A Letter to Bono

Dear Bono,

I appreciate your involvement in fighting poverty. You are pretty good at embarrassing governments into giving more to Third World Countries. As you said to our former Prime Minister and your friend Paul Martin, you would be “a pain in the ass” if he didn’t keep his commitment.

In spite of your efforts, I don’t think it is working. As food prices rise, rioting is starting to break out in Haiti and Kenya. Freedom is being threatened in Zimbabwe. The world doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

As we feed more and more people in the Third World, the population seems to be increasing while the population is in decline in many wealthier countries, particularly those with strict immigration policies.

We need your help. No, I am not talking about another concert broadcast around the world by your rock buddies. It’s amazing how they assemble every four years or so, get everybody excited then seem to disappear into their mansions after persuading the masses to dig deeply into their pockets.

What I ask you and your cronies to do is to become more involved in these poverty-stricken countries.

Why don’t a few of you get the artists of the world together with a guy like Richard Branson and figure out a way you can start industries in these places? Provide the people with jobs so they can afford food and proper medical care. Find ways to keep the bright young minds from coming to places like Canada. Sink your collective money into creating industries.

I know it won’t be easy. You will have to deal with dictators, corruption and criminals. Along the way you may appreciate the obstacles non-government and government organizations face. You can do it. Of course, being a “pain in the ass” is easier when somebody is actually a nice guy. It’s much more difficult when you are doing it to thugs.

While you’re at it, why not get a few athletes involved. Plenty of them make lots of money too. For example, talk to Tiger Woods about creating his own line of clothing made in Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the world.

Oh, and one final word. Help get these workers in all Third World countries fair working conditions and wages. That means you will have to be a “pain in the ass” to companies like Walmart. You have some clout, though. You could forbid any of your music to be sold in stores buying goods from exploited people.

So, it’s up to you, Bono. It’s time to get your hands dirty and get to the root of the problem. I hope I am not being “a pain in the ass”, but if I am I think you should be able to forgive me.

Sincerely yours,
Johnny V.

P.S. Sorry if I keep getting you confused with the late Sonny Bono, even though you pronounce your name differently.