Anarchists from around the world are planning to cause chaos at next month’s G8 summit in Gleneagles as a row broke out last night between Bob Geldof and DJ Andy Kershaw over the absence of black musicians at events staged to benefit Africans.
With police fears mounting over Geldof’s call for one million people to protest at the summit, Kershaw last night condemned the almost exclusively white line-up for the pop concerts to coincide with the summit. “If we are going to change the West’s perception of Africa, events like this are the perfect opportunity to do something for Africa’s self-esteem,” he said. “But the choice of artists for the Live8 concerts will simply reinforce the global perception of Africa’s inferiority.”
Excuse me while I struggle free from this Oprah moment.
So, we need to assist Africa in building “self esteem”. We need to stop reinforcing the perception of Africa’s inferiority.
Well then, why didn’t you say something earlier? That’s an easy one to solve.
Let them start funding their own goddamn aid programs for a change.
It’s like Winston Churchill says “It’s better to jaw jaw than to war war.” The first sign of a problem doesn’t you have to go in ther and blow it up reel good.
dafyyd
*sigh* Daffyd, We’ve been jaw-jawing for DECADES now! How old are you exactly? I don’t mean to be condescending about it, but can’t you remember the ’70’s aid packages? the ’80’s aid packages? the ’90’s aid and debt forgiveness packages?
I remember them well. I also remember aid organiziations who were actually located in affected areas telling the western govt’s that lack of food wasnt’ the problem, it was corrupt dictatorships preventing the food from getting to the ppl that was the problem.
Thank-you CodeTech for pointing out that Africa was better off when the “evil colonialists” occupied the continent. Again Dafyyd, before the Brits, French, Dutch, Spanish etc…brought civilization to the “Dark Continent” it wasn’t filled with mathematicians and nuclear physicists, it was filled with tribal natives. Again, this isn’t condescending, it’s a fact. All of our ancestors (including mine) came from a tribal barbarian background. My ancestors were fortunate enough to have a few ppl smart enough to develop some technologies that set them years ahead of everyone else.
Anyway, to keep this short, Africa and the Middle East are 2 areas of the world I’ve pretty much written off due to the continuous-no-break-in-sight-dictator-for-life-kill-your-neighbor-blame-enyone-but-yourself news that keeps coming out of those areas.
Excellent post, Kate.
I wander what cave Bob Geldof and his ilk have been hiding in for the last forty years? The problem is not a lack of aid for Africa; they’ve been pretty much inundated with it for decades, and there has been no appreciable improvement in living conditions over most of the continent in that time.
Geldof might do well to examine the example of Asia in the post-war era. After WWII, much of Asia lay in ruins, rife with poverty and starvation. Africa, by comparison, was much better off having pretty much escaped the ruination of war. Since then, however, Asia has bolted ahead to first and second world status, with many economic powerhouses in its ranks, while Africa has fallen apart. The basic reason for this divergence is that most of Asia apopted a free market approach to economic development, while Africa wholeheartedly embraced socialism and central planning. The results speak for themselves. More aid just isn’t going to do it.
DrWright: In fact “Fifteen thousand well rehearsed fighting men would attack along a 6.4-kilometre front, in side-by-side two-brigade formations, under Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng, the Commander of the Canadian Corps.”
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/firstworldwar/051806/0518060401_e.html
You are close on total Canadian overseas strength (from same Library and Archives Canada website on WW I): “In April 1917, the Canadian Corps strength stood at approximately 170,000 men in all ranks, including troops of the British 5th Division and attached British artillery and support units…Of the 97,184 Canadians in the Corps, the Vimy infantry assault troops accounted for roughly 20 percent of their total numbers�leaving some 80 percent of the Corps involved in the critical preparation and delivery of vital services, supplies, construction, communications and intelligence before and during the attack.”
And of course current Forces strenghth is pathetic. Per capita it is now 1/3 what it was in 1966.
Mark
Ottawa
Candace, the $400 million tho is just giving the money to one corrupt government vs giving it to another corrupt government. That doesn’t mean a private organization is necessarily the best route. The Australian and US military did a fine job of disaster relief after the tsunami – neither of those are private organizations.
I’m no chariity expert but to the best of my knowledge the Salvation Army is probably the most honest one out there – but they’d be wasting their time in Africa.
If it makes you feel good sending money, well, hopefully she’s getting some of it or even most of it. All my bottom line is is that sort of thing is treating a symptom, not the problem.
Want a clear take on Africa?
Go and read.
Dinesh D’Souza: Two Cheers for Colonialism
>Let them start funding their own goddamn aid programs for a change.
Like the U.S. did with Iraq? Oh, that’s different. Iraq has oil. Forget aid. Let’s bomb the shit out of them and spend billions doing so, losing lives left and right at the same rate their crazy leader did. That’ll bring self-esteem to the citizens.
Skysaxon:
No, more like the U.S. did with Germany and Japan. That’s right, Germany had technology! WWII was nothing more than an FDR cabal to divert attention from the Depression!
That brought self-esteem to the Germans.
A$$hole.
“WWII was nothing more than an FDR cabal to divert attention from the Depression!”
Prove this, Doug. Give us the facts to prove this; URL’s, names, places & etc.
Define a cabal, please.
Your statement is pure nonsense.
**********************************************
June 6, 1944
The 3rd Canadian Division and 2nd and 3rd Armoured Brigades landed on the beaches of the Normandy coast on D-Day. Landing on “Juno” Beach, the Canadians penetrated about 9 km – 5.5 miles – by the end of D-Day, beating back enemy counterattacks for several days. Canadian forces suffered 18,444 casualties during the Normandy fighting.
Lest we Forget.
maz2 – I think your browser isn’t set to display the *sarcasm* tag that Doug set for his post….
His statement was intended to be pure nonsense, I believe.
Cheers,
Dea
I fail to recognize how inclusion of black artists in the Live8 lineup is going to “do something for Africa’s self-esteem”. This is not to say that they’re not “needed” on stage. There’s certainly no reason to exclude talented black artists…but do it for reasons that actually make sense.
How many Africans are going to be watching the satellite-beamed concert on their 52″ plasma televisions? Will millions be watching in their local pub whilst they quaff a pint or two? Will all the talk around the “water hole” the next day be about how they’re hoping to score some tix for the Lenny Kravitz tour that is wandering around Europe over the summer since he looked so good on stage? (Actually, Lenny is playing Stockholm the night of the concert, so his potentially esteem-building performance won’t be seen at Live8.)
Exactly why does Africa need to see rich, American blacks performing music in order to arrive at the notion that they have the potential to stand on their own two feet?
Exactly how much in common does your average Zimbabwean have in common with the likes of Prince, 50 Cent, Lionel Richie, or – God forbid – Michael Jackson?
I’ve not been to Africa – they may well need some self-esteem – but it’s not going to come from Natalie Cole reminding them in a concert that they won’t even see that they are Unforgettable!
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Live8 and the Philanthropy of Celebrity
WorldNetDaily ^ | 6-6-05 | Doug Powers
Posted on 06/06/2005 12:17:08 PM PDT by RightWingReader
Back in 1985, Bob Geldof organized the “Live Aid” concerts, which raised well over $100 million for the cause of African famine relief. The “Philanthropy of Celebrity” was in full bloom after a painful budding with George Harrison’s 1971 “Concert for Bangladesh,” which turned out to be a “Concert for the IRS” thanks to failing to set up a proper tax exemption. Now comes the Live Aid sequel, called “Live8” because the timing coincides with the G8 Summit in Scotland.
Despite the billions that have poured in from outside sources, Africa continues to be a mess. Take Zimbabwe as a bad economic example. Inflation hovers around 400 percent, 60 percent of the population is unemployed, and over half of the citizens live on less than $1 a day (Wal-Mart doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?). Yes, it’s worse than the Carter administration.
Years gone by have demonstrated that the answer to eradicating African famine clearly isn’t Phil Collins singing “Su-su-suddio” at Wembley, but the root cause of the problem can’t be admitted to by the Philanthropy of Celebrity, since it would mean agreeing to a solution in 180-degree opposition to historically discredited political philosophies: Free markets, free governments and freedom in general. Promoting, establishing and maintaining free societies is hard work, especially since it’s so much easier just to finger-point.
freerepublic.com
>analyses that asserted that such famines, which are largely human caused, could be averted through political means
The observed truth is that most famine is caused by political means. North Korea, Zimbabwe, East Africa are examples.
As I said earlier, the timing of these things are amazing. Look at Darfur and Zimbabwe, happening as we speak, and the rock stars are rushing in to create a diversion.
Man! I thought you Canucks prided yourselves on that European “nuance” shit.
Can’t you tell SARCASM when you see it!?
I was pointing out the petty thought of the comment just above my last one.
SHEESH!
Deleted.
Keep the profanity down.
So, um, exactly when did it become the responsibility of Canada and the US to look after the welfare of Africans? Wouldn’t that be the responsibility of, oh, their OWN governments?
A significant cause of the problem is the islamic push to gain the continent. But no, we’re so content to simply push the charity aspect. Give ’em money, feed them.
You don’t treat the symptoms, you treat the disease.
This is the way I think this whole Live8 thing should be handled… Combine the music with anti-capitalism and aid generation.
The acts at Live8 should sign over their rights to their greatest songs (and any future songs) to an NGO charity. This act would solidify Coldplay, U2 et al as truly living the lifestyle rather than coldly exploiting the lifestyle.
Coldplay, U2 et al should step up to the plate and say they have made enough and from now on, everything dime they make goes to an NGO for aid relief. They should continue to toil and produce their music so an NGO can do good things in Africa, or on the way to Africa, or getting out of Africa.
We need a volunteer to set-up this NGO and look for a good maleable board of directors (and a long list of consultants) who have an appropriate values system. I suspect many Lieberals would jump ship and leave parliament for action in this type of NGO.
We could solve many problems with this approach. I think it needs serious consideration.
A comment for the $30 a month to World Vision. Friends visited their sponsored child in Peru. Found that their money helped the girl’s whole family. Local administration helps the funds not be abused and go where most needed. Real lives and real communities receive real help. This makes a real difference. Our aid to a child (now a young woman) in Thailand probably prevented her from being sold to a Bangkok brothel.
The Cotillion Ball’s Third Dance
Our third dance for the evening is the Charleston.
The Cotillion Ball – Boop Boop Da Boop
Everyone remembers the Charleston. A well-loved dance that originated in the early 1920s in Speakeasies during Prohibition, its energized, dynamic and vivacious moves perfectly personify the zeal of these following ladies of the ball.
Zimbabwe — Mugabe police will be ‘ruthless’ with strikers
Posted by Clive
On 06/07/2005 4:52:47 AM PDT � 5 replies � 26+ views
Mail & Guardian (SA) ^ | 2005-06-07
Zimbabwean police threatened on Monday to deal “ruthlessly” with anyone who joins a general strike called to protest against a government demolition campaign that has left about 200 000 of the urban poor homeless in the middle of the Southern African winter. A previously unknown group calling itself the Broad Alliance has urged people to stay away from work on Thursday and Friday in protest at police destruction of shacks around the country and the arrest of more than 30 000 street traders. The government has said its campaign is aimed at cleaning up the cities. The opposition says the…
freerepublic.com
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
National Socialism has destroyed Zimbabwe.
I am shocked.
You should all be ashamed.
What happened to humanity? No wonder the world is in such a state with some of the attitudes people have.
Dont think you wont be reborn in to an equally unhappy existance if you live this life ignorant and without compassion
We have to speak out, it isnt fair that a country can be treated so badly.
I just think about all the children and how they deserve a good chance….after all they are the ones that count.
I for one will be wearing my white band and standing up to be counted! hooray!
What a great day
x
Citibank, Others to Forgive $50 Million in Credit
Citibank, in conjunction with American Express, Bank One and Discover, has agreed to forgive $50 million in credit card debt to poor American consumers who can no longer afford the minimum payments on their credit card bills.
On Debt Relief
So the G7 has embraced the proposal to cancel all foreign debt owed to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund by a select group of 18 mostly African nations. The amount totals some 40 billion dollars immediately, $50…
On Debt Relief
So the G7 has embraced the proposal to cancel all foreign debt owed to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund by a select group of 18 mostly African nations. The amount totals some 40 billion dollars immediately, $50…
What Africa need is COLONIALISM :
They have never been better than under slavery.
They were fed, and given work.
Colonialism was tried and it worked: we went there, fed them, gave them an education.
Now they want respect?
Who can respect Africans? Africans can’t take charge of their own lives: they’ve shown it. They need us.
If you disagree, you are a f***ing bastard who doesn’t understand what is exploitation.
The Cotillion Ball – Boop Boop Da Boop
Everyone remembers the Charleston. A well-loved dance that originated in the early 1920s in Speakeasies during Prohibition, its energized, dynamic and vivacious moves perfectly personify the zeal of these following ladies of the ball. Rightwingsp…