</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
While that entails travel to many foreign lands, I just don't see how that makes him an expert on foreign policy and foreign affairs.
[/ QUOTE ]It may not make Bono an expert of foreign affairs, but he has the ability to see first hand what most of us only read about. By using his celebrity to draw attention, he is able to communicate to a larger audience the problems and possibly make small changes. Think about the last time you went to a very bad part of your town. Do you think a person in a Nebraska farm thinks about life for those people? But if you had a connection with those people, and they respected your opinion, you could make them care. Hopefully care enough to aid you in helping a cause you feel passionate about.
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Instead of demanding rich countries send more cash (I can read between the lines here...) and throwing what equates to temper-tantrums in the streets, why don't these people protest the governments that are systematically starving their own people and encouraging genocide?
[/ QUOTE ] I 100% agree with you. It is important to question all people that ask you for blind donations. It is important to hound them for the things you believe in too, and challenge their beliefs. Go to the websites where these discussions are being held and voice what you want Bono (and every other politically conscious celebrity) to pay attention to. </font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
I just wish Bono would have stuck with what he did best, making political statement through song instead of trying to become a foreign relations superhero
[/ QUOTE ] Maybe he did do his best work through song, but no one should be pigeonholed. If you were an accountant for a humanitarian org., I would never think to tell you to not talk out everyday about the things that you believe need fixing, even if you do your "best" work keeping the books. In fact, just by you thinking to write this post at all, you should also never shut up. You should continue to question celebrities and their politics. Never underestimate the power of small people with big mouths.
Your statement is that he is a musician, and not a politician, so what would he know. By saying that you are also stating that everyone else outside of politics should keep their opinions to themselves. No way - I want opinion out of you, and everyone else like you, regardless of your occupation.
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
because the music has has suffered...
[/ QUOTE ] It has? I am a huge U2 fan, and I thought the last album was brilliant. It showed the maturity of the band, but stayed in touch with the modern and the past influences. Unlike Zooropa, where U2 tried as hard as possible to be edgy, All that You Can't Leave Behind was equal parts edgy, sad, hopeful, and beautiful.