During the pst couple weeks the number 8 has been used so much in the news that I think we should just lay off of it for the rest of the year. If you have not heard of the Live 8 concert series yet, maybe you were in one of the poor countries that this concert was meant to highlight. It starred such rockers as Madonna, Jay Z, Def Leoppard, and Destiny's Child in a union meant to address continuing African poverty and the means by which these nations are kept in the state that they are in. I saw some clips of the concerts and it looked like a lot of fun, that is until they spotlighted the very reason for the concerts existence by showing horrendous pictures of real African poverty. Come on now, I came to see Beyonce not starving children and their malnourished bodies. I guess that was one of the few ways that the concert could keep focus on its real purpose although I am sure most of the audience just went and enjoyed the acts then went home to continue their daily lives. In all honesty if I was there in Philly, I would have done the same. I will hand it to Bono and Bob Geldorf though, for what its worth they got a lot of airtime and were able to at least bring the message of African poverty to many people who might never have taken note of the G8 summit going on this week in Scotland.
The G8 Summit this year focused on the continuing problem of African poverty along with addressing such concerns as the Kyoto protocols and agricultural subsidies. For some more details on these problems check out this article from the Village Voice. There was a big call to forgive the large debts of many African nations in order to allow them to progress to a modern industrial era that the member countries of the G8 council enjoy. I've read a few articles on this summit and one thing I have gotten out of them is that George W. never lets the chance for being a royal ass pass him by. Here are some choice quotes from an article I read in the new York Times. The full text can be found here.
"The reason it (Kyoto protocol) didn't work for the world is many developing nations weren't included in Kyoto," Mr. Bush said. "I've also told our friends in Europe that Kyoto would have wrecked our economy. I don't see how you can be president of the United States and agree to an agreement that would have put a lot of people out of work."
The basis of the protocol by the way is to have industrial nations curb there emissions of greenhouse gases through technological innovation and alternative fuel and energy systems, while developing nations that don't have access to current industrial methods, much less alternative methods of prodution and manufacturing to develop to a level of modernity. Why they would be included here I am not quite sure. As for agreements that would put people out of work, I think the POTUS and his administration have made enough concessions to their corporate play pals that have cost the American public many jobs, maybe they can pass on the protocol. By the way, all member states of the G8 council have ratified this protocol except for the US. We are apparently so advanced in our ways of thinking that we can tell the rest of the world to shut the hell up and let us do the driving.
Here's another one of my favorite quotes:
Acknowledging that anti-war feeling is "current wisdom these days," the president added that "following public polls is like chasing your tail" and that in Iraq and elsewhere, "I truly believe we're laying the foundation for peace."
Why would you follow what the public, the people who put you in power, want you to do? That would be like a total democracy, or at the very least a republic which is not what we have going on here. We the people of the US don't really know whats going on, the 55% or so of the public that now disagrees with the war just don't understand the kind of work that it takes to spread peace throughout the world. It's a bloody and murderous process, get over it.
Sometimes I really feel like I'm living in a dream world where a madman has taken office and there is no way to get him out of there, a feeling I am sure many can echo.
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