Boycott Live 8
Where is it then?
Have Bob, Bono and Midge never been to a Jah Shaka dance or a Misty in Roots performance? All the faces at Live 8 in Hyde Park are to be white, no represenation from Britain's or Africa's Black artists. Apparently there is no-one of enough stature in these communities. Well that's plainly rubbish, Shaka, Misty, Steel Pulse, Aswad (if reformed like the Spice Girls?), Asian Dub Foundation, Miss Dynamite, the list goes on and on. Many of these individuals and groups have been working tirelessly for decades on creating constructive links with Africa, yet the three wise monkeys prefer to ignore this. OK so they put on a concert every twenty years, and do the odd TV special, but the rest of the time they're enjoying their yachts and many houses fitted out, no doubt, with the best studios. On the other hand Shaka has been involved in African projects for literally decades, when he's not playing out with his incredibly loud and highly concious uplifting words, sound and power, he's spent his life on the cause.
Frankly, this live 8 is an insult to Africa, an insult to Black people and black talent, and an insult to all the people that have worked tirelssly with unending committment for years and years and years.
Frankly if they did put Misty on stage no-one would want to let them leave; the whole world would be jumping up and down as one body and everyone would see what crap Elton John and Bono are by comparison. They think their lyrics are 'meaningful'? They are listening to the wrong influences, get down Southall Community Centre and listen to Aba Shanti then you'll really know conscious lyrics, love, humanity, acceptance - not something you'll get on the stage at Live 8.
I am boycotting the whole event. I do want poverty to be history but getting people to spend millions on a crap pop concert and walking to Edinburgh will not achieve anything useful. I say, if you're going to walk, walk to Gleneagles, or walk to Africa with your skills and a container load of materials to help with sustainable projects - get out there and dig wells, build condom factories or health centres or schools, but whatever you do don't think Live 8 will solve anything... it's just a conscience purging exercise, yet more white people doing 'good things' for poor black people with the result that the white people feel better about themselves and their unhelathy wealth and Africa sinks further into debt, despair and poverty.
Gordon Brown, now there's a decent white man. I hope I'm not wrong when I believe his committment to doing something truly meaningful to end poverty, and his new 'Marshall Plan' certainly looks like it's coming up with the goods. Something useful to do would be to write to him offering your support, and asking him to pass this onto the G8. A million such letters would have more impact than walking to Edinburgh.
Have Bob, Bono and Midge never been to a Jah Shaka dance or a Misty in Roots performance? All the faces at Live 8 in Hyde Park are to be white, no represenation from Britain's or Africa's Black artists. Apparently there is no-one of enough stature in these communities. Well that's plainly rubbish, Shaka, Misty, Steel Pulse, Aswad (if reformed like the Spice Girls?), Asian Dub Foundation, Miss Dynamite, the list goes on and on. Many of these individuals and groups have been working tirelessly for decades on creating constructive links with Africa, yet the three wise monkeys prefer to ignore this. OK so they put on a concert every twenty years, and do the odd TV special, but the rest of the time they're enjoying their yachts and many houses fitted out, no doubt, with the best studios. On the other hand Shaka has been involved in African projects for literally decades, when he's not playing out with his incredibly loud and highly concious uplifting words, sound and power, he's spent his life on the cause.
Frankly, this live 8 is an insult to Africa, an insult to Black people and black talent, and an insult to all the people that have worked tirelssly with unending committment for years and years and years.
Frankly if they did put Misty on stage no-one would want to let them leave; the whole world would be jumping up and down as one body and everyone would see what crap Elton John and Bono are by comparison. They think their lyrics are 'meaningful'? They are listening to the wrong influences, get down Southall Community Centre and listen to Aba Shanti then you'll really know conscious lyrics, love, humanity, acceptance - not something you'll get on the stage at Live 8.
I am boycotting the whole event. I do want poverty to be history but getting people to spend millions on a crap pop concert and walking to Edinburgh will not achieve anything useful. I say, if you're going to walk, walk to Gleneagles, or walk to Africa with your skills and a container load of materials to help with sustainable projects - get out there and dig wells, build condom factories or health centres or schools, but whatever you do don't think Live 8 will solve anything... it's just a conscience purging exercise, yet more white people doing 'good things' for poor black people with the result that the white people feel better about themselves and their unhelathy wealth and Africa sinks further into debt, despair and poverty.
Gordon Brown, now there's a decent white man. I hope I'm not wrong when I believe his committment to doing something truly meaningful to end poverty, and his new 'Marshall Plan' certainly looks like it's coming up with the goods. Something useful to do would be to write to him offering your support, and asking him to pass this onto the G8. A million such letters would have more impact than walking to Edinburgh.
posted by Firegoat @ 1:45 pm
1 Comments:
At 12:27 pm,
Anonymous said…
Well, somebody's feeling a bit cynical about people trying to make a difference.
Firstly, I completely agree with you about the black artists, and if you choose to let that stop you from supporting live8, that's your decision. But I do object to you encouraging others to avoid the concert/campaign. Whether the reasons behind it are good or not, whether the event is well thought out or not, people who take part are showing that they care. Surely you don't believe that it can do any harm to go?
and as for your last point, about letters to the government, if you go to the makepovertyhistory site you will notice that a major part of their campaign is sending letters and emails to those in power. This charity is doing something new and different - it is asking people to make a difference by persuading those in power. I myself have contacted the government many times about trade justice etc. To me the best way to make a difference is to take EVERY opportunity, not just the one that seems more 'worthy'.
please, have some faith in our people.
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