Bono & the One Campaign

“When I was a boy, my first impression of America was a man walking on the moon – Neil Armstrong, 1969. And I thought, ‘These Americans are mad! They are mad.’ For I thought, ‘What can this country do? What can these people do if they put their mind to it? It’s incredible.’

John F. Kennedy is the one in 1963… he said, ‘By the end of the decade, we’re going to put a man on the moon.’ Well… it’s not because it was on everyone’s mind. It just was the right thing to do and it was…

It’s what we’re asking now. President Bush, Prime Minister Blair, and all the other world leaders to do. We’re asking them to do something extraordinary… not put a man on the moon, more like put mankind back on Earth.

We have the technology. We have the resources. We have the know-how… to end the extreme poverty… if we have the will… and I believe we have the will.

Others, you know, the other civil rights movement. Others ended apartheid. Others tore back the iron curtain. That’s what this generation… that’s what’s up to us… our moon shot… our putting a man on the moon – we’re going to end extreme poverty. We’re going to make poverty history. That’s what’s fallen to us to do. And I believe that’s not an impossible venture.

I believe in 50 years, when I look back on this moment,… and they’ll say, ‘there were some people at a time who said:

It’s not okay to have a child die for a lack of a 20 cent immunization.
It’s not okay to have a child die for lack of food in his belly in the 21st century.
That’s not okay anymore.’

Now I now that you know that. But I’d like you to tell President Bush that, Prime Minister Blair that and any other politician you see that. And you can do it quite easily. So… we’re looking for a million Americans to e-mail us to join the ONE campaign, not looking for your money; looking for your voice.”

Bono, Vertigo Tour, 9 & 10 May 2005 – Chicago, IL – prior to singing “One”

“One” – by U2

Is it getting better, or do you feel the same
Will it make it easier on you now
You’ve got someone to blame

You say...
One love, One life
When it's one need in the night
One love, we get to share it
Leaves you, darling,
If you don't care for it

Did I disappoint you,
Leave a bad taste in your mouth

You act like you never had love,
And you want me to go without

Well it's...It’s too late… tonight…
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other
One...

Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come to raise the dead?

Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head?
Did I ask too much?
More than a lot?
You gave me nothing
Now it's all I got.

We're one,
But we're not the same
Well....we, hurt each other
Then we do it again
You say…

Love is a temple
Love, a higher law
Love is a temple
Love, the higher law

You ask me to enter
But then you make me crawl

And I can't be holding on
To what you got
When all you got is hurt

One love,
One blood
One life
You get to do what you should
One life… with each other
Sisters and Brothers

One life,
But we're not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other

One love
One