'Bono Pay Up': art group plans tax protest at Glastonbury

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 10:58AM #1

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0606/1224298469269.html

U2 Facing protest at glastonbury

Biggins · 06-06-2011 10:59AM

He will just fly out by chopper after he sings, he won't be bothered.

Red Hand · 06-06-2011 11:00AM

The resident U2/Bono haters are going to have an orgasm on this thread.

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 11:00AM

Biggins wrote: »

He will just fly out by chopper after he sings, he won't be bothered.

Indeed. Which makes the protest all the more futile.

Show Time · 06-06-2011 11:01AM

I would pay more attention to what the little short arse has to say if he was willing to pay some tax here.

TheIrishGrover · 06-06-2011 11:09AM

They plan on holding up a large illuminated sign? Well if they do it infront of me we'll see how easily a large illuminated sign fits up an ar5e. What a GREAT way of protesting: Paying 300 euro for tickets/flights etc to go to a concert and the only people you'll affect are the other festival goers who probably had to scrape their money together in order to go in these difficult times. W@nkers, take it somewhere else!

flutered · 06-06-2011 11:11AM

Show Time wrote: »

I would pay more attention to what the little short arse has to say if he was willing to pay some tax here.

he wants us to feed the world, how much of is own cash has he put up, i mean the cash like ours that tax has been paid on.

flutered · 06-06-2011 11:14AM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

They plan on holding up a large illuminated sign? Well if they do it infront of me we'll see how easily a large illuminated sign fits up an ar5e. What a GREAT way of protesting: Paying 300 euro for tickets/flights etc to go to a concert and the only people you'll affect are the other festival goers who probably had to scrape their money together in order to go in these difficult times. W@nkers, take it somewhere else!

offering to use violence are we, another big tough internet user.

eth0_ · 06-06-2011 11:14AM

I think it's a great idea. Most people are completely unaware of Bono et al's massive hypocrisy, bleating on about poverty in third-world countries, imploring people to donate to charity - have they ever heard the phrase "charity begins at home"?

Have they seen the appalling conditions Irish school children have to endure, learning in freezing/leaking/rat-infested portakabins because the government won't give their school any money to build a proper bricks-and-mortar building? What have U2 ever done to help the poor and vulnerable in their own country?

They gleefully and purposefully avoid tax in Ireland since the government changed the rules about artists not having to pay any income tax a few years ago. So, it's fine for you little people to pay income and business tax, but not Mr. Hewson and his colleagues.

Glastonbury has an enormous worldwide audience and I think it's hilarious that U2 will be publicly shamed in front of so many people.

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 11:21AM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

They plan on holding up a large illuminated sign? Well if they do it infront of me we'll see how easily a large illuminated sign fits up an ar5e. What a GREAT way of protesting: Paying 300 euro for tickets/flights etc to go to a concert and the only people you'll affect are the other festival goers who probably had to scrape their money together in order to go in these difficult times. W@nkers, take it somewhere else!

You're paying €300 to watch bono?

Badgermonkey · 06-06-2011 11:23AM

Methinks a lecture in tax dodging from artists is a bit rich.

Let's ship out tax dodging corporations such as Intel, Google, PayPal, Microsoft, Boston Scientific, Pfizer, Wyeth etc.

ancapailldorcha · 06-06-2011 11:26AM

Maybe he's overcompensating for something with all the charity work, namely the fact that his band are sh!t.

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 11:26AM

Badgermonkey wrote: »

Methinks a lecture in tax dodging from artists is a bit rich.

Let's ship out tax dodging corporations such as Intel, Google, PayPal, Microsoft, Boston Scientific, Pfizer, Wyeth etc.

When was the last time you heard one of these companies preaching to you about third world debt?

Ireland needs these companies, for the time being at least

TheIrishGrover · 06-06-2011 11:27AM

flutered wrote: »

offering to use violence are we, another big tough internet user.

You're right, I should rephrase that. But how would you feel in that situation? I've recently been made unemployed but had purchased my ticket before the job went. I've managed to get enough to get over to the concert. If that were you and some "artistic" anonymous-wannabes started doing that infront of you how would you feel? I enjoy listening to U2's music. I'm not a fan of Bono's excessive drum-beating and I do find their tax avoidance distasteful however U2 did not cost me my job. U2 did not put us into the situation the world and, especially, Ireland are in. I want to go over and for a couple of days try not to think about the sh1tty situation I and many others are in. I do NOT want my, and 80,000 others enjoyment being interrupted by people with their own agenda. There are many MANY other ways of making your points these days and upsetting concert goers is NOT the way to do it

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 11:29AM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

You're right, I should rephrase that. But how would you feel in that situation? I've recently been made unemployed but had purchased my ticket before the job went. I've managed to get enough to get over to the concert. If that were you and some "artistic" anonymous-wannabes started doing that infront of you how would you feel? I enjoy listening to U2's music. I'm not a fan of Bono's excessive drum-beating and I do find their tax avoidance distasteful however U2 did not cost me my job. U2 did not put us into the situation the world and, especially, Ireland are in. I want to go over and for a couple of days try not to think about the sh1tty situation I and many others are in. I do NOT want my, and 80,000 others enjoyment being interrupted by people with their own agenda. There are many MANY other ways of making your points these days and upsetting concert goers is NOT the way to do it

Who said U2 put us in the situation we find ourselves in now? While their protest may be an inconvenience to you and others and thats understandable surely you can see the opposing viewpoint

OctavarIan · 06-06-2011 11:36AM

eth0_ wrote: »

I think it's a great idea. Most people are completely unaware of Bono et al's massive hypocrisy, bleating on about poverty in third-world countries, imploring people to donate to charity - have they ever heard the phrase "charity begins at home"?

Have they seen the appalling conditions Irish school children have to endure, learning in freezing/leaking/rat-infested portakabins because the government won't give their school any money to build a proper bricks-and-mortar building? What have U2 ever done to help the poor and vulnerable in their own country?

That's an example of relative poverty, not true poverty.

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 11:48AM

OctavarIan wrote: »

That's an example of relative poverty, not true poverty.

But it's happening a lot closer to their home

Sonnenblumen · 06-06-2011 11:54AM

Show Time wrote: »

I would pay more attention to what the little short arse has to say if he was willing to pay some tax here.

He probably pays a lot more tax here than you do, how's that for starters?

Turtyturd · 06-06-2011 11:57AM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

I enjoy listening to U2's music. I'm not a fan of Bono's excessive drum-beating

You do realise peope are talking about the singer?

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 11:57AM

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

He probably pays a lot more tax here than you do, how's that for starters?

So what? He earns more money

Matthew23 · 06-06-2011 12:02PM

i like u2 the band and bono especialy the song beatiful day!

i love happy songs

Turtyturd · 06-06-2011 12:07PM

OctavarIan wrote: »

That's an example of relative poverty, not true poverty.

It's also an example of something that is a lot more fixable

Badgermonkey · 06-06-2011 12:08PM

orourkeda wrote: »

When was the last time you heard one of these companies preaching to you about third world debt?

Ireland needs these companies, for the time being at least

You can accuse U2 of hypocrisy but the principle should be applied universally, especially so given the combined tax avoidance of the multinationals mentioned is measured in multi-billion dollar sums.

To say Ireland needs these companies somewhat undermines the argument. If one believes tax avoidance impacts on the ability to sufficiently fund foreign aid, then call for such loopholes to be removed.

The resultant exodus of multinationals would of course leave Ireland unable to fund its aid programmes, health, welfare, education etc..

So a little like our current quandary but ad infinitum.

Ghandee · 06-06-2011 12:08PM

I couldn't give a shiny $hite!

mstan · 06-06-2011 12:09PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Maybe he's overcompensating for something with all the charity work, namely the fact that his band are sh!t.

I bet you love the X-Factor

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 12:12PM

Badgermonkey wrote: »

You can accuse U2 of hypocrisy but the principle should be applied universally, especially so given the combined tax avoidance of the multinationals mentioned is measured in multi-billion dollar sums.

To say Ireland needs these companies somewhat undermines the argument. If one believes tax avoidance impacts on the ability to sufficiently fund foreign aid, then call for such loopholes to be removed.

The resultant exodus of multinationals would of course leave Ireland unable to fund its aid programmes, health, welfare, education etc..

So a little like our current quandary but ad infinitum.

Thats the difficulty. I don't think anyone can argue that tax avoidance is wrong. In fact its legal. It's the hypocrisy of their position that gets on peoples nerves.

If I were in Bonos position I'd make the same decision, but then turning around and telling the rest of us how to spend our tax money is Hypocritical.

the groutch · 06-06-2011 12:13PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2OQxma_1ps

annascott · 06-06-2011 12:13PM

I must be missing something here. It is in the best interest of any business to pay as little tax as possible. Isn't that why successful business people pay large amounts to 'good' accountants? I do not like Bono, but in this case - as long as he isn't doing anything illegal - shouldn't he/the band be left alone?

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 12:22PM

annascott wrote: »

I must be missing something here. It is in the best interest of any business to pay as little tax as possible. Isn't that why successful business people pay large amounts to 'good' accountants? I do not like Bono, but in this case - as long as he isn't doing anything illegal - shouldn't he/the band be left alone?

It's a prudent business decision to pay as little tax as possible.

You cant then turn around and tell other people what to do with their tax money.

Badgermonkey · 06-06-2011 12:28PM

orourkeda wrote: »

Thats the difficulty. I don't think anyone can argue that tax avoidance is wrong. In fact its legal. It's the hypocrisy of their position that gets on peoples nerves.

If I were in Bonos position I'd make the same decision, but then turning around and telling the rest of us how to spend our tax money is Hypocritical.

There's a presupposition that the man has not personally contributed to the causes he espouses.

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on that one but obviously there's an element of faith involved.

orourkeda · 06-06-2011 12:38PM

Badgermonkey wrote: »

There's a presupposition that the man has not personally contributed to the causes he espouses.

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on that one but obviously there's an element of faith involved.

Maybe he did. But thats not the issue here.

'Bono Pay Up': art group plans tax protest at Glastonbury

Comments