A Plea to U2 from Africa's Children

[Sukotto]

A Plea to U2 from Africa's Children
Stop Bono Before He Kills Again!




Bono is at a U2 concert in Glasgow when he asks the audience for some quiet.

Then in the silence, he starts to slowly clap his hands.

Holding the audience in total silence, he says softly and seriously into the microphone ...

"Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies......"

A voice from near the front pierces the silence: "Well, (DELETED)' stop doin' it then!"



October 19, 2006
By CounterPunch News Service
http://counterpunch.org/bono10192006.html



....if only it were a joke....

Geldof 8 – Africa nil: how rock stars betrayed the poor
http://www.newint.org/features/geldof-8/9-11-05.htm

 

[Mars Man]

Thanks for the share !! It was a funny thing how that one person's take on the wording came out. It's a sad thing that human government is so messed up in so many ways. . . MM

 

[Nuala]

I don't know how to take that joke.

 

[Mars Man]

Hi Thor! Just in case--I may have missed exactly what you had meant there--the joke is in the concept that the way it had been worded could be taken to have been saying that his clapping his hands like that was killing the children in Africa; one clap, one child. MM

 

[Sukotto]

I don't know how to take that joke.

also, the 2nd link puts forward the idea that the likes of U2 are actually
doing more harm than good. Worth considering if you believe
Bono has done a lot of good for African peoples.

Geldof 8 – Africa nil: how rock stars betrayed the poor
http://www.newint.org/features/geldof-8/9-11-05.htm

 

[miki78]

That person was no U2 fan and if it wasn't for people like Bono most of the world would never have bothered noticing the suffering of Africa.

I hope Larry punched him in the nose thats what i think of that persons joke

The one thing i will never forget is the cry of that baby in the original live aid vid

All the news broadcasts and it took a bunch of singers to get people to notice

If Bono was a politican he would be heralded as a hero but becouse of what he does for a living his treated like a joke

There have been many heros in this world but very few it can be said faught for the rights of people who where not there own.

 

[Sukotto]

The person apparently did pay X money to see them.
U2 is one of those bands who's tickets are not cheap.
(unless it was one of those festivals in which multiple bands play
and they came for another band)
Either way, it was most likely overpriced.

But I am biased. I believe 15$ is way overpriced to see a band.
And i'm really into music.

It's still a funny play on words.

But,
I encourage you to consider reading the above article
"Geldof 8 – Africa nil: how rock stars betrayed the poor"
to at least consider "another point of view"

 

[miki78]

^_^ I apreciate your opinion

But i believe in Bono completly i know what he does is with his heart and i know he knows what he is doings

He does sleep with the devil at times but he is also a master manipulater who knows sometimes you have to feed the ego of the enermy in order to get what you want

Saying that i also believe that Bob Geldof has done a lot involving Africa to Aid his own publicity

And many many of the stars at live 8 and else whear where there only to fuel there own gain wich is sad

Anyway my point is i know Bono believes in what he does i know he doesn't do it for publicity

I know you wasn't saying that i just wanted to say it LOL^_^

Actully the other members of U2 don't take much part in Bono's efferts for Africa

I don't think Bono has harmed Africa

I know that not everything is squeky clean and i know things have gone wrong for him

But although there are others working for Africa who do it to further there own gain

I know that Bono really does do it becouse he believes there is a way to stop poverty in Africa

His just a warm heart trying to break through a cold wall

Sorry i know thats prob not the point your trying to make but i just wanted to say it

And i can't find that a funny play on words becouse i know how much it prob hurt Bono and it was a cruel and horrefingly insesitive joke ^_^

 

[miki78]

And actully U2 earned nothing from there Popmart or Zoo TV tours and actully worked at a loss becouse they refused to price the tickets at what they thought was too high ^_^

But i also thought they over charged for this tour LOL there DVD'S are crud too LOL

Its just people don't believe Bono is genuine but he is

 

[nice gaijin]

this raises an eyebrow

i believe in Bono completly i know what he does is with his heart and i know he knows what he is doings

when it's followed by this

...but he is also a master manipulater...

Also, I had to google this Geldof fellow, and I still don't know who he is.

 

[miki78]

Hmmm i didn't mean a master manipulater in a bad way i worded it wrong sorry

What i meant was Bono knows how to work narrow minded politicians to thinking his way

I'm sorry i don't word things well

Bob Geldof was once the lead singer of 80's Irish punk group The Boomtown rats

He was the one who came up with the original Live Aid

Although i do think Geldof is genuine he has in recent times apeared to be much more aimed in his own publicity

Bono even as a teenager dreamed of being able to have the influence to help others

He consoled his soul with the ethic that being a rock star that went against his religious beliefs was that it would give him the ability to help others

 

[miki78]

I know Bono isn't flawless but the greatest Angels have a dirty face ^_^

 

[Seon-a Kim]

This is in the humour section, so I'm not going to have a serious debate about the pain and misery and how messed up this world is, so...

Good joke, nice ^_^

 

[nice gaijin]

sorry, I have a low opinion of all celebrities, no matter how well-intentioned they claim to be. The greatest "angels," as you put it, are the ones you've never heard of.

But yes, this is the humor section, and the joke was humorous; it was probably a bad idea to follow it up with a serious article in the same breath though...

 

[miki78]

Yea your right this isn't the place for a debate ^_^

I get a bit over zealous about Bono becouse i know he is genuine sorry LOL

 

[nice gaijin]

I get the same way about Michael Jackson





what, it IS the humor section

 

[Kinsao]

I don't think the person who made the first joke said it to hurt Bono - I think they just couldn't stop themselves from making the joke, it's just too tempting, I bet it slipped out before their brain had got into gear! It did raise a chuckle from me - even though I've nothing against Bono.

The second article is very interesting and could be a serious discussion; maybe one of the mods could move this thread out of humour and into the general discussion? so that more people read it :joyful:

I think that there is a lot of covering up of what goes on, and in fact I have always thought that the whole 'Make Poverty History' campaign was incredibly naive (although well-intentioned ). The trouble with a big campaign like that is that it's easy for other things to fall into its shadow and get overlooked while all the focus is on... well, basically on what the government wants to reveal to us. Of course, they'll paint themselves in a good light and make it look like they're doing the right thing - and I can't at all say that debt cancellation is a bad thing! - but still, I think that the problems of Africa are a lot deeper and more complex than have been touched on by that campaign.

 

[Sukotto]

I posted it in the humor because, the joke.
Then posted the 2nd link to explain why there is bitter irony in
the fan's joke.

It was not my intention to diss U2 (here. Ha! Just kidding).
U2 is just not my type of music. (although "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
is rather catchy)

 

[miki78]

Hmmm it's not about there music or people liking them i don't mind if people like U2 or not that is there choice everybody likes diffrent types of music

It is just so many people doubt how genuine Bono is and he really is completly genuine

I guess people wonder why a man like Bono who has everything would want to trouble himself with others problems for anything other than publicity

But the want to help others and use his fame to help others has been with Bono since he was a kid

People don't undestand that deep down inside him is this drive that all he wants is to see suffering stop

Its not about rating or record sales or statous for him it really is just about the fact he wants to stop people suffering

His not a fool he knows about corruption and the fact its all like hitting a brick wall

But he keeps trying becouse he believes in what he does and he believes theres a brighter future for Africa

Its true some of the greatest Angels are those that are never seen but it is also true that sometimes an Angels has to glow in order to deliver hope

People ridicule Bono becouse his a singer thay don't realize what is underneath him

His heart is so genuine but even 70% of U2's fans don't get what or why he does the things he does

Even his friends think his fighting a looseing battle and that his a singer and thats what he should get back to doing even the rest of U2 think it even though they show him there suport

But Bono believes so much in what he does

I know people here weren't dissing U2 i was just trying to explain Bono in genral

I know theres a lot of corruption and people are always saying that to him but if people give up on Africa becouse of its goverment what about its people what do they do

Bono works everyday with people who are cold calous selfish and in a lot of ways evil he doesn't respect them

But if he was to shout at them and critise them there just gonna hate him ad ignore him

Bono tried all the protesting in the 80's and early 90's but it didn't get him anywhere

So he decided somebody had to be the one applying the honey in order to catch the flys

 

[Nicky]

About 8 minutes ago I happened to walk pass a car that had a sticker on it that said "God is greater than all of my problems". And I seriously thought that it was trying to get the message that God is the biggest problem of all across for a few minutes.

It made me think of this thread so I figured I'd post it.

 

[Live91]

I wonder if people actually laughed when he replied " Well stop doin it then!".

 

[miki78]

I don't think the death of children is very funny and i think it is bad to laugh at the mans selfish and calous comments just my opinion

 

[Live91]

Well I'm an african teenager so you can guess what I think about that joke!

 

[miki78]

Hmmm yes i'v been trying to tell people how horrible this mans comments where for ages in this thread

I still can't believe somebody would post such a comment in the humer section

I don't think it is humer in any sence

U2 get a lot of baiters at there concerts for some reason

I think this man was trying to be offensive not funny ^^

 

[nice gaijin]

Did this actually happen, or is the entire story a joke? If the latter, there's a lot of wasted breath in this thread.