Bono

On the way back, in Jinja I bought a copy of The East African - partly for a newspaper to read, but mostly because it had a picture of Bono, talking to some nurses in a hospital. He was gesturing, doing the big-picture Bono thing. I wonder what the people at the hospital thought? But it also seems Bono is real in how he deals with people; I think he wants to take some steps in their shoes, not just hand them a check. This doesn't all relate exactly to Karamoja, but the whole idea of Western aid and especially Western intervention has been on my mind. (I re-watched Hotel Rwanda last night with a friend. That'll get you thinking. What does our responsibility to our neightbor look like, when now the world is basically our neighbor?)

Anyway, Bono (the "biggest rock star in the world," lead singer for U2) has been passionate about Africa for much longer than I have, and even if I wouldn't agree with everything he says, he gives a lot to consider. I've got a lot of respect for him, and for aid organizations who are really serving people - not trying to enforce Western ideals of democracy, what, what, through their giving. (Unfortunately many NGOs are out of favor in Uganda right now because they were very vocal about not supporting Museveni when he ran for another term - it didn't seem democratic enough.)

Here are some quotes from Bono: in conversation with Michka Assayas:

There are lots of issues going on in Africa. It's complex. There's corruption, there are problems of their own making, but there are problems of our making for them, and then there're problems we could easily solve for them. [medicine for those with AIDS, for one thing.]

What is going on in Africa defies all concepts that we hold to be true: our concept of neighbor, our concept of civilization, our concept of equality, our concept of love...You can't have the benefits of globalization without some of the responsibilities.

It's a mind blowing concept that the God who created the Universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma...

Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: he was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to stay along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammand, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn't allow you that. He doesn't let you off the hook. Christ says: No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me a teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet. I'm saying: 'I'm the Messiah.' I'm saying, "I am God incarnate.'" And the people say: No, no, please, just be a prophet...So what you're left with is either Christ was who He said He was - the Messiah - or a complete nutcase...The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me, that's farfetched.

Ejoka nooi.