The posturing has begun. The arrogance is in the air. The reality is that none of it matters.
Bono and Bob's little get-together of a bunch of insignificant people is currently on two American stations and over 20 other stations throughout the world. The point of this gathering is, of course, to bring the horrors of poverty, AIDS, and burdening debts of the dark continent to the forefront. But who cares. Obviously not America...considering they are the world leaders in annual aid to Africa. World leaders by over a large margin. And by large margin, we give 1.2 billion more than the next 10 nations COMBINED. And by aid, I do not mean loans. Nearly 2 weeks ago, America and Britain announced they would give complete debt relief to all African nations who are declared to have '3rd world status' according to the World Bank.
So I guess the point of these concerts must be about poverty and AIDS. Well, ok...let's start with poverty. Every day 41,000 people die in Africa from starvation and disease (this number includes AIDS deaths, because apparently you can't keep the statistics seperately). The leading nations with these poor are all located just south of the Sahara in a band of semi-arid land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. So basically, they live in the most desolate inhabited place on Earth. A place where food doesn't grow because of the intense heat and having very little irrigatible water. So they need most of their food imported. That's fine. A lot of nations need their food imported. But the catch? (of course there's a catch) Ten of these nations are mentioned as 'corrupt governments' in a 2004 report by the WHO. Twelve of the nations are either monarchies or totalatarian military regimes. Three of the countries are laden with massive amounts of refugees from civil wars and genocides throughout Africa. So what are Bob and Bono spouting about again? Oh thats right...the G-8 countries not doing enough financially to help make lives better. I haven't heard a single mention of the corruptness and devestation laid down by these tyrannical governments. Is our nation supposed to presume that this money we are sending is going to actually help the citizens? Or is it merely padding the pockets of the wealthy leaders of these nations. The Kings and Rulers drive around in Rolls Royces and have golden thrones (literally) while their people are starving and lacking any education.
So instead of allowing MTV and Viacom to make a bucketload of with ratings and ads from Live 8, why dont Bono, and Bob, and Elton John and these other schmucks actually do something about this. Bono is worth well over 200 million dollars himself...and yet according to Amnesty International (his largest charity), he is not one of their top 150 individual donors. And donor #150 gave 14,500 dollars last year. So...hmmm...it makes me think. Why is it my responsibility as an American taxpayer to foot the bill for corruption, when the people who think their cause is so grand are giving so very little?
But of course, we've still got 6 G-8 countries (the most industrialized 8 nations in the world and the focus of supposed pressure being put by the Live 8 boys). These 6 nations are Japan, Germany, France, Russia, Canada, and Italy. Russia, 4 days ago announced debt relief. Canada has nearly zero loans outstanding to Africa as Canada is not truly a wealthy nation. So that leaves France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Well Japan gives...a lot. They are #2 on the international aid list. Right behind (albeit far behind) the USA. Italy, France, and Germany. I wonder where we have seen these guys before? Oh thats right. Opposing the war in Iraq and, along with just the war, the freedom and life of the Iraqi people. Italy did come around once they got a new government, but nary a word has been mentioned from these people about debt relief.
Bono was on MSNBC one day with the beloved Tim Russert. He stated that Germany, France, and Britain all give between 0.7% and 0.8% of their GDP in international aid. And he said that America only gives 0.3% and if "America was going to get serious, they've got to bump up that number." Well...he's flat wrong. America gives 0.3% of their GNP. GNP and GDP are two different figures that differ for America in the range of 1.5 trillion dollars. So, if you want the figure of America's GDP...it runs at about 1.1% for international aid. Wow. Interesting. The Hollywood left lied about something again? What a shock.
I am sick and tired of people everywhere thinking that saving the world is America's responsibility and then questions the way in which we go about it. We give billions upon billions to nations around the world, and yet it still isn't enough. Maybe, eventually, the U.N. and Bono and Bob will look around and see that the reasons Africans are dying resides not with money in aid, but with the Africans themselves.
America's first responsibility is to Americans, and THAT is the bottom line.
Connemara's Rising is solely a division of David Brunner's Intellectual gifts.
© 2004 David Brunner
