Thursday, June 02, 2005

Matt's Moments

Hmm it’s a funny thing life. Well that’s what I thought as I watched the beginning of this years Big Brother. All those hundreds of people who queued up for a chance to bare all quite literally on national television. What makes a person want to go through Eleven weeks of humiliation in front of the nation? I can hear you all shouting The Money the Money the Money, but I’m not sure I think they would all be there if there were no money. And some would turn up if they were told they had to pay for the privilege.

In recent years it seems that more and more people have become obsessed with being famous. And in return fame has become more accessible to all. We spend more time looking at what people wear and how they look rather than who they are and do they need help.

It just so happens that I am writing this on the day that. Sir Bob G has announced a number of concerts around the globe on the 2nd of July to highlight what is happening in Africa. Just to put it into context the Tsunami that happened on Boxing day last year killed one hell of a lot of people. And the world rallied around to help, and so we all should. But that number of people is dying every year in Africa and has done for the past Thirty odd years. And we are more interested in what Victoria Beckham has covering her stretch marks. Come on people get a sense of proportion. When I first heard about the concerts I was very pleased I thought “That’s great we can all focus on what is happening to the poor. I also thought about all those bands that will be in the same place at the same time. The thought of being there is quite exciting. The band line up is impressive and it’s not just happening in the well off south. So all those who bang on about the inequality of the divide between the North and South can shut up. And I am very happy about the way tickets are being allocated. Using mobile phones and text messaging to a special line and quiz. It seems fair and won’t depend on just a few lucky people getting through and booking blocks of tickets and reselling them on Ebay. It all starts on the Sixth of June, go on give it a go if you are lucky you can tell your Grandchildren in years to come. I like lots wear one of those white bands, and this blog has the stripe across the top right of the screen. Make Poverty history is the slogan and it’s a very worthy cause. But then I thought about it and I got quite cross and angry. Actually very cross and quite pissed off. Why? Well let me tell you. Michael Burke’s original report about the famine in the Sudan hit our screens back in eighty-four. It’s now Two thousand and five and we are still looking at this problem. People are still dying and governments are still not committed to ending the deaths in Africa. It’s not as if it’s come as a surprise. “Oh look Africa is in the shit people have started to die lets do something about it”. No this has been in our faces for the last Twenty years.

Now I’m not saying I am a saint, I like seeing what the fashions are as much as the next mans. And I can sit down and watch Thirteen wannabe’s copulate for the public for hours on end. But I do think we need to do something this time. Twenty-year is plenty of time to have started to solve the problems. Even some of the problems of the third world. Actually any of the problems.
The fact that governments don’t do what is right until they are made to take notice is quite appalling. I say made to take notice what I mean is shamed into some sort of action. And its not the big multi nationals or a body like the UN that gets thing done. Its ordinary people like you who voice their opinions about a subject that matters. The only reason that governments change things is if they think the people who put them in power aren’t going to do it again. We the people can and should act. It’s a moral issue and above all that it’s just the correct thing to do. These people are your neighbours, this planet is very small. “There but for the grace of God go I” as the saying says. Lobby your MP, March on the summit in Edinburgh, the Third World needs our help and we in the west can afford it. But what we can’t afford is not to do it.
Matt

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

well I am reading this late at night matt and I have to say what a moving truthful blog you have wrote. I agree with everything you say however i find it shameful that no one else has made a comment on here tonight and im the first.
so it seems that when people write rubbish on here sorry friends and neil yes some of it is rubbish just like big brother this year people make comments but when someone has something moving and intelligent to say lime matt tonight ummm no comments well that just sayd alot about people writing on here.
I suspect I am going to upset a few people with these comments but hey the truth hurts. well done matt a fantastic blog the best ever martin

piddy77 said...

martin, i think between us we have shocked everybody into submission!..thanks for the ind comments about matts blog x

piddy77 said...

sorry, that was meant to say 'kind' comments...

Anonymous said...

well i read the blog while at work and have just got home to make a comment - wow i was touched a truly moving article it made me cry i agree with everything you say Matt and have been signed up to make poverty history for months now.

A child dies every three seconds from extreme poverty.

In our prosperous world this is a scandal.

Lets end it now 20 years is not good enough how many more years must these people suffer.