Bob Geldof, Richard Branson, and Minor Riots on the agenda today. July 4th, 2005 There was something a little surreal on leaving JFK Airport on July 3rd and arriving in London on the 4th of July where the British wished Americans Happy Independence Day Many of us thought of the irony of Independence Day as we were working toward a vision of Africa gaining its independence from Debt, unjust trade, and to have the freedom from hunger, HIV-AIDS, and lack of education. When we got off the plane in London we were personally greeted by Bob Geldof, who produced the Live 8 Concert less than 48 hours before our arrival. Bob expressed the importance of Americans in our group showing the world that some Americans do care and do want to see justice, elimination of debt, and more aide for Africa. Bob Geldof said that he was hopeful in the polls that show most Americans think that the U.S.A. is giving 10% to 16% of the U.S. budget to foreign aid as opposed to the meager less than 0.2% in foreign aide that the U.S. actually does give. Geldof stated that this was great news because it shows that most Americans would not have a problem of giving one percent of their budget as the Once Campaign has proposed or 0.7 percent of the GDP as the U.N. has recommended and in fact the U.S. has already agreed to do. After Geldofs inspiring words, I had some brief meetings with representatives of the Uganda and South Africa Council of Churches, and a Bishop in the CME Church from the U.S. we flew to Edinburgh Scotland with Richard Branson our host. Branson treated the group to a short champagne flight on the first ever Virgin Atlantic Flight from London to Scotland which was a charter donated for our group. On the flight we had the opportunity to view videos of the One Campaign on the in-flight televisions, meet with media from the U.S. and the U.K. and show the world a presence from the USA to work with others in the world to MaKe Poverty History. Branson had also provided the air transportation for our group from New York and it was encouraging to see business stepping forward to make a difference in the campaign to make poverty history When we arrived in Scotland we were greeted with UK newspapers with headlines that President Bush has not yet been moved by Live8 message to make poverty history but rather intends to enter the G8 from the perspective of what is best for the U.S. not the world. From the perspective of many in the One Campaign delegation there is no difference between what is best for the U.S. and the World because they are one in the same a view however that most do not think President George Bush shares. Policy Analysts here in Edinburgh are asking the question Can G8 leaders really make a difference in the World? Some are saying we are at an historic moment while others are saying that the allegiance to the old system is to strong for the G8 leaders to act. On the way to the or evening meeting we had the experience of walking through a small riot where hundreds of police and military in full riot gear were attempting to contain protesters as we walked through the police lines to our meeting site. Some of our group turned back from the fear of walking into this uncertain territory while others of us felt we needed to keep moving to the do the work we came for. Perhaps that was a great metaphor for the challenge of the One Campaign delegation. Can we find the courage to breakthrough the lines of power so that a new world view can be communicated, a view where justice becomes more important than greed, where giving aide is seen to be in our own self interest, and where dept. if forgiven to give the people of Africa a new start and a new hope.