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Originally Posted by Forgotten Sanity
... But he's making an ass out of himself in the media, and I think that his system in general has some flaws in it that will prevent it from being maximally effective. That's what is heartbreaking.
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I have to say I think you're wrong on this.
Sure, he may be making an "ass out of himself" in the media, but he has already achieved a major goal, which is to publicise this event globally. The fact that we are discussing it on here can be taken as a barometer for the level of discussion that is going on certainly throughout the UK. Ever heard of the old advertising saying that the only bad publicity is no publicity?
His goal from day 1 has been to raise public awareness of the appalling way in which Western governments treat Africa (and other less developed countries/continents). How many teenagers had any inkling about the unfair balance of trade prior to this event? Only those who took an interest in international politics and economics. Now we have a swathe of youngster sporting white wrist-bands and texting for tickets. If it only makes a small percentage of them start thinking twice about any of this, then Geldof has succeeded.
Also, I think the reasons that Geldof didn't want to go down the road of making this a put-your-hand-in-your-pocket event are three-fold:
Firstly, certainly in the UK, we have been suffering from compassion fatigue - people just aren't so fired up to giving money to charity as they were back in the Live Aid days. I don't know whether this is a generational thing, in that younger people seem to be far more materialisitic than I ever was, or whether it is because there are simply too many ads on cable/satellite TV for charities of all shapes and sizes now, and people have become tired of them.
Secondly, in my view, collecting money for starving kids misses the point entirely if, on the one hand, we are donating millions while, on the other hand, Western banks are leeching back double the amount that has been raised in debt service charges. I used to have some precise figures on Ethiopian debt servicing at the time the Live Aid project was going on - if I find them I will post them.
Finally, this is also about people-power. Governments won't shift as long as they feel their positions are safe and people will keep voting for them anyway. However, as far as the UK is concerned, Bliar already got a bloody nose over Iraq, and is down to a 71 seat majority in parliament largely because of it. A huge demonstration today will remind him that his hold on power is far more tenuous now than it ever was, and if he putzes around any more with meaningless sound-bites instead of taking real action, his days will be numbered.
And frankly, I would rather be remembered for making an ass of myself in the media to bring about real economic change in some of the poorest countries in the world than for being the idiot who took our country into a war we didn't want and ignored the people AGAIN by refusing to take action to relieve Africa of its debt burden.
GO BOB!!!!!!
