It was interesting Bob Geldof was on jonathan ross last night and it was very moving - basically the gist of what he said was that if 50,000 children died in Toulouse tommorow, and if 50,000 children died in Turin the next day , and if 50,000 children died in Philadelphia the next day etc etc - then the politicians would care but because its Africa they dont care, and that if after this they dont sit up and take any notice then they will care come election time as it will reflect on them then. Its political justice they want.

I am going to show my support as at the end of the day its just not right...
You are totally right - look at Live aid - but that was to solve an immediate problem and without that millions of people would have died, this is to try and force the issue so that there is no need for future LIve aids, comic releif etc. This is not about the money that can be made - its about showing support so that IF they then do nothing then they have the People to answer to.

Anyway - better get off my soapbox. I for one will be there - its the least I can do to try and make a small difference.....

Dani

aye but you live in edinburgh if you lived down south would you still go?

yeh I probably would -dont get me wrong it is just my opinion I am expressing above - I was too young to go to live aid but I remember it and I think this type of thing is important - I would make more effort to go to this than say a parade or march. I feel very strongly that if everyone made a stand then the politicians would have to do something.

Or perhaps its just wishful thinking.
many people travel a lot further for a lot less
dani

(post directed at nobody in particular - just my views on it)

If there was a starving african standing on Princes Street, how many of the 1 million people that are going to this event would give them a bit of their 99p McDonald's cheeseburger?

Why does it take a G8 summit to be in town before people will organise such an event?

If 1m people believe so strongly about this why aren't our MP's receiving 1m letters a week about it?

Graeme

Can't go to any of it coz i'm moving that day

I suppose it takes a bit of a tidal wave of coverage/news to make people sit up and notice and react - not to say its right - but at least they are doing something rather than nothing,, Its the same with all of these things- how many people give money at comic relief that dont the rest of the year ??

All I feel about it is if I turn up and that makes a difference, then great, if it doesnt then at least I have tried and all I will have lost is a day in my life..

dani

i think most people are only going for the music, and i dont think that it will make much of a diffrence, as if russia care about africa.

I think its really sad what happens in poorer countries and unfortunately I don't have much faith in politicians to trust them to do something - unless there is something they can gain from it they aren't going to do much


I found a great charity that have a website with the alternative gift - I did this for my dad for his birthday and he loved the idea - instead of buying him a present I bought a couple of blankets and a cookware set for some-one who needs it in a third world country - my sister bought some fruit trees for a family so they can earn a living from them - I think doing things like these help people keep out of poverty

Also buy fair trade give people what they should be paid for a skill in these countries and hit the big time manufacturers that employ people in "sweat shop" factories just so we can get a bargain

In my opinion this is the way to try and deal with poverty and theres also the sponser a child scheme which has done a lot of good

I just don't trust politicians to care enough

Just found this on another site. Quick, tell Geldorf they don't want live8, they want live sk8 !

Its good to show concern for others but I must say,I was around at the last Band Aid and gave generously,because I was young and cared about EVERYTHING, but you cant mend EVERYTHING and whats the saying .....Charity begins at home.......How about our country doing something about cleaning up the hospitals so people are'nt afraid to go in for operations .There are people dying from the bugs in our hospitals,but the government cant find money,but they can find £538 million approx., for Africa.
Which Government is it where their leader has just built himself a humungous palace while his people starve.
My opinion and thats all it is, is that the British Government should clean up there own nest before embarking on someone else's.