Sounds and Fury

昨天紐約時報民意論壇版找了一些歐洲的意見領袖來談布希該如何贏回歐洲的心，意外的是，在哪些媒體主編、學者之外，還有我們可能被提名諾貝爾獎的Bono。
這裡我要再替他說一句話，很多沒有follow Bono努力呼籲世界解決非洲貧窮的人，會認為他們這種明星很容易運用他們的知名度會做一些公益。但其實Bono今天有這種地位並不是這麼簡單。我曾提過，美國前財政部長歐尼爾本來對一個搖滾樂手來談這些援助問題很不屑，哈佛經濟學家Barro（很多人都讀過他的總經教科書）也在他前年出版的散文集提到他本來不願意跟這些明星談話，但後來他們兩人都被Bono對問題的深刻掌握所折服。
這個報紙文章也讓我想到前兩年，英國衛報找了兩個人在論壇版上談全球化，一個是諾貝爾獎得主Stiglitz，另一個，嘿嘿，是英國搖滾樂隊RadioHead主唱（他們的文章我有在聲音與憤怒一書中引用）。

February 20, 2005
OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR
Give a Little
By BONO


EUROPE is securing its ports, steeling itself for an American charm offensive. Over the coming days, President Bush and his hosts will shake hands, slap backs, make toasts. But if the United States and Europe really want to repair their relationship, they should look to another continent: Africa.
Both America and Europe have a stake in preventing African states from crumbling. Both have an interest in ending the poverty that breeds violence. And both feel a moral obligation to stop the hemorrhaging of life.
Aren't those shared interests obvious? Not lately. We lament - but secretly indulge - our differences. Points of tension are points of pride. Snottiness is the new patriotism.
So what can Mr. Bush do? Well, he can clear up some confusion about America's basic beliefs. Americans are overtly devout. And yet Europeans, who inhabit a more secular world, give more per capita than Americans to what the Bible calls "the least of these" - the world's poor. The United States is in 22nd place, last in the class of donor nations. (Add private philanthropy and it's up to 15th.) Europeans see the discrepancy, and they smell hypocrisy.
President Bush should try to help Europeans understand American generosity. He should remind people that the United States has gotten more AIDS drugs to more Africans than anyone else. But he should also underscore that Americans want to ensure that the money is spent responsibly.
To Europeans, this "tough love" approach seems cruel. But there is compassion at its core. Mr. Bush can demonstrate this by putting more financial muscle behind his push for "accountability." If he does, Europeans will follow suit. They will see talking tough on poverty as a perfect rhyme for talking tough on terrorism. If Europe and America work together, a breakthrough for Africa is within reach. Then, other obstacles will fall away - as will the misconceptions that blind us to one another.
Bono, a singer for the band U2, is the founder of DATA, which campaigns against AIDS and poverty in Africa.


延伸閱讀
Poseidon這裡有對Bono的追蹤報導和辛苦的翻譯
災難、不平等與全球化
Bono想要解救第三世界？