Bono and Sir Robert’s ploy, like many other rock stars and actors, is that they want to be remembered for doing something good in the world – music doesn’t seem to be enough and perhaps it isn’t in Sir Bob’s case - and this debt appeal happens to be their Shtick.
It’s not a great one and might have sounded great in the pub when they dreamt it up. Perhaps they should have listened to their publicists and gone for something safe like AIDS or promoting basic human rights for Muslim women. This debt cause is just not working out for them and they’re really upset, Bono particularly. Why? Because they’re being ignored.
This whole deal reeks of hypocrisy particularly when it comes to the one still in the public eye, Bono. The funding that he cries about forgiving in the form of debt and the new funding from the G8 belongs to the taxpayers of the donating countries. Barking at the White House or the French Government is as useful as peeing on a tree in Pennsylvania Avenue – it gets them nowhere except to give politicians (and the police in the case of the tree) a photo-op, something even the late Pope JP2 couldn’t resist.
Bono is a shameless hypocrite. Unlike you and me, Bono lives a charmed tax-free life. As an artist in Ireland all of his earnings and of U2 were tax-free under a plan drawn up by a soon-to-be canonized former Prime Minister of Ireland in the early 1980’s – designed to attract and retain artists. Not too long ago the laws changed. Bono and his merry men stood by their principles and paid their fair share of taxes a portion of which were used to forgive African debt and underwrite new grants. Unfortunately, not a word of this last sentence is true.
Bono and U2 allegedly (legal department at work here) instead upped and moved all of their businesses to another tax-free haven and continue their tax free life-style. Not that there is anything wrong with that. There isn’t - I would do it in a heart-beat. Unfortunately one needs more than $15 and a pocket-full of small change to qualify.
There is however something wrong in living that life-style while having the brass-balls to tell you and me that we should forgive our tax dollars in African debt and continue to use same tax dollars to underwrite new expenditure. Bono is a fake, a fraud and great musician – in my considered opinion.
Geldoff should be spoken about in hushed tones. Geldoff hasn’t had a hit for 30 years. He isn’t the greatest singer either which didn't stop him and his band from succeeding against all the odds. He is a truly humble man. He did an amazing job with LIVE AID back in the 80’s. An amazing job for which he has earned, not only a knighthood from HRMQE2, but also a seat in heaven right next to St. Jude himself. I admire his tenacity and determination - he proved that one man can truly move a mountain. Look away, I feel tears welling up.
It is my firm belief that Bono is using Geldoff’s reputation as a saint, an Irishman, and as a knight to make himself look good in the fading light of public admiration.
I imagine that Bono lies in bed at night dreaming of the day when her Royal Majesty the Queen taps him gently on the shoulder with her sword and says, “Arise Sir…Bono.”
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