Protests about U2 Playing

[Leedspete]

Well, obviously there's no one size fits all solution - but less globalisation rather than more might help. What's been happening in recent years in Latin America (Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela (at least, until Chavez went off the rails) might point the way forward - if the IMF/World Bank and the various other vested Western interests don't coup, boycott or sanction those governments out of existence. But anything that goes against the current global metapolicy (i.e. free market fundamentalism) immediately ruffles feathers and the G8 start to circle the wagons.

[DiscoDolly]

God forbid you have money but still have a social conscience.. Best to sit in silence and keep your head down like the w*nkers in the city who are still sitting laughing all the way to the bank. Bonos tax avoidance isnt the reason for Irelands problems. Performers and the uber rich have done exactly the same for decades and its barely raised an eyebrow. The loopholes and laws are made by the tossers we vote into power so at the end of the day we are responsible for allowing it to happen.

Give me a man like Bono anyday over the likes of Cameron and Hague or Blair.

[CaledonianGonzo]

It's interesting (from a detached POV) when someone does make noise about going off on a different route and, as you say, ruffles a few feathers.

It's like people forget that for someone to be the leader (like USA have been, and China are becoming), someone has to get shafted first, like Britain was after WW2 by the Americans to ensure the dollar crushed the pound. So the cosy view of "this is how it should work" isn't so cosy, because for everyone to get something out of it, some people have to get a lot more than others, otherwise it wouldn't work.

I'm all for everyone doing their own thing, it's just those vested Western interests won't allow it, but it's going to be interesting 100 years from now when the whole thing has shifted considerably.

[glasgowpete]

This thread has brought out quite a perspective on how people view the glastonbury experience.

Really, as long as no ones going out there way to disrupt an experience, whats the problem should a group try to highlight the issue of tax evasion? and i notice its not a direct protest against u2 being there, its more highlight tax evasion in general.. granted using u2 to do this, but why not being a high profile act?

Glastonbury is about politics, for many people. there will be people using this weekend to discuss politics, meet up, highlight causes etc all weekend. even attending a rave is bloody political.

each to their own, agree or disagree is not the question. it shouldnt be frowned upon or looked at with contempt should some people decide to do this,

so down with comments like people who do this should "get a job" (stereotypical shit), i spend my £500 and i want protest left behind ill do it elsewhere etc... get a grip. its not going to disrupt your weekend.. and glastonbury is built on people raising awareness.. the rights or wrongs of dont matter to me, i dont agree with every cause thats highlighted the entire weekend. as long as its not disruptive of the set i see no issue with any protest. Get off your clouds, its about diversity, right to highlight issues that people see fit.. and i will be walking past plenty of political protest all weekend that i wont agree with, but it wont disrupt my festival.

rave on.

)

[CitizenErased]

I'd love to see a front bench cabinet made up from everybody in this thread! It'd be a scream!!!

Could claim my Tracy island on expenses, it'd be the "I am" of all second homes scandals.

[muddyslingbax]

This thread has brought out quite a perspective on how people view the glastonbury experience.

Really, as long as no ones going out there way to disrupt an experience, whats the problem should a group try to highlight the issue of tax evasion? and i notice its not a direct protest against u2 being there, its more highlight tax evasion in general.. granted using u2 to do this, but why not being a high profile act?

Glastonbury is about politics, for many people. there will be people using this weekend to discuss politics, meet up, highlight causes etc all weekend. even attending a rave is bloody political.

each to their own, agree or disagree is not the question. it shouldnt be frowned upon or looked at with contempt should some people decide to do this,

so down with comments like people who do this should "get a job" (stereotypical shit), i spend my £500 and i want protest left behind ill do it elsewhere etc... get a grip. its not going to disrupt your weekend.. and glastonbury is built on people raising awareness.. the rights or wrongs of dont matter to me, i dont agree with every cause thats highlighted the entire weekend. as long as its not disruptive of the set i see no issue with any protest. Get off your clouds, its about diversity, right to highlight issues that people see fit.. and i will be walking past plenty of political protest all weekend that i wont agree with, but it wont disrupt my festival.

rave on.

)

[tylerdurden]

Isn't Adele getting unanimously slated for tax avoidance in another thread?

I Don't see why it suddenly becomes justifiable when it's the (far richer) U2 who are doing it.

I'm not too clued up with regards to the finer details of this tax issue though, I must say.

This forum does make me laugh when a serious subject comes up though, reminds me of the townspeople in South Park...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fEjJ4Ecy9Q

Be nice ! None of us are gunna make it out alive anyway people!

[Gnomicide]

HUGE protest! H.U.G.E..

Must be true if it's in the Daily Mail.

[Kyelo]

Hate to say it but I agree with Bono on this one

[paulo999]

Hate to say it but I agree with Bono on this one

[Simon1803201]

Didn't read the whole thread. Too many ridiculous opinions on both sides.

My view though is only a f**king moron wouldn't try to pay as little tax as possible. If you're not breaking the law you're doing absolutely nothing wrong. You pay the tax you're legally required to pay, any more than that is silly.

Fact is, it's the system that's the problem, there are many tax loopholes which perhaps should be closed, but that's a different story. If the loopholes are there, and you are able to use them, of *course* you'd take them! Only an idiot wouldn't.

Oh, and any protest isn't going to spoil anyone's enjoyment of anything. Get real.

Especially not me, the Pyramid Stage would be one of the last places in the world I'd want to be during U2's set.

Edited June 6, 2011 by Simon1803201

[jamiejc]

Blah blah blah, too be honest didn't read the thread, Just want to have lot's fun in a field with other like minded people...

Life has to many problems to be dealing with has it is... once inside the fence forget the world even though it's for little while! just enjoy!

Edited June 6, 2011 by jamiejc

[Winston Legthigh]

Pretty depressed by all the comments by people saying they think this protest is inappropriate because they want to forget the outside world while they're at Glastonbury.

Not just because this issue is important, but because it presumably means that at every single previous festival these people have failed to notice the huge campaigns by the likes of WaterAid, Oxfam, Shelter, MSF et al.

[danbailey80]

Additionally, Bono wrote the foreword to Jeffrey Sach's The End of Poverty - a book advocating the usual Hayekian neoliberal shock-therapy: liberalisation, privatisation, tax cuts, the usual.

I won't try and dissuade you with links as you seem not value them, but just because an opinion is 'mainstream' doesn't make it indisputable. Maybe you just swallowed the message you were supposed to.

Instead, have a picture:

Edited June 6, 2011 by danbailey80

[Spindles]

I know nothing about the Irish tax system, that much is for sure. However a friend of mine is an accountant. He's quite boring.

[Spindles]

I think the day that wateraid think that the way to get their message across is to dump raw sewage on the crowd at a headliner (for example) people will start looking at them in a different way.

Glastonbury is political and protest is part of it's history (ask vincent bethell), but I think people are saying that it is about the manner of this protest, since the consideration is that what is intended as an attack on U2 is something that could reduce the enjoyment and therefore be a punishment of the crowd, who are not the people the protest is targeted at.

Everyone on both sides really has focussed on bono's personal tax and charity work, however we have all (myself included) ignored the fact that the protest is about the band, who are a business entity and managed by someone who is notoriously tight and shrewd with money. Aint none of us an expert, I'm sure, but we are entitled to our often only lightly informed opinions as much as others are entitled to disagree with them.

[fur_q]

Didn't read the whole thread. Too many ridiculous opinions on both sides.

My view though is only a f**king moron wouldn't try to pay as little tax as possible. If you're not breaking the law you're doing absolutely nothing wrong. You pay the tax you're legally required to pay, any more than that is silly.

Fact is, it's the system that's the problem, there are many tax loopholes which perhaps should be closed, but that's a different story. If the loopholes are there, and you are able to use them, of *course* you'd take them! Only an idiot wouldn't.

Oh, and any protest isn't going to spoil anyone's enjoyment of anything. Get real.

Especially not me, the Pyramid Stage would be one of the last places in the world I'd want to be during U2's set.

[geebus]

Pretty depressed by all the comments by people saying they think this protest is inappropriate because they want to forget the outside world while they're at Glastonbury.

[russycarps]

Yep, a lot of the opinions in this thread are just what I'd expect from the majority of glastonbury goers these days.

Quoting from page1: "i really dont give a fuk ,if i was ever brilliant at anything and could avoid paying tax i fukin would and so would 99% of people"

That should be put on a tshirt and handed out at the gates along with your wristbands.

[strudders]

God still banging on!!!! Wow I am impressed.

Replace u2 and stick on chumbawamba, then we can all have a guilt free experience.

[denwyn]

I know nothing about the Irish tax system, that much is for sure. However a friend of mine is an accountant. He's quite boring.

[Winston Legthigh]

I don't think that's the basis of their argument.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Thanks for the picture, I've changed my mind now. I can't believe how ignorant I've been, swallowing the lies. If only I'd read as much as you. I'll now be down the front with a flag. There's also a picture of him with Bush having a chat and even a handshake - how dare he the evil bastard? Well he dares because that particular chat convinced Bush to give $5 billion. Which is a bit more than using a forum as a vehicle to patronise people.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Would it be better - generally - if Water-Aid, Oxfam, etc didn't exist, and Glastonbury didn't support them?

[Winston Legthigh]

Glastonbury has the best part of 200,00 people, covering many different viewpoints. Some care about some things, some about others... some won't care about anything.

Why is this a surprise to anyone?