I don’t want to comment specifically on Madonna’s Malawian mission (though I can’t help noting this fascinating tidbit she’s using to counter the human rights lawsuits against her – she told Oprah that there were no adoption laws in Malawi, and that the government made them up for her). And I’ve resisted the temptation to illustrate this post with a piccie of Madonna because I can do the gratuitous Angelina photo and make the same point.
But what I think is more important than the celebrity adoption debate is the debate (that gets nowhere near as much play) as to whether celebrity calls for aid to Africa do harm (unintended harm, that is – the last thing I want to do is impugn people’s motives or discourage non-celebrity people from doing what they can to alleviate poverty and injustice).
Last year at LP we had a bit of a debate about this – around Bob Geldof’s campaign [see this thread and this one]. There’ve been some interesting points made at Open Democracy by Michael Holman who worked with Geldof on Live Aid way back when.
I’m not necessarily endorsing Holman’s arguments but they’re worth debating. One of the more interesting is that aid would be unnecessary if Africa had free trade.
there is a danger that the attention given to celebrities’ involvement is a distraction from the debate that should be taking place: about the fact that aid does not work in Africa.
The second, related concern is that the publicity surrounding celebrities tends to obscure discussion of whether aid has contributed to – or in some cases even caused – Africa’s problems.
The second, related concern is that the publicity surrounding celebrities tends to obscure discussion of whether aid has contributed to – or in some cases even caused – Africa’s problems.
The third concern is that the alliance of celebrity involvement and aid strategy in Africa is diminishing, or will diminish, the continent’s self-confidence.
He has a fair bit of argument to back up these points, so I’d encourage people to read his article. But for those of you who’ve been waiting for the gratuitous Angelina photo, here it is…
<img src="http://larvatusprodeo.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/angelina-jolie-ann-curry02.jpg"
There is never anything gratuitous about an Angelina photo.
They are a strictly necessary part of life.
The most distressing thing for me is the position of David’s father. He didn’t have the means to support his child on a daily basis and who, like many local parents in a similar position, put his child with the orphanage on the basis that the kid would get a regular feed and a solid education. Now he faces the prospect of only seeing his child through cheesy publicity shots. When the near-inevitable headlines MADONNA SON SEX DRUGS SHOCK appear, think of the man who is utterly powerless to raise his son in such a way as to avoid such a fate.
The article and its author brings Noel Pearson to mind…..
The article makes some good points.
Australia is also as guilty of contributing to the strip-mining of poorer countries for its educated cohort. We make no apologies for it but have made it the raison d’etre and of our migration program.
DIMIA’s mission statement is:
And so they do, without regard to the ethics of stealing the output of another country’s education spend. I bet we make a decent return on our Aid investment – fronted by celebs or otherwise.
The DIMIA 2005-2006 Report crows that they are on track to deliver $35 billion thru to Australia’s bottom line over the next ten years of their current immigration strategy.
PDF
That’s quite an interesting point WBB and I’m ashamed to say I hadn’t ever thought of things that way.
I know I said I wouldn’t talk about this, but I just saw the new Madonna clip on JTV…
Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
“The DIMIA 2005-2006 Report crows that they are on track to deliver $35 billion thru to Australia’s bottom line over the next ten years of their current immigration strategy.”
Yup, and all the States are now competing on attracting skilled migrants. They boast to eachother about this at COAG meetings. Victoria’s now pulling 1 in 3 of skilled migrants to Oz. In yer face Queensland.
I dunno, Nabs, QLD has picked some pretty handy medicos recently.
Don’t get too cocky, wbb.
Scratch the surface of Victorian hospitals and you might find… ?
“Scratch the surface of Victorian hospitals and you might find… ”
Indians?
PS –
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20660946-2,00.html
Big juicy bone for you Rover!
What’s wrong with Madonna’s brain? Hasn’t she ever seen what happened to poor little Charlie in “Citizen Kane”?
Rosebud…