Don’t go to Edinburgh - Buy African
I’m sure we all agree with Sir Bob Geldof’s sentiments, don’t we all want to make poverty history? The question is, how is that going to happen? What can we do to help?
A confession…
I’m feeling a bit inhibited now because I’ve publicised this blog to a few people and I might have readers now. It’s one thing writing into the ether certain that no-one knows the blog exists, but now people might read it and form judgements about me – they’ll think I’m mad probably. I hope my friends forgive me.
Anyway, back to poverty, and Bob. My friend introduced me to the Boomtown Rats when I was 11; ‘I don’t like Mondays’ became a school anthem along with ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ by Pink Floyd – no wonder I’m a rebel! (Pity kids today are still just more bricks in the wall and still wanting to murder teachers). Then there was Live Aid, 20 years ago, when I was a tender 18 year old, which made us sit up and think about Ethiopia, famine and starvation. I’ve sort of followed Bob’s career, and even had the experience of working with a client who was the lover of his ex-wife Paula Yates, but more importantly I’ve followed the debates about Africa and poverty with interest. I’ve always striven for fairness, and reacted strongly against injustice in any area – this led me to lead a movement to outlaw uniform for my 6th form, to become the first women’s officer at my university and to build a career around trying to right social wrongs. I can’t stand by and watch millions of children and adults die of starvation every year, merely because they are in a different country and we can’t be bothered.
Bob wants us all to descend on Edinburgh while the G8 meet to discuss poverty. At first this looks like a good idea – surely they’ll take notice? But Gleneagles, where the G8 are meeting is 50 miles from Edinburgh, perhaps they won’t hear the crowds after all? Even if they did hear, what message will they get – a very clear and simple one – that we want an end to poverty. Clear and simple, but I don’t think that message is deep enough – how do we want to end poverty? What are we prepared to let go of?
A small percentage increase in trade between Europe and Africa would solve a lot of problems so why don’t we ask for that? The problem with Bob is that his ideas are too easy, scratch the surface and I don’t think you’ll find a sophisticated plan to end poverty. Perhaps we need a more imaginative campaign, Bob’s getting too old! Perhaps we should look more closely at consumer power for example; I’ve boycotted lots of countries and companies for their actions before – South African products during Apartheid, Israeli products because of their brutal occupation of Palestine, Nestle products because of their indirect murder of millions of African children due to their baby milk policies, etc. Surely we can also positively use our money to seek out products from African countries that need us. I know lots of Africans involved in import-export businesses; if we abandoned evil capitalist American products for sustainable African products I’m sure we’d achieve more than by going to Edinburgh for a shout. Bob could even help out by heading up the campaign and helping African manufacturers to sell their products here.
What do you think?
A confession…
I’m feeling a bit inhibited now because I’ve publicised this blog to a few people and I might have readers now. It’s one thing writing into the ether certain that no-one knows the blog exists, but now people might read it and form judgements about me – they’ll think I’m mad probably. I hope my friends forgive me.
Anyway, back to poverty, and Bob. My friend introduced me to the Boomtown Rats when I was 11; ‘I don’t like Mondays’ became a school anthem along with ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ by Pink Floyd – no wonder I’m a rebel! (Pity kids today are still just more bricks in the wall and still wanting to murder teachers). Then there was Live Aid, 20 years ago, when I was a tender 18 year old, which made us sit up and think about Ethiopia, famine and starvation. I’ve sort of followed Bob’s career, and even had the experience of working with a client who was the lover of his ex-wife Paula Yates, but more importantly I’ve followed the debates about Africa and poverty with interest. I’ve always striven for fairness, and reacted strongly against injustice in any area – this led me to lead a movement to outlaw uniform for my 6th form, to become the first women’s officer at my university and to build a career around trying to right social wrongs. I can’t stand by and watch millions of children and adults die of starvation every year, merely because they are in a different country and we can’t be bothered.
Bob wants us all to descend on Edinburgh while the G8 meet to discuss poverty. At first this looks like a good idea – surely they’ll take notice? But Gleneagles, where the G8 are meeting is 50 miles from Edinburgh, perhaps they won’t hear the crowds after all? Even if they did hear, what message will they get – a very clear and simple one – that we want an end to poverty. Clear and simple, but I don’t think that message is deep enough – how do we want to end poverty? What are we prepared to let go of?
A small percentage increase in trade between Europe and Africa would solve a lot of problems so why don’t we ask for that? The problem with Bob is that his ideas are too easy, scratch the surface and I don’t think you’ll find a sophisticated plan to end poverty. Perhaps we need a more imaginative campaign, Bob’s getting too old! Perhaps we should look more closely at consumer power for example; I’ve boycotted lots of countries and companies for their actions before – South African products during Apartheid, Israeli products because of their brutal occupation of Palestine, Nestle products because of their indirect murder of millions of African children due to their baby milk policies, etc. Surely we can also positively use our money to seek out products from African countries that need us. I know lots of Africans involved in import-export businesses; if we abandoned evil capitalist American products for sustainable African products I’m sure we’d achieve more than by going to Edinburgh for a shout. Bob could even help out by heading up the campaign and helping African manufacturers to sell their products here.
What do you think?
posted by Firegoat @ 9:27 am
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