to think comic relief is a manipulative millionaire sleb lovein?

[glasnost]

After watching most of last night's nth comic relief can't help thinking it's ever more hypocritical in laying a guilt trip on us poor folk to get us to part with some of the dwindling cash we have whilst never getting to the root of the problem.

Political corruption, greedy pharmaceutical companies etc. Without addressing these core problems we'll keep on having comic relief as an annual salve to people's consciences while poverty and injustice continue.

Jonathan Ross et al who earn vast amounts have alot of front in standing there emotionally blackmailing us when the obscene wealth he and others like him earn is part of the problem. AIBU?

bemy do you really believe that support of dictators and colonialism have stopped???

That is where the problem lies.

You might like to read this

Bemy

Have you been to any African country?

and TODAY, western agencies are still preventing sustainable change across Africa. The colonial legacy. It goes on and on.

Actually no I wouldn't. It is insulting to even suggest I would want to know about something that takes away from the main issues surrounding the suffering of my country.

Yes but the problem is that fairtrade is just a symbol, it is not being regulated. Some fair trade cocoa growers have been found to be using child labour. Fair Trade means nothing but another marketing ploy in reality.

I would like to know how many people here have actually studied the effects of charity and aid giving?

Or how many have visited one of the countries or projects these massive sums of charity money is supposed to be helping?

LDNmummy I do not think that support for the dictators have stopped, I did not mean for it to come out this way. However, I do not think that the West is the only or the primary supporter of all the evil in this world. One cannot change the country with outside pressure, people need to want and fight for this change.

"Have you been to any African country?" Kenya and Tanzania, I wish I could travel more.

LDNmummy I have done both.

I personally think that aid and charity work are two separate issues, however.

You think the ordinary people don't want change, because I can tell you that we do. But how can you have change when the elections are rigged? Where do you think the monetary support comes from to run campaigns and to create militant forces that help along goverment coup's? Or to aid the initial corruption that sees lower ranking members of government into power?

How can we as ordinary African people do something when a gun is being pointed at our faces? Guns which have been sold to a dictator by the west with money given from western companies with vested interests in the outcome of whatever civil situation might be going on.

People might like them or not; they might be funny to some or not; but in the end, CR has raised £74 million+ overnight. It might be a drop in the ocean, it might be good to get re-distribution of wealth across the world, but those are long-term objectives. Whilst we can vote for them and buy produce and goods from Traidcraft or similar, in the meantime the CR funds will be saving lives and improving life chances, with education and healthcare and giving respite to young carers in this country too.

Too few people give to charity (though everybody here seem to be regular givers) but even if CR is irregular in its appeal, it still raises funds that save lives. I don't mind if people don't love CR to bits or find it funny (though some bits of it were very good last night) - something that will save a person's life or eyesight is a good thing.

There is more work to be done on educating people about charitable giving (and especially children) so that one-off cash donations aren't the sole way that people tick off their "charity duty", but it doesn't mean that things like CR are to be derided or scorned.

LDNMumm I absolutely sympathize with your plea. People wanting a change is one big step. Knowing how to change is another. Elections are not rigged just at the point of ballot/counting. Elections are rigged at the point when opposition leaders are not allowed the same air time or financial resources to bring their pov. People should be educated to recognize this and stand up against it.

Look, i am not trying to excuse anyone, I just think that there are important issues and there are issues that are a smoke screen. Look at the arms issue. Who (apart from tiny minority) was shouting about UK selling arms to Libya 2 years ago. Now the situation is different. Do you think ANY politician will risk being associated with the sale of arms to Gaddafi? Why? What has changed? I tell you, people came out on the streets.

I am also not british by birth. I have taking parts in anti-government demonstrations in my youth, risking my life (although i did not know that at the time). there will be no change until one not only decides on the change but also is prepared to go and fight for it.

sorry, lots of typos hope you got the gist

Well said badgercub, I was about to post the same thing myself.

Poverty and aid are extremely complex issues with complex solutions. But shaking your head and saying that aid does nothing, when it demonstrably does a great deal (visit any development agency's website for success stories) helps no one. Charities like Comic Relief are development experts with years of expertise.

And I wish people would stop choosing to believe that the money is given directly to governments, when you'll find that many agencies give the money directly to small NGOs operating in the relevant country who then with the support of the UK charity spend it on appropriate development programmes.

so what can your average joe do to help then?

buy fairtrade products?

not bother giving to overseas charities as there is no point?

impotence is a horrible feeling.

baskingseals "not bother giving to overseas charities as there is no point?"

What exact point would that be? If you are trying to change the world order, then giving 5£ to CR will not achieve it even if we all do it. If you feel like you would like to help even a little tiny bit communities that are currently suffering, then why not? It will reach the right people if you choose your charities wisely.

If only people like LDNMumm were more involved in organising and even presenting comic relief and in putting these salient points across as opposed to white media types then I'd have far less of a problem with it. African people should be explaining what's going on in these countries and what really causes poverty. Corporate, vested interests and colonialism. If these aren't dealt with there's no hope and it's sticking a bandaid on a gaping festering wound. This doesn't mean we shouldn't give and I've never stated that but we need to be told the full facts and not just emotionally blackmailed and bullied by filthy rich slebs into parting with our cash.

I agree with charitable giving but it will never end while the rulers of the countries do not invest in their own people.Barring natural disasters it is the same countries needing aid that we were giving aid to 40 years ago,nothing has got better for these people.

bullied

WTF?

I really think that's going far too far!

We had some entertaining television and some emotionally draining stuff - all designed not only to show us the situation in Africa but also to give us a reason to donate some money.

In what way can this possibly be construed as bullying?

YABU.

Can I take this opportunity to point out the obvious?

There is a switch on your TV GLasnost, if it offends you that much, just turn it off!

Or is that too easy?