Make Poverty History (Bono Remix)

Despite what John Pilger, or any other investigative journalist might have to say, I have always been a big U2 fan. I was hooked with Sunday Bloody Sunday back when Radio 5’s Barney Simon would play it practically every night, along with The Cure and other alternative gems.

By the time I made it out of my Catholic high school alive, I was crooning to Silver and Gold and wished that I could “play the blues” like The Edge and break it down on piercing tunes like Bullet the Blue Sky. Bono’s righteous indignation at the injustices of the world resonated with my schoolmates, who had it with teargas, police informants and purple water canons on Greenmarket Square. Bono felt our pain and put it to words, while The Edge skulked about in the background with his delay pedals, eerie chords and arpeggios.

And then there was Achtung Baby with its twisted take on love, art and postmodernism: “What are we going to do now it’s all been said? No new ideas in the house and every book has been read?” Little did I know that I would come to think of Bono as the “Acrobat”, “who talks like this and acts like that”. Bono’s Aids charity has reportedly collected £9,6-million in 2008, whilst only distributing £123 155 to charities. It apparently spent £5-million on wages.

Critics, like Pilger and George Monbiot have lots to say about Bono and Bob Geldof’s efforts to engage the G8 nations. Monbiot believes that they have actually legitimated the G8, as opposed to challenging them. There is nothing subversive about taking photo opportunities with the very people who have the power to implement more equitable economic policies on a global scale, but do precious little in that regard. So Bono, this is for you. I hope that you surf news sites from the Global South. I hope that you listen. Edge, put down your guitar and say something for a change. This is no longer a rebel song …

Dear Bono,

I can’t believe the lack of news today. I can’t close my eyes and make it go away: poverty is NOT history yet. Bono, we’re stuck in a moment and we can’t get out of it. Bono, a prize fighter in the corner is told, “Hit where it hurts for silver and gold.” Bono, we’re one, but we’re not the same. The G8 hurts us and your protests are tame. Bono, they say the market is the answer; capital the higher law. They ask us to enter, but then they make us crawl, but we can’t be holding on to what they’ve got when all they’ve got is hurt. One, Bono. We’ve got to do what we’re told. One. Bono, we’re reaching out to the ones who are trying to destroy us. Meanwhile, justice said it’ll wait until the end of the world.

Yours in the name of love,
Adam (the black ONE from Africa)

PS: My regards to Negativland.