I see that Sir “give us your fucking money NOW*” Bob is challenging the idea that Live Aid money was siphoned off for weapons.
Bob Geldof has challenged the BBC to substantiate its report that millions raised for famine relief in Ethiopia were diverted to pay for weapons.
The campaigner, who led the Western relief effort in the 80s, said there was “not a shred of evidence” Band Aid or Live Aid money was siphoned off.
The report included claims 95% of the $100m (£66m) sent to the province of Tigray was used by rebels to buy arms.
I know which I believe as being the most likely – and it ain’t Sir Bob. Indeed, at the time I didn’t give to Live Aid because I suspected that money would be siphoned off by various kleptomaniacs for their own purposes. Besides, what Africa needs isn’t aid, it’s trade.
And, as if I didn’t need any other excuse not to give my hard earned to this charity, when I heard Bob Geldof saying “Give us your fucking money NOW*” he absolutely guaranteed that his charity would never, under any circumstances whatever, receive a mite from me. You want; you ask nicely. Demands like that get a two-finger salute.
I’m very picky about the charities I give to – Africa isn’t included. Neither is any charity that takes the taxpayer pound.
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Update: I don’t give to any of those tedious “yetanotherthons” either. If all those overpaid celebs think the cause is so wonderful, they can dig into their own pockets rather than giving their supposedly precious time for free and expecting us to cough up…again.
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*See comments
“when I heard Bob Geldof saying “Give us your fucking money””
You actually heard that did you? Impressive considering he never said it.
Okay so it was two quotes rolled into one.
Makes no difference, though, to the point I am making. people who make demands – and “give us the money now” is a demand – get a two-finger salute accompanied by a firm “no”.
The only charity I give to is “medicine sans frontier” always the first into any disaster and seem to treat without fear or favour. I once read the only charity that should be given to Africa is condoms and education supplies, never money.