Do They Know How Annoyed I Am?

Okay, I was a little peeved before, but my entire entry disappeared, so now I'm entirely put out.

As preface: none of this minimizes the dire situation in the Darfur region of the Sudan. Terrible things are happening and the international community needs to immediately step in and do something to help the people who are being removed from their homes in the best cases and becoming victims of genocide in the worst cases.

But with that said.

Isn't it at all possible that there might be better ways to do it that would not include the Worst. Lyrics. Ever?

Band Aid 20. Why? Why?

Ghastly Lyric No. 1: "Tonight, thank God it's them instead of you"

I'm sorry, Bono, but... what? What the hell, Bono? And don't try to help him out, BBC, calling it a "powerful" line. It's not powerful, it's awful. "Whoo, thank goodness I'm safe and warm and fat here, and somebody else is out starving and losing their home. Golly, that was close."

And don't even, because I get that it's deep and touching and is supposed to hit home, and etc. I get the intent. I agree with the intent. My issue is that it's callous, smack-you-over-the-head blatant, and I would think that with all those musical minds in a room, there had to have been some way to say it even slightly better than that.

Yuck.

Ghastly Lyric No. 2: "There won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime"

Er, no. No, there won't. And I would venture to guess, not last year, or next year either. Nor will there be palm trees in Norway. Ought we to have a fundraiser for them, too?

Again I say: what the hell, people? Is there no better way to talk about this incredibly serious situation than by being jackasses?

Ghastly Lyric No. 3: "Do they know it's Christmastime at all?"

Well, one would imagine that if "they" happen to be Christian, they do. One might also imagine that, even if they aren't, they probably still know. But isn't it just a tad xenophobic to assume they give a damn whether it's Christmas, considering that it's entirely possible that "they," like much of the world, might happen not to be Christian?

I really loathe this song. The only saving grace in my eyes is that this makes it that much closer to "Christmas Is All Around." If only, when it's the No. 1 song at Christmas, they would all sing it naked. Then I might come around.

Nekkid Robbie Williams. Mrowr.