Live 8

Not quite the same vibe I remember from Live Aid in 1985, but still a great idea and some great music. Since that seminal event (which was a highlight of my teenage years) I have had the opportunity to visit Africa and have developed a sincere interest in the issues of extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS which are taking such a toll on that continent.

The scope of the problem is largely unknown to many Americans. Take for example, South Africa. Did you know that 22% of the population of South Africa is HIV positive? That's almost one in four people. How many AIDS orphans are trying to head households of 5, 6, 8 and more brothers and sisters? What are their prospects for getting an education or a good job? What are their prospects for turning to crime? Or joining forces with bankrupt ideologies which may pose a threat on our own shores? Until you have visited a South African township and seen firsthand how the cycle of poverty is nearly inescapable for all but the lucky few, it is little more than an abstraction.

While there's certainly something discomfiting about watching Brad Pitt trot out onto the stage wearing a $300 pair of sunglasses or hearing Snoop Dogg claim he "represents Africa" or seeing Madonna use a young Ethiopian woman as a "prop" while singing "Like a Prayer" (wait, Sim, I thought only Republicans used props?), I try to look past all of that to see the larger cause. And bringing the world's attention to this issue is of paramount importance. It's nothing short of a national security issue.

The world can do more to aid Africa. The tsunami showed what can be accomplished. The money is clearly there, all that seems to be lacking is the will. George Bush has done a lot. But he and the rest of the G8 can and should do more. I urge you to go here and sign the petition.

UPDATE: If none of the above convinced you, maybe this will. The Crue rox.