live8, G8, 'make poverty history'...

[GAsux]

I wish I had the links but I actually read two stories that were critical of the love fest. One basically followed the line that the concert was set up to strictly channel the fundraising. My understanding is there was some kind of ban or at least limits on corporate sponsorship in order to make the handful of sponsors appear above their peers by being more involved.

More telling was an article which in essence polled the opinions of folks all over Africa. While most were flattered by the concern, they felt that the G8 impact was minimal. Eliminating debt and donating money would not eliminate the corruption that has crippled the continent. Virtually every respondent indicated they would have been better served with efforts to improve basic infrastructure, education, etc.

They kind of viewed it as the rich getting richer and felt like it didn't matter how much Madonna or the Pet Shop Boys babbled because at the end of the day they'd still be living in their impoverished towns with no change to their daily lives.

It reminded me a lot of the "Choose or Die" nonsense.