Okay, so we’ve already established that U2 can trace it’s success to headlining charity spectacles that coincide with album launches and concert tours. And that Bono’s charity organization, DATA, provides no money to Africa. And that while Bono sees fit to lecture the free world on how they should spend their tax dollars, he doesn’t pay any taxes on his millions from U2.
But even a broken clock is right twice a day. One thing Bono has right is the danger of AIDS in Africa.
To promote a global response to Africa’s AIDS problem, Bono has met and been photographed with world political leaders and spoken at international forums. But while the photographs have helped establish Bono as a candidate for sainthood – and maybe helped him sell more records – how much has he helped his cause?
Bono made his first real foray into politics when he played a concert for Sarajevo during the Bosnian crisis. Among the people he shared the stage with was Alija Izetbegovic, then the president of Bosnia. According to Bono, Izetbegovic was a “nice and kind” person who impressed Bono with his “Humanism” and “vision”.
Only one problem. Okay, more than one problem. Izetbegovic was a Nazi in world war 2 who was jailed for his role in wartime atrocities. When he died, he was awaiting trial on new war crimes charges for his role in the Bosnian civil war. And while Izetbegovic was president of Bosnia, his government reportedly gave Bosnian passports to Al Qaeda operatives, including one of the 9/11 hijackers and Osama bin Laden himself.
A “nice and kind” person who impressed Bono with his “humanism” and “vision”.
Does this mean Bono supported Izetbegovic’s crimes? No. But it does mean that Bono will kiss the butt of any political leader who will grant him a platform.
Meet Jesse Helms, until recently one of America’s longest serving senators and at the time the chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee. Bono met with him to lobby for greater support in the fight against AIDS in Africa.
After their meeting, and the requisite photo-op carried by all major American news services, Bono said the North Carolina senator was a "brave and bold man" who "cares deeply about what is happening in Africa right now."
Which is very strange, because for his entire career Helms was known for kicking the crap out of foreign aid and the United Nations.
And was it “brave and bold” when this man who Bono claims cares so much for Africans said that: "The Negro cannot count forever on the kind of restraint that's thus far left him free to clog the streets, disrupt traffic, and interfere with other men's rights."
Or “"The only way to stop AIDS is to stop the disgusting and immoral activities that continue to spread the disease."
Excuse me a moment…sniff sniff...his compassion is overwhelming.
And what did this ass-kissing get Bono? Helms did put forward a bill for an extra 500 million dollars for the global AIDS fund…a figure which he then reduced to 200 million to get the bill passed. The only problem? Helms pushed his bill through, in the process defeating a competing bill that would have given the fund 700 million dollars.
And another of Bono’s buddies? US president George W. Bush. Bono met with Bush to again, push for more US funding to fight AIDS in Africa.
Strange ally he’s chosen.
In 2001, Bush re-instated a right-wing global ‘gag rule’ that prohibits any organization receiving funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development from using those or other funds to council or provide abortion services. Organizations sensibly refused to sign the agreement and 16 developing countries, many in Africa, experienced huge funding cuts that led to shortages in contraceptives – including condoms, one of the most effective tools in fighting transmission of AIDS. -- under heading “Bush Reinstatement of Gag Rule Resulting in Deaths, Disease Globally”
According to the United Nations Population Fund, Bush’s funding cuts to population programs will result in 800,000 more abortions, 4,700 more dead mothers and 77,000 deaths of children under five. -- under heading “Administration Withdraws Funding for Family Planning” Yet the DATA webpage refers to Bush’s “compassion” and “tough love” in his policies. Wonder what brand of mouthwash you use after that much ass-kissing?
In the end, it’s hard to see what he’s accomplished in terms of measurable results. In fact, it looks like at times he may have inadvertently hurt his cause, at the very least been used by politicians for their own goals, goals which are not supportive of African relief.
What he has achieved is front-page
PR, which has elevated awareness and respect for U2 despite the fact that according to many critics, not just me, their music has been sucking. And because he’s been issuing platitudes nobody can argue with, he’s been deified by music fans. A rock god is one thing, but Bono seems to be losing the prefix. Someone wrote a book of Psalms using U2’s music, for god’s sake.
And there are folktales going around that when Bono’s mother was pregnant, a psychic told her that her son would do great things…as if a psychic would tell a pregnant woman anything but that. And his dad tells stories of a young Bono communing with nature, talking to wildlife in some unknown language and allowing bees to land on his fingertips without ever being stung. What a bunch of crap.
When it comes right down to it, he’s a rock star who loves attention, so much so that his own wife says when he’s at home he’s jonesing for the adulation of the concert crowds.
He’s a rich guy who tells working-class people to give money to causes, but I still don’t know how deep he’s dug into his own pocket, since though many celebrities, especially those involved in advocacy fund-raising like Angelina Jolie, publicly make an example of giving great sums of money,
My research failed to turn up that information on Bono.
He gets all the attention for being Africa’s saviour without ever getting his sunglasses dirty while volunteers dig wells, build sanitation sites and personally care for Africa’s sick and suffering. And while politicians use him to boost their own popularity by letting Bono speak to the US Senate and the UN, it means that someone who’s never pimped an iPod but is actually an expert on the subject gets shoved aside because they aren’t as sexy as a rock star.
So, give him credit for having something of a conscience. But that doesn’t making him qualified for sainthood. Nor does it make him qualified for a nobel peace prize. And it certainly doesn’t make him qualified to head up the world bank, as some starry-eyed idiots had suggested. A rock star who talks about debt relief heading up the world bank…what’s next, George Clooney heading up the World Health Organization because he once played a doctor?
OK it`s biased but I found it funny