Letters: Mar. 25, 2002

Bono's Mission

"After 20-plus years of great music, the melody that Bono has found to combat poverty and AIDS is undeniably his greatest hit." JAY HEIMBACH Alexandria, Va.

Thanks for the terrific article on U2's Bono and his efforts to save Africa from financial ruin [MUSIC, March 4]. He's not a saint. He is a hardworking, real man, using his gifts to inspire us in song and make a difference in the world. Some issues are so overwhelming that most of us don't even try to fix them. Bono can't save the world by himself, but like others who have shown the way, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi, he is proving that one man can make a difference. CAROLINE HARTMAN Minnetonka, Minn.

Bono may be smarter, better informed and more committed than other cause-happy celebrities, but Africa's problems are larger than his ego. After living in Africa nearly six years, I returned to the U.S. with more questions than answers. But you don't have to live there to know that the continent is rife with corruption and that most foreign aid does little to enrich the life of the average African. Debt relief is a noble idea, but until Africa can rid itself of corrupt autocrats, it will probably be just another way for those leaders to beef up their fat Swiss bank accounts. MOLLY LEUSCHEL St. Albans, Vt.

In a society in which we seem to spend more time talking about what Britney Spears is (or isn't) wearing and who in Hollywood is sleeping with whom, it is refreshing to see someone with Bono's influence and fame doing something positive. Bravo, Bono! DANA M. CAIN Port Orchard, Wash.

I am a longtime U2 fan, not just because of the band's music but also because of their politics, their message and their Christian hearts. Can Bono make a difference? Not by himself. But the world is a better place because people like him are doing something positive. Bono's celebrity status may get him in the door, but his brains and his sincere heart are what keeps him at the table. LISA RENNINGER Bartlett, Ill.

Bono is more than a pop icon, more than a rock god, more than my idol. He's a guy who cares about the world around him and fights to right its wrongs. And that's what makes him so damn cool! CHRISTINE CRESPO Davie, Fla.

I am a 24-year-old Nigerian and have often viewed celebrities' "concern" for Africa with annoyance. My reaction to Bono was different; I was impressed. He is right in advocating not just debt relief but also the lowering of trade restrictions on African countries. What Africa needs is not gifts of fish but fair access to the fishing pond. AMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE Mansfield, Conn.

--Can a pop star be a legitimate political activist? Some of you were skeptical to the point of scorn. "How easy it is for a windbag celebrity, who pays no price for being wrong, to throw his fame around and make grand pronouncements," criticized a reader from Georgia. "The court jester may attend important meetings," wrote a Floridian, "but he is still just a clown." Suggested a Louisianian: "If Bono wants to help the poor, he should start by selling his expensive sunglasses and wristwatch. Mother Teresa he's not." And a Minnesotan was downright caustic: "Can Bono save the world? Sure, when Cher cures cancer and Britney Spears has a plan for peace in the Middle East." Ouch.

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