Bono

What hasn't already been said about this guy?

(And you know I'm not talking about Sonny, although I heard that he was a very good egg.)

I'm talking about the rock star. Paul David Hewson. The U2 guy. The guy with the colored glasses. That guy.

The guy that for the last ten years has been a frontman in the fight against AIDS and poverty in Africa.

And, as if traveling around the world trying to convince world leaders to increase -- or, in these times, not cut -- foreign aid budgets is not enough, Bono finds the time to write the occasional article for the New York Times.
(By the way, his last one is a masterpiece.)

But I digress.

Now I'm not much for these rock-star types. But I'm writing this to tell you why I like this fellow.

He's an upbeat, positive guy.

God only knows he's seen more than his share of desperately poor, suffering, starving, dying people.

Nevertheless, he doesn't go galloping around the world on his high horse complaining, harassing, lambasting, or ridiculing these world leaders who keep finding ways to cut foreign aid.

Bono finds a way to keep it positive. He says nice things. He encourages them. He looks for the positives. He knows damn well that saying inciteful things and raging-off is not going to accomplish much. The guy gets results too.

Okay, so maybe you are thinking . . . what is the connection here?

Because from time to time, I get really really pissed off about the misery I see here in Nicaragua and I ask myself: why can't these people in rich countries spare at least a measly $20 bucks and help a person in the developing world get an education? What exactly is their problem?

I'm not falling into that trap.

And for that, I thank Bono.