Christian's Wearing (Red)

I have mixed feelings about the RED campaign that Bono is championing in the fashion industry. For some reason, it seems like he is selling out, pandering, becoming cliché, or even worse, becoming part of the establishment he calls out and rebels against. I like him better as a rebel than as a pacifist. It’s an activist campaign but his demeanor seems so unchallenging.

The overall context of the campaign leaves me feeling triumphant for the recipients of the aid, but insulted by the assumptions on which the campaign is based. The RED campaign assumes that the vast majority of Americans are rich, self-centered, apathetic, uninvolved consumers. I picture a group of passionate activists sitting around with Bono trying to brainstorm the imbalance of wealth in the world. When the question arises, “how do we get these fat gluttonous rich Americans off their butts to give some money or to care for the starving? After all, they are only interested in what they wear. How do we capitalize on that?” And from that conversation emerged the idea of making red clothes - from the largest retailers – of which whose profits benefit the starving. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a wonderful idea. And a lot of the money will go to the poor in Africa. (Even though I struggle with the wording, “50% NET profits go to the hungry” - - if it’s NET profits, then 100% should go to the hungry; someone is lining their pockets somewhere…but just a little.)

To me, it’s almost like if you buy and wear the clothes, you are marking yourself as a gluttonous American who is uncaring…unless I am getting something from it. And for me that frame of thought goes against my Jesus grain. Jesus tells us to give without letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing. To just do it so fast that you don’t even think about it. So, someone who wants to give will do it without needing a red shirt in return. And the fact that consumers will not even realize their laziness in buying these red items makes me sad and disappointed. But primarily, I am sad and disappointed at myself, because I am one of them.

It’s not Bono’s or anyone’s fault that they had to come up with a campaign in order to help the dying in Africa. I am so guilty of not getting involved. But I will refuse to buy the red because I don’t want to be targeted as self-indulgent in trying to give something away.

Ultimately I am happy that the Lord has intervened and used Bono to bring this about. Because the bottom line is that people are dying, and Bono is doing what it takes to get money where it is needed. At least he did something. Even thought I will be depressed to see all the fake Christians wearing Red. I will be happy that Christ’s healing is going to happen. I don’t like being on the red team as a Christian. But for all the non-Christian’s who buy Red it’s a purely good thing I guess.