(09-06-2005) From the Rumor Mill: U2 and Katrina - Interference.com*

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dsmith2904 said:


I'm talking about officially, putting messages out on the web site for all the world to see.
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For what purpose? Sorry, I just don't see why people expect them to address these types of issues on their website.

I'm sure they care, I'm sure they'll say something about this at the shows (the same way they address the London Bombings at the shows). As far as I'm concerned that's a more appropriate forum for them to express their feelings and definately a lot more personal.
 
ramblin rose said:


For what purpose? Sorry, I just don't see why people expect them to address these types of issues on their website.

I'm sure they care, I'm sure they'll say something about this at the shows (the same way they address the London Bombings at the shows). As far as I'm concerned that's a more appropriate forum for them to express their feelings and definately a lot more personal.
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Because the web site is the band's main connection to its fan base. What's the point of having such a platform if not for communication?
 
This has been going through my mind too, the band has been UNUSUALLY silent this past week. I know, it's a busy time for the guys, they're getting their kids ready for school in addition to preparing for the tour etc, but you're right, when a major tragedy like this occurs, they usually put out a statement.

I have several theories and one of them is disturbing and not at all pleasant. Please forgive me, guys...don't flame me. But I think as much as the band is saddened by what has happened, they've been watching the horrific pics from the dying city as we all have. Esp the footage of the people dying in the street. I can't help but think that as much we've seen a lot of the best side of America this week, we also can't help but have seen some of the WORST sides of America too. This is a band that has written songs about and has had deep empathy for black people, and black artists and leaders are some of Bono's great inspirations. We haven't had any answers yet, but there this all was, for people to see. No matter HOW they were abandoned, the fact is, for whatever reason, that should not have happened. As much as the band feels for the victims, America has not come out of this disaster looking noble and lily pure, (unlike 9/11). Just the opposite--the scab has been ripped off a LOT of old wounds that we all thought were vanishing. I'm sure Bono in particular right now is under a lot of shock. I hope this disaster has not eroded some of his fanship of this country. In time, when the tour starts, they will react and behave the way they always have and should, but I'm sure there's also going to be a LOT of unspoken feelings. At this point, all they see is that poor black people were left to starve and die while helicopters rescued white people from rooftops, and they'll be reacting to that.

I have been asking myself why they're not playing the telethon for the victims next Friday. After all, they're foreigners, but they played the 9/11 one. Maybe they were approached, and offered a polite response about the tour etc. I would hate to think that this happened.

Like I said, this isn't pointing fingers at anybody, or offering any opinions (that's for FYM, and I haven't talked about the band there) or passing judgement on anybody. But I have to admit, by Friday, I couldn't help but watch that replayed footage of the yoing woman suffering diabetic shock and sobbing "I don't want to die" and not have the lyrics of "Pride" and MLK" and "God Part 2" ("Don't believe in what they tell me..there aint no cure".The rich stay healthy and the sick stay poor") going around my head in the most awful way.

Like I said, please don't flame me, and I'm not passing judgement on ANYBODY. Just offering thoughts.
 
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dsmith2904 said:


Because the web site is the band's main connection to its fan base. What's the point of having such a platform if not for communication?
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The problem is they would have to address every tragedy equally. They cannot give more attention to one tragedy over another because some fan somewhere would cry foul and unfortunately tragedies it seems are happening pretty often lately.

They are more diplomatic than to put themselves in a position where they address this type of thing on their website. And they're definately not going to use their website to solicit charitable donations, talk about a potential public relations nightmare.:yikes:
 
Teta040 said:
This has been going through my mind too, the band has been UNUSUALLY silent this past week. I know, it's a busy time for the guys, they're getting their kids ready for school in addition to preparing for the tour etc, but you're right, when a major tragedy like this occurs, they usually put out a statement.

I have several theories and one of them is disturbing and not at all pleasant. Please forgive me, guys...don't flame me. But I think as much as the band is saddened by what has happened, they've been watching the horrific pics from the dying city as we all have. Esp the footage of the people dying in the street. I can't help but think that as much we've seen a lot of the best side of America this week, we also can't help but have seen some of the WORST sides of America too. This is a band that has written songs aobut and has had deep empathy for black people, and black artists are some of Bono's great inspirations. We haven't had any answers yet, but there this all was, for people to see. No matter HOW they were abandoned, the fact is, for whatever reason, that should not have happened. As much as the band feels for the victims, America has not come out of this disaster looking noble and lily pure, (unlike 9/11). I'm sure Bono in particular right now is under a lot of shock. They will react and behave the way they always have and should, but I'm sure there's also going to be a LOT of unspoken feelings. At this point, all they see is that poor black people were left to starve and die while helicopters rescued white people from rooftops, and they'll be reacting to that.

I have been asking myself why they're not playing the telethon for the victims next Friday. After all, they're foreigners, but they played the 9/11 one. Maybe they were approached, and offered a polite response about the tour etc. I would hate to think that this happened.

Like I said, this isn't pointing fingers at anybody, or offering any opinions (that's for FYM, and I haven't talked about the band there) or passing judgement on anybody. But I have to admit, by Friday, I couldn't help but watch that replayed footage of the yoing woman suffering diabetic shock and sobbing "I don't want to die" and not have the lyrics of "Pride" and MLK" and "God Part 2" ("Don't believe in what they tell me..there aint no cure".The rich stay healthy and the sick stay poor") going around my head in the most awful way.

Like I said, please don't flame me, and I'm not passing judgement on ANYBODY. Just offering thoughts.
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I think that thought has been in the back of a lot of people's minds, like the global community isn't stepping forward because it happened in America and America can certainly handle this on its own.

U2 doesn't necessarily need to solicit donations, but it should just say something. Tens of thousands of people have died, millions are homeless. This is a catastrophe that needs to be addressed, especially by a band that is touring that same area of the US very soon and has taken so much influence from the region.
 
ramblin rose said:


The problem is they would have to address every tragedy equally. They cannot give more attention to one tragedy over another because some fan somewhere would cry foul and unfortunately tragedies it seems are happening pretty often lately.

They are more diplomatic than to put themselves in a position where they address this type of thing on their website. And they're definately not going to use their website to solicit charitable donations, talk about a potential public relations nightmare.:yikes:
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:up:
 
I think you're right, DsSmith. I am cutting them some slack right now, though, and beleiving that they're thinking the best initial response. I mean, after taking such a mental blow like this, maybe the band is searching for way to express BOTH sides of its feelings. Maybe they will write a song about it, or change the setlist, or say something that conveys ALL their feelings. When the mood strikes him, Bono has not been all that shy at revealing ambivalent feelings about the US too in statements and shows, but he has always done it with discreetness and grace. He has taken a lot of flack for this from people who are unfamilar with the band of its intentions. However, this footage has got to have been the biggest shock the band has ever taken in their entire career. I can't help but think this may (sadly) put the band back in "Bullet the Blue Sky" mode again. Who knows. Maybe the band are creatively inspired right now.

Be patient, folks...I think the band will make up for their silence in the best possible way.
 
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PLEASE SATNDBY FOR TRANSMISSION:Some quote's."See how nature-tree's,flower's,grass-grow's in silence;see the star's the moon and the sun,how they move in silence...we need silence to be able to touch soul's".M.T.,Calcutta Quote 2)"After silence,that which come's nearest to expressining the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley. Peace, the Rockmeister
 
I think Teta040 makes some interesting and well-stated points here...
I myself can't help but see in the current scene in that devastated region exactly the issues they've addressed in the songs teta040 highlights.
You know, unfortunately, what's been running thru my mind, and again this is probably something more for FYM...is how thoroughly this whole mess to me indicts the bushies...how the exact wounds this disaster opens up are ones that the bushies seem to not want to see(at best)...and how that jibes with comments I recall poor bono making during the last campaign. that he believes both men (bush and kerry) care deeply about for instance africa. I think many many observers have had to question the caring displayed by the current administration these last days.

I hope they get to make some show of support for katrina survivors...the opening up a rehearsal for fundraising sounds like a great idea, as does trying to play the area for free or something like that. I must say that the big event multi-act fundraising concert idea is leaving me cold on this one. i'm more in the mood for a we-don't-want-your-money just-your-voice type thing, asking what the hell is going on in the US that this could happen,why are taxes on megamillionaire's estates being eliminated while levees protecting our most vulnerable people are left unreinforced against storms made intense by the warming some are proposing we let get worse in the interest of cheaper gas for SUVs...
 
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They did in fact comment on the Tsunami.
http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=news_archive&amonth=10&ayear=2004

They also commented on 9/11
http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=998

I too am surprised and saddened that we don't have any comment of sympathy from U2 on their official website or anywhere else. I'm a southerner myself, and I'm accustomed to seeing my favorite band comment on a vast number of social issues, all the way back to the early 80s. Why would you be surprised that people expect to hear from them? Sarajevo, Africa, Chernobyl, etc... when disaster strikes we generally hear from them. It would be nice to hear that they noticed their fans in this area of the world are suffering. Regardless of any opinions on what our government is doing. Or not doing, as it were.

The government is not the people. The PEOPLE are suffering. And a lot of them are U2 fans.

That's why comment would be appropriate.
 
brook said:
They did in fact comment on the Tsunami.
http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=news_archive&amonth=10&ayear=2004

They also commented on 9/11
http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=998

I too am surprised and saddened that we don't have any comment of sympathy from U2 on their official website or anywhere else. I'm a southerner myself, and I'm accustomed to seeing my favorite band comment on a vast number of social issues, all the way back to the early 80s. Why would you be surprised that people expect to hear from them? Sarajevo, Africa, Chernobyl, etc... when disaster strikes we generally hear from them. It would be nice to hear that they noticed their fans in this area of the world are suffering. Regardless of any opinions on what our government is doing. Or not doing, as it were.

The government is not the people. The PEOPLE are suffering. And a lot of them are U2 fans.

That's why comment would be appropriate.
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You're right, it looks like they definately commented on 9/11. They didn't actually comment on the Tsunami but commented that Adam wasn't there.

What I'm more surprised about is that they did solicit donations in both instances.

I suppose they just don't care about New Orleans or the U.S. Gulf Coast. :|
 
I got that email too but that is not from U2. That is from One.

As far as I've ever seen Bono's the only one that is even involved with ONE, and that organization is run by professionals not at all associated with U2.

It's just disappointment. I'll get over it. There's a lot more important things going on here.
 
brook said:
Sarajevo, Africa, Chernobyl, etc... when disaster strikes we generally hear from them. .
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So how long after these disasters happened did we hear from them? A week, two weeks, a month, when they were on tour?
What is the deadline to be disappointed this time?

This only happened a week ago. Give them a break. I'm sure they'll say something when they're onstage.
 
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The problem is, from many world famous bands or musicians you don't expect anything, because they never or only seldom commented on any tragedies.
But with U2, everyone expects that they comment immediately on every tragedy. And if they don't do so, you're very disappointed.
That's not fair. They've just seen what happened before, during and after the hurricane. They believed that the journey of equality was successful in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, like Bono said at the intro of Streets on the Vertigo Tour. Now they saw how many black Americans suffered the disaster and could not escape. That shouldn't mean that all the white Americans made mistakes or are racists, but like we saw nd read, black people often got less help than whites.
They are shocked what they saw, and need a bit time to react. But I'm sure, they will comment on that tragedy and say something to the victims. And maybe they donated without making it public.

So, give 'em a bit time to find a way to express theirs feelings. I'm sure they are with you, but also Bono and the others are only people.
 
Vincent Vega said:
The problem is, from many world famous bands or musicians you don't expect anything, because they never or only seldom commented on any tragedies.
But with U2, everyone expects that they comment immediately on every tragedy. And if they don't do so, you're very disappointed.
That's not fair. They've just seen what happened before, during and after the hurricane. They believed that the journey of equality was successful in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, like Bono said at the intro of Streets on the Vertigo Tour. Now they saw how many black Americans suffered the disaster and could not escape. That shouldn't mean that all the white Americans made mistakes or are racists, but like we saw nd read, black people often got less help than whites.
They are shocked what they saw, and need a bit time to react. But I'm sure, they will comment on that tragedy and say something to the victims. And maybe they donated without making it public.

So, give 'em a bit time to find a way to express theirs feelings. I'm sure they are with you, but also Bono and the others are only people.
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http://forum.interference.com/t138907.html
 
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