Live 8 support

I read on the BBC that there is a fair bit of opposition to Bob Geldoff's planned Live 8 concerts, and although I admit there are probably alterior motives for the concerts going ahead (eg the stars get to make money), I have these questions for the nay-sayers:

1. Would you be willing to travel hundreds of miles and pay for transport, tickets and accommodation, to see a bunch of artists that - while they may be great performers and artists - you have never heard of?
2. Is it not logical to target people with money to spare (middle-aged professional baby-boomers) as the potential punters for said concerts?
3. Who benefits if the concerts don't go ahead?

I do agree with Baaba Maal, who says that more Africans should be involved, but note that he sees the pontential sales of records by African artists at the chief concern. And if Damon Albarn, whose recent work is rampantly commercial, is unimpressed, how much of his income and time is he shovelling into charities for Africa?
What a bunch of ingrates! Geldoff could have just walked away from the situation. His character shows through his actions. It takes a person of good moral standing to do the right thing in the face of criticism. No, the concerts don't do much to combat the corruption that is rife in many ailing African nations, but I don't think that was ever a likely proposition. As for Albarn's comment that the events will perpetuate the idea of Africa as a "failing, ill" place, I think that the real culprit is western indifference and the aforementioned corruption. These are the reasons that Africa is falling to bits. Years of civil war and tribal slaughter. Failing crops and land mines. The spread of AIDS because the people just won't heed the consequences. Who can stop all that?

Thought for the day:

"All that is required for evil to prevail, is for good men to stand by and do nothing" - Edmund Burke (paraphrased)