Live 8

[Bobo]

Today it finally happens: Live 8, hopefully opening the eyes of the rich part of our world. There's so much we could easily do to prevent for example 30,000 children from dying every single day, needlessly, of extreme poverty. We have other serious problems too to deal with, like global warming and overpopulation, but the first thing we should do is to take care of the living, to stop the needless suffering. Poverty around our planet is usually only a few lines of text on a page of a newspaper or a news flash on TV screen while we're examining the refrigerator for some snack, but for most of earths population it means great suffering, every single day. We all know about these things, but they're somewhere so far away that we simply don't understand the situation fully. Money is spent on needless things while the same money could make a big difference on the lives of hundreds of millions people all over the planet. It isn't our fault, it isn't a crime to be born in a rich country... but we have the power to help, in fact, we're the only ones that can help. It's a wonderful thing that there are still people that care, these concerts are a proof of that... I hope the world gets the message.

The message to the world leaders is this:

1. double the aid sent to the world's poorest countries,
2. fully cancel their debts,
3. change the trade laws so that they can build their own future.

Thank You, Bob Geldof, for making this happen.

[Bobo]

Oh, I almost forgot... Please visit this site:

http://www.live8live.com/

...and sign the Live 8 List, which will be taken to the world leaders to this year's G8 summit meeting.

[Valk]

I'm very curious to see what the impact of this will be on the politicians.
The cynical side of me thinks that a bunch of rich millionairs organizing a concert wont do much and thinks that everybody is oversimplifying the situation, but a bigger part of me thinks its helping in a big way. And ofcourse, doing something is 1000 times better then only complaining and doing nothing at all.

I actually think that big demonstrations are a much better way of saying the things they want to say. Now people just come for the music, but imagine if the streets were filled with chanting people. Maybe the pressure would be much greater.

[Bobo]

It's the exposure the subject gets just before the G8 meeting that does the magic, not the reasons why people go to the concerts. Demonstrations easily gets a label on their forehead being only the voice of a few fanatics, and the real message gets buried... I do think the big exposure this Live8 gets can have an positive effect, at least I hope so. Doesn't hurt anyway.

Now the world is watching what the big boys decide in the G8 summit meeting... the pressure is on.

[ownd]

Holy fuck the concert is huge i never knew what it was about 1 mill ppl in philly.

[Bobo]

The biggest ever.

[Valk]

So a couple critical sidenotes:

I dont think free trade would benifit Africa. Alot of African countries arent ready for competition yet. They should close down they economy (decreasing import substancially) and concentrate on bringing their products to a higher level. Produce only for themselves.
Once they achieved that, they can enter the competition more fairly.
I believe thats what China, Japan and South-Korea did to get out of their slump.

[Bobo]

Maybe so... but any changes to the current situation are good, they simply can't make things any worse.

[Shane_Bos]

I agree with Valk. Not just cos of his reasons but also for the fact that alot of 3rd world country governments are corupt. If you give them money or cancel debt, hardly any money will filter through to the majority of the populations. This means imports and exports will also be taxed creating trade barriers of their own.

[Bobo]

No country that poorly developed can build a better future without help. With some legal aid combined with assistance and other support their future just might be a bit better. There are problems to deal with for sure, but doing nothing won't help at all. Any change from the present situation can't make things any worse.

[ArTee63]

No country that poorly developed can build a better future without help.


The trouble is, as stated before, that the regimes needs to change. Until that happens you are just flushing money down the drain.

Nobody has the guts to stand up to the despots who run these countries. It's not popular to play hardball in that part of the world, so no one does it. I think the sentiment is great. It just needs to be directed better to get those countries back on a good footing.

As far as the coverage went, I thought it sucked. The announcers talked over the musicians, the cameras looked like they were being operated by a classroom of 6 year olds, there was too much "MTV" type fast cuts. VERY annoying.

[BigBadBear]

The trouble is, as stated before, that the regimes needs to change. Until that happens you are just flushing money down the drain.

Nobody has the guts to stand up to the despots who run these countries. It's not popular to play hardball in that part of the world, so no one does it. I think the sentiment is great. It just needs to be directed better to get those countries back on a good footing.
This is more or less my take on it. A noble cause, yes. The best way to get aid to the people, no.

Agencies like the red cross and others like them can only do so much for the people if their governments are using half the foreign aid coming in to fund their private armies to cement their hold on power and pay for their new private jet.

[wern]

here's the problem:

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/07/03/4cartoon_gallery__550x307,0.jpg

[BIGOKE]

The trouble is, as stated before, that the regimes needs to change. Until that happens you are just flushing money down the drain.

Nobody has the guts to stand up to the despots who run these countries. It's not popular to play hardball in that part of the world, so no one does it. I think the sentiment is great. It just needs to be directed better to get those countries back on a good footing.
Agree.
The despots used the masses to fight and get rid of the colonialists and then turned democracy into dictatorships. Then they used tribalism to marginalise the minorities and then stole all the aid money and opened swiss bank accounts. I believe Robert Mugabe has real estate in the UK and other countries and used the money he got from Britain, Central Europe and the USA to buy it. :evil: It amazes me that billions are received but the only real visible or tangible evidence is in the form of hotels and skyscrapers. The people still starve. :puke: The debts being written off are the monies that line the politicians pockets. :puke: :puke: The aid should be given in the form of services rather than money and administered by the country giving it.

[ArTee63]

The aid should be given in the form of services rather than money and administered by the country giving it.

Nobody has the balls to do that though. It's not very PC to be tough with your help. Countries need to be more strict with these regimes and let them now that those handing out the help aren't going to take any shit. Tough order to fill, if you ask me.

[Bobo]

Now it's the time to do something differently, and the Live8 was there just for that. All we can do now is wait and see what the big boys decide in the G8 meeting... the timing of Live8 was right, but did it make any difference? Wait and see... It's always better to do something than nothing at all.

[ArTee63]

We'll see....