During my years and decades as a journalist, I have had a “cause,” against those with causes, especially the “patriots” who have not dealt with a cause since the disaster of Palestine without being unable to find a solution, or coming up with a solution that is worse than the original situation. I think what I am saying here is obvious. For this reason, I do not need to provide examples. Recently, I began to re-evaluate this stance of mine. There are issues other than those at which we have failed, ever since 1948. Perhaps I will soon find a cause for readers and I to adopt, and which will make us famous, and possibly very rich. The seeds of my suspicion toward causes and those who champion them were planted at Davos, at the annual World Economic Forum. It was there I discovered that Sharon Stone is not just a pretty actress whose film Basic Instinct I saw twice. She is also a social activist who once cried at the charity auction at Davos; the wealthy dried her tears with their checkbooks. Her enthusiasm has gotten her into problems, such as her stance on the earthquake in China, and fighting mosquitoes in Tanzania, although she should be thanked for her concern with fighting AIDS. The same goes for Richard Gere, whom I like as an actor. I liked him more while following his humanitarian work. I remember that Dr. Ghassan Salameh and I went one morning at Davos to attend a breakfast where the topic was Gaza, and were surprised to find Gere waiting for us there. I sometimes find that a person's activities are more famous than the person championing it. For example, Bono focuses on various humanitarian issues, mainly in Africa, and was once nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The same goes for Bob Geldof, whose name has been linked to charity activities; he has organized concerts to raise money with a focus, like Bono, on Africa. I would only hear his name in connection with these activities, instead of singing and music. I cannot forget the beautiful Angelina Jolie. I have seen her year after year at Davos, but her beauty made me forget other things about her. However, I read that she took part in International Refugees Day, and it seems likely that her humanitarian work is not what attracted the handsome Brad Pitt to her. The people I have mentioned here are among the world's most famous people, although I have found that one's fame from other activities might dominate his or her original fame in the world of art and entertainment. Perhaps the best example of this is the British actress Joanna Lumley, who is a success by any standard. However, she was recently on the front pages of British newspapers in a way that would be impossible for her as an actress, after she supported the Gurkha fighters, who have given their lives in Britain's wars, only to see the government send them back to their country, Nepal, after leaving the military. Lumley is English and was born in India, during her father's military service there. She led a campaign that was backed by all British media, and ended with the government of Gordon Brown waving a white flag, announcing that the Gurkhas would be allowed to stay in Britain. It seems like Lumley's success encouraged the television star Esther Rantzen to challenge Brown's government; she announced that she would run for elections against one of his MPs, accused of corruption, along with practically the rest of the House of Commons. She said that she wanted to lead a campaign against political corruption. I read a two-page photo essay about her, the kind of publicity that she could never get from being a popular television presenter in Britain. Is there a cause that readers and I could champion, and become famous like Bono and Angelina Jolie? First of all, let us come to an understanding: readers can join Bono, and I will join Angelina Jolie, then we will come up with a cause. I believe that we can come up with something better than the cause of actress Mia Farrow; she went on a 12-day hunger strike, beginning 27 April, to increase public awareness about the humanitarian tragedy in Darfur. I do not believe that Darfur is in need of an awareness campaign. It requires a solution that ends the killing and famine. I do not accuse Mia Farrow of exploiting the crisis to go on a diet, as she is already very thin. But I do believe that the people of Darfur do not understand her enthusiasm – how can a person with food not eat?
