Make Poverty History

We watched the majority of the Live 8 concerts today. I think the most compelling parts were Nelson Mandela's plea for help & the Ethiopian girl (Birhan Woldou) who came on stage, after we were shown an image of her near death 20 years ago. If you don't recall her name, her face from 1985 is a haunting image.

What bothers me is the prospect that bringing this girl on stage as a "success story" is nothing more than exploitation. I know Geldof & the rest of the organizers want to highlight the issue of poverty, & how aid can make a difference, but part of me is uneasy about "using" people to undersore a point.

I just don't know if a parade of singers will have enough impact, even with the millions of people who have signed the petition. I would really like to believe that there will be some positive ramifications. I know Bono & the DATA project have been making strides & he has met with a number of influential people in an effort to "drop the debt". But I suspect many of the concert goers were there for the tunes & not much else. Geldof touted Live Aid 1985 as a movement, not a concert, & is using the same rhetoric in reference to Live 8. Let's hopew it was more than a good day of music since lives are at stake.

I think about all the death (30 000 Africans DAILY) that occurs & wonder why nothing tangible seems to be done. When the tsunami hit, & after 9/11 there was immediate mobilization from various groups to "do something". I don't want to minimize the negative impact the tsunami & 9/11 had, please don't misconstrue what I'm writing, I do care--any life lostunder these kinds of circumsyances is a waste. BUT, why are the wealthiest people in the world apparently complacent about 30 000 deaths a day, due to ridiculously simple things? No water or contaminated water, mosquito bites, no food. We can change this.

I have a suspicion that the "Westen world" has made & continues to make too much money from Africa's natural resources to be concerned about the ripple effects of colonialism. Sweat shops, oil refineries, coffee plantations....slave trading.....We don't want to clean up our mess. Remember the saying "the sun never sets on the empire"? The sun doesn't set, but the backs have turned.