Gearing up for G8
I trust everyone stateside had a fine Fourth of July Weekend. I know I did. The less I do on a holiday the finer it is.
Anyone tune into Live 8?
Commentary is welcome.
Meanwhile the G8 Summit in Scotland is ready to start tomorrow full coverage (or whatever I feel like droning about) will be available.
The famed protestors are getting ready too, this ought to be interesting...
Anyone tune into Live 8?
Commentary is welcome.
Meanwhile the G8 Summit in Scotland is ready to start tomorrow full coverage (or whatever I feel like droning about) will be available.
The famed protestors are getting ready too, this ought to be interesting...
posted by Turnea at
5:03 PM
5 Comments:
I ranted on the "Live 8" concert series. The short and skinny, I think Americans are so bogged down with ADD that after the concerts have come and gone, we'll see the same results after the '86 concert, that being another 20 years of ignoring Africa. (Not that I've been all attentive to the issues myself)
The G8 will do what the G8 always does, discuss issues, say "we've got to come up with a plan", make a plan, then go home and make excuses on why each nation couldnt fufill it's part of the plan.
There's always next year (rolls eyes).
By
Anonymous, at 6:49 PM
I admit, the only reason I tuned into Live8 was for Pink Floyd. Pigs can fly.
By
Anonymous, at 7:23 PM
I'll admit I seriiously doubt the public will stay engaged as a whole.... but this certainly raised the porfile of the efforts towrds "A Marshall Plan for Africa" to use Blair's phraseology.
I'd be the last to count on a public outpouring of support for any issue overseas long-term.
...but the organizers aren't asking for too much and they just may get it if Blair keeps up the diplomatic pressure.
By
Turnea, at 11:56 AM
I'm going to post an explanations of the reasoning behind Live 8 and why it is an entirely different animal than Live Aid as soon as I have the time however...
Lordhelmet has just typified why the American public can't get a grasp on African issues (not that I blame him our media and education system are woefully inadequate on the matter).
Africa HAS capitlism and has had it for centuries. Most of Africa was colonized by Eruopeans after all and they introduced it.
There was a period shortly after independece where Africa retreatreted from any dealings with the outside world (rather like China in the old days only with more internal capitalism).
But those days have been over for many years now.
There are few countries in Africa who suffer from the signs of Soviet influence anymore. Less so than eastern Europe for example.
The basic problem is a lack of services that the public sector has to provide, road, ports, basic healthcare, education etc.
These are things the government provides here and we shoulsn't be surprised Africa needs them as well.
Without thse basic critera met the private sector will not get involved to begin with (who'll build a plant when there's no way to get goods to market?)
Capitalism is, ironically, heavily dependent on government help.
..and most aid is not stolen. Most aid never reaches Africans the rich countries spend it on overhead...
By
Turnea, at 9:20 AM
On second thought, I'll post that explanation as a post here AND as a discussion on AD.
Like I haven't started enough threads lately...
By
Turnea, at 9:35 AM
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