How to make Bono even more unbearable

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Give him an honorary knighthood

He lectures countries on how much to donate to Africa, yet he does this. (the bit about relocation, not the unsightly tower) Worse is that U2 have not made a decent album since Joshua Tree.

 

How much money does Ireland donate, to Africa. Or better, what percentage of money would Ireland donate to Africa?

Last time I checked Ireland was not Africa. I don't see how moving assets to Africa in order to avoid paying tax to the Irish government is hypocritical towards promoting donations to go to Africa.

 

I don't know a British or Irish artist that keeps their money in their home country. Aren't the taxes like 40% or something?

I can take small comfort that he won't be called 'Sir'.

I haven't figured out why Bono doesn't donate his earnings or the earning of U2 as a whole to pay off third world debts. Last I heard of U2 ticket prices was $50 US for the nosebleed seats in Ames.

 

Whats this got to do with Ireland? Ireland is not Africa as you say, and Bono is not Ireland.

What is hypocritical is that Bono expects others to do what he will not do ie donate money to the poor in Africa. He is so greedy that he moved his assets to Holland so that his huge pile of €s will be even larger.

This thread is more to do with Bono being a wanker in general than anything else.

 

-A 100m tower for 'luxury duplex(?) apartments' and the band's new studio, in a city that's pretty much entirely three-story buildings.

-Transferring personal assets out of the British Isles to Holland to enjoy low personal tax rates.

Has anyone ever thought to introduce Mr. Hewson to the term "lead by example" regarding his crusade to get wealthy countries to absolve poor countries' debt?


EDIT:

Well, doesn't that just make it APT that he's been invited into an English knightly order?

 

Like anyone with money would want it to be taken away by taxes. I think its perfectly fine that he is trying to evade high taxes (according to that article, even higher for artists...). Anyways, won't it just give him more money to give to Africa?

 

The tax rate is still very low in Ireland, just not as low as Holland, and besides, he should feel proud to support Ireland's economy, as Ireland had supported his band early in their career.

Anyway Bono may raise money for Africa, but he personally contributes nothing at all, unless patronizing lectures count.

Edit: On his last tour of Belfast, I noticed that he did nothing for the homeless Roma's and Eastern Europeans. He just drove on...

 

How much money do YOU give to Africa? I don't like Bono, but he's doing more for charities than most of us are, so we can hardly point fingers at him.

 

Hah, yeah, anything he does is far more than any of us can do, so why should we complain? Because he isn't doing even more?

 

I agree with Harbs and Saber. He personally might not give all that much but what he has created (eg Team Red) and what he has persuaded governments to do (eg persuading the Bush administration to donate $16 billion to the aids in Africa fund) is more than the average person and certainly more than most other bands in the world.

I think that your expecting too much of him Cúchulainn.

 

Expecting him to practice what he preaches is too much?

 

That's your opinion and you are entitled to it. But I've been a U2 fan for years, and their latest stuff is still quite good, and that's my opinion.

Yes, this is the age of character assassination, and any public figure can be painted with a brush which portrays him or her as a "wanker." At the end of the day, I have to agree with HB - What is it that you have done that's so special lately?

 

Well, if you look at how much Bono gives as a percentage of his wealth to Africa, it probably wouldn't appear quite as spectacular. But that doesn't change my opinion that any money put towards charitable causes is useful money, IMO. Bono trying to get others to do the same and avoiding high taxes to perhaps sweeten the deal on his end doesn't seem like much of a crime to me, but that's just my two cents.

 

Hes not the only one that gives money to charity. Bill Gates has given a lot more, and I don't just mean in terms of $'s, yet you don't see him making a big deal about it.

When I do something for charity, I don't feel the need to make everyone aware of what I am doing. Its lame to give to charity just to show how much of a 'good person' you are. There are many people in this world that give much money or time to a particular cause, and they don't feel the need to broadcast it.

 

I'm in the 'Bono is a wanker' camp.

Yes, I am not doing anything to help the starving people in Africa. However, I do not make a big deal about how I do. Bono has plenty of money and could certainly do far more than he does - which is basically to make a loud noise until other people do something. If you're going to make that loud a noise about how you're doing things, you actually have to do things...

And besides ... take off the glasses! Sheesh...

 

He's actually Cyclops the X-men's half brother, so if he takes off the glasses, lasers will come from his eyes.


I think we have better things to do than argue about Bono's donations or lack thereof.

 

If we had better things to do, we wouldn't be posting on a gaming forum.

 

Frankly I think the guy is... well... not a saint but he's certainly a boon to this world. I world with Bono is certainly a world better than one without.

So he's trying to avoid taxes. I don't think I've ever met a person who DOESN'T try to avoid taxes. I can't exactly paint it as a grevious sin or even immoral if everyone does it.

 

Talk about tall poppy syndrome.

I can't stand Bono, but the criticism in this thread is so misdirected. So what if he makes a big deal about it? There are much easier ways to make "himself look good". He's bringing attention to issues, getting involved, and doing more than just throwing money everywhere.