Bono speaking at the Brighton Labour conference

voxpop

I was flicking around today and lo and behold, I come accross Bono speaking at the Labour conference !! I didnt know Bono was linked to Labour.

Anyway what did people think of this, seemed a bit gimicky to me. He went on about 3rd world debt, aids, the usual. I also thought Bono was Irish, by way he kept using "we","us","our great country",etc, it seems like i was wrong.

Redleslie2

I thought he was using "we" to mean europeans and westerners in general and he made a joke about the history we (he made a point of saying he's Irish) have with the English, something about plunder and imperialism, which I didn't expect at all.

On the whole, when he wasn't going off on irrelevant tangents (trying too hard to entertain I suspect) I think he made some good points and it's always nice to hear the word "bollocks" on telly, but he was coming out with vaguely threatening language like "don't mess with us" and went on about being "at the barricades" for some reason. What's that about? At the G8 in Genoa, while less wealthy activists were getting teargassed and battered up and down the streets (and in their beds), he was nibbling canapes on a yacht with Putin, Bush, Berlusconi and the other gangsters and moaning about how the bleeding broken boned people and actual barricade builders were ruining his buzz.

Didn't he say recently that if he had to pay income tax in Ireland he wouldn't live here? Shame that he didn't tell that to the conference.

luckat

Do the English usually have foreigners addressing their political conferences?

mike65

Do the English usually have foreigners addressing their political conferences?

Sure they do, Scots and Welsh visit every year!

Mike.

Redleslie2

The text of his speech is here if anyone's really that bored and feel like making themselves cringe for some reason

http://www.data.org/archives/000604.php

10000maniacs

Angry_Penguin wrote:

I also thought Bono was Irish, by way he kept using "we","us","our great country",etc, it seems like i was wrong.

he never used "our great country" in his speech, he used "Your great country".

emertoff

I can't stand him.
Just seems a little something untoward about someone so intent on letting everyone know what a goody-goody they are. The real heroes of this world give their time and money to charities and seek nothing in return. Bono seems obsessed with photo opps and the chance to rant to an audience.

chill

Thankfully I believe that most people in Ireland are deeply proud of Bono and his work on charities, aids and Africa.
In a time when rock stars sbort most of their money up their noses or into their veins, or inseminate as many blond numsculls as they can physically manage.... it is breath of fresh air to see Bono follow in the footsteps of our other great son, Geldof.

How much do most people do to help people around the world ? How much do the knockers do ?

bonkey

chill wrote:

Thankfully I believe that most people in Ireland are deeply proud of Bono and his work on charities, aids and Africa.

I know I am.

I think the man comes across as an egotistical knob who often is too bombed/drunk/whatever to make his case succintly to the mass-media, but he still gets the attention and commands enough attention that world leaders literally fall over themselves to be seen to get a good word from the man.

How much do most people do to help people around the world ? How much do the knockers do ?

Exactly. Love him or loathe him.....at the least take pride that he's an Irishman doing some good, and raising the profile of and respect for the nation that (I assume) fellow Irish hold dear.

jc

SprostonGreen

Thing is, when France were testing nuclear weapons a few years back, he was all for calling President Mitterand a wanker.

This time round with the war in Iraq, he's all quiet, normally he'd be outspoken. The twat knows his bread and butter income is in America, and he doesnt want a Dixie Chicks style backlash if he opens his sanctimonious gob.

chill

SprostonGreen wrote:

This time round with the war in Iraq, he's all quiet, normally he'd be outspoken. The twat knows his bread and butter income is in America, and he doesnt want a Dixie Chicks style backlash if he opens his sanctimonious gob.

Wrong. He knows that 20 million people freed from a mass murderer is better than the mass murderer being facilitated to continue his evil work with the help of the anti war protestors.
Also his interest is Africa.... he knows how to stay focussed.

SprostonGreen

chill wrote:

Wrong. He knows that 20 million people freed from a mass murderer is better than the mass murderer being facilitated to continue his evil work with the help of the anti war protestors.
Also his interest is Africa.... he knows how to stay focussed.

I keep forgetting how good they have it in Iraq, now that they're free.

chill

SprostonGreen wrote:

I keep forgetting how good they have it in Iraq, now that they're free.

Exactly. A LOT better than under Saddam.

bonkey wrote:

I think the man comes across as an egotistical knob who often is too bombed/drunk/whatever to make his case succintly to the mass-media,

I don't believe he has ever appears in such circumstances drunk - ever.