g8 concert question

[bobtheduck]

if there had been a gathering in hyde park to show a video of the terrible scenes in africa would as many people have turned up? if it was all about raising awareness then why the need for a music concert? surely the stars wernt in it to keep the album sales topped up?

[jno]

a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

[smee.tracey]

would you have known about the pressure on G8 if they'd just been showing a video of Africa? Would we be having this discussion if some of the world's greatest rock stars had stayed at home and washed their hair? No. That is why Bob Geldof did what he does best. MAKES EVERYONE AWARE.
I was at Live Aid in 1985 and the memory of the images of Africa displayed on the screens are as clear to me now as the music was.

[joules99]

yeak ok, great and what did it solve exactly, nothing other than getting sir bob a nighthood and giving u2 a career for life.. yeah we all know about the starvation, mines, corrupt governments and aids in africa , great i know about it, that's it! nothing changes, but dont' we all feel better because we watched some music on a stage with millions of others, i'm so proud, by the way talking about poverty did you know that 22,000 pensioners died last year in just a few weeks from the cold, and 1 in 5 pensioners can't afford to heat their homes properly during this time of year? what colour wristbands will we be wearing to signal our solidarity with British old folk, oh, we won't and no concerts either.

[Gevs1966]

joules99, I can't believe how ignorant you are! Yes there are problems in this country regarding pensioners and many other issues for that matter. The difference being that it is an issue for our government to deal with internally as we are well able to help ourselves. The government is aware of these problems within the country and it is a well known concern on the agenda within local government.

I agree with you that this needs to be addressed but unfortuanately old people are more affected by the cold etc and you will always have pensioners dying at that time of the year as this is something that is associated with old age in general and not just poor housing or heating.

The problem of world poverty is absolutely massive in comparison and I'm sorry but, as sad as it is, you can't compare a few thousand pensioners dying in the winter with millions of people dying of starvation, disease and everything else associated with extreme poverty, but hey, I guess as long as everyone in this country is ok then there isn't a problem is there!

[sam82]

the reason they use popstars and music, celebrities are these are the people who the young look up2... Bob geldof has been raising awarness before i was even born... we need people like him that are in the position to make the young aware, as oneday they will be our leaders! i have grown up listening to him and other celebrities.

you ask your children who they look up2 and im sure it will be some popstar/celebrity so if they can raise the awareness let them in whatever way fit, all those people at live 8 will have went home thinking, even if there main intention on going wasnt about poverty.