel about Bono's humantarian work, but to be discussing U2 marketing their new album and quite possibly the worst natural disaster in history at the same time is simply beyond disturbing. You never cease to amaze me (and by amaze, I mean in a disgusting, ignorant, and insensitive). This is sick. I honestly can't believe someone so close to the tragedy could be thinking this way. I hope you're just in denial or something....

 

[beli]

I think this a cultural difference thing, again. I wasnt offended by Jicks post, again.

 

[indra]

Re: Re: Re: How Should U2 Respond To The Tsunami Disaster?

Asians, particulary Indians, receive less empathy from the west because some of the peoples dont look all that different. Seriously.

Asians are ranked below Westerners, and Africans.

I used to work for Oxfam. It is much easier to get African issues on the news than it is Asian issues. I wish I had the annual radio appeal statistics with me.

Basically the appeals were African issue based. During the year of a previous Indian earthquake the appeal was pitched at this disaster and the total amount of donations dropped markedly. The following year we went back to focussing on Africa and the donations increased.

There might be round the clock coverage at the moment but its already starting to drop. Its not the first issue on google news anymore.

I've not given this much thought before, beli, but now that you mention it, I can see that it does happen. One of the reasons that Asians don't get the empathy (at least in the US) is that we (as a nation) consider them competitors. There are constant reports about jobs being outsourced to India and various Asian countries. So I think that feeling is a part of the lower donations to Asian disasters.

 

[jick]

Please don't take my comments out of context:

-----------------------------------------------------------

So I would understand why U2 would rather not do high-profile work for the disaster victims aid. Asia also isn't really one of U2's most important markets for selling their music so it won't make sense to do public stuff in Asia or for Asia.
-----------------------------------------------------------

What I said is true, Asia isn't really among U2's most important markets. Is there anyone to refute this? U2's fixation is to dominate America's charts more than anything else.

Would it make sense to do public stuff in Asia? I don't think so. Donations and aid would do. Perhaps a visit to Asia would do, but a public event like a benefit concert in Asia? I don't think so. Have U2 ever done a concert in Africa? I don't think so too.

So it is but natural that U2 would not do high-profile events in Asia for the disaster victims. Perhaps some benefit concert held in Europe or America --- but not in Asia for sure.

I don't understand why some people love to take my posts out of context and twist words to make me seem like some bad guy when I'm really not.

Cheers,

J

 

[starsgoblue]

Nevermind....

 

[Jack In The Box]

but why U2 responded to 11/09 disaster?

is just a question

 

[beli]

I don't understand why some people love to take my posts out of context and twist words to make me seem like some bad guy when I'm really not.

Cheers,

J

Im buggered if I know either. But it happens a lot of your posts. It does seem to be primarily USA people who get offended. Theres a number of Australians who are not offended by your posts, we have discussed it.

Thats what I meant by cultural differences. Not that Im saying all USA people are offended by you, just most of the people who are offended are from the USA.

 

[Liesje]

Please don't take my comments out of context:

-----------------------------------------------------------

So I would understand why U2 would rather not do high-profile work for the disaster victims aid. Asia also isn't really one of U2's most important markets for selling their music so it won't make sense to do public stuff in Asia or for Asia.
-----------------------------------------------------------

What I said is true, Asia isn't really among U2's most important markets. Is there anyone to refute this? U2's fixation is to dominate America's charts more than anything else.

Would it make sense to do public stuff in Asia? I don't think so. Donations and aid would do. Perhaps a visit to Asia would do, but a public event like a benefit concert in Asia? I don't think so. Have U2 ever done a concert in Africa? I don't think so too.

So it is but natural that U2 would not do high-profile events in Asia for the disaster victims. Perhaps some benefit concert held in Europe or America --- but not in Asia for sure.

OK, the way I'm reading this is that U2 won't do a high profile benefit concert for Asia b/c they don't have a big market in Asia.

Maybe it has nothing to do with markets or high profileness or economics or whatever...Personally, I don't think U2's motivation for helping in this way or that way has anything to do with any markets anywhere.

As for 9/11, I think U2 responded b/c they HAD to. I mean, they had already planned all those tour dates so they had to decide to proceed or cancel and they decided to proceed as scheduled. They didn't go out of their way to schedule their tour around what happened on Sept. 11 - it happened and they made a yes/no decision.

I'm offended and ashamed b/c I've already spent more time in this thread pondering how someone else should or shouldn't help with this tragedy than doing something about it myself.