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United States President Joe Biden presents musician and activist Bono with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on 4 January. Alamy Stock Photo

Bono defends accepting Medal of Freedom from former US President Joe Biden

Bono received backlash for accepting the award due to the United States’ support of Israel’s war in Gaza.

BONO HAS DEFENDED accepting a Presidential Medal of Freedom from former US President Joe Biden at the beginning of the year.

Bono was one of 19 people awarded the medal in January, alongside former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and soccer player Lionel Messi. At the time, Bono received backlash for accepting the award due to the United States’ support of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Speaking today to Brendan O’Connor on RTÉ Radio One, Bono said in reply to a question on whether he thought accepting the award was the wrong decision, “Being a conscientious objector with somebody else’s conscience is quite a stretch.”

He said that he has worked with Biden for 25 years, during and prior to his presidency, on issues such as increasing aid flows, universal access to antiretroviral drugs, and the 1990s Drop the Debt campaign, which petitioned for international debt cancellation. 

“This is a man who I have deep respect for and a real relationship with.”

Bono went on to say that there are “other aspects” to the criticism he received “which are just inaccurate, and just people just not understand that these bills [providing for the supply of armaments for Israel] were bound up in Ukraine’s defence.”

In April last year, Biden announced an aid package worth $95 billion that would arm Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. 

The bulk of the military aid – $60.8 billion – was destined for Ukraine. However, in announcing the package, Biden said that he wanted to reiterate his “ironclad” support for Israel. 

“In fact, there was an attempt to decouple them, but Biden knew he wouldn’t get it through Congress,” Bono continued. “These are complex affairs, and look, I should be flattered, and I am grateful that people expect such a lot of me, but I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and anyone who thinks I’m not shocked and appalled by what’s going on in Gaza, and the children of Gaza…

“It’s such a strange thing, this competitive empathy that’s going around: ‘I feel this wound more than you, and my emergency is more important than your emergency’.”

Speaking of his experience around politicians, Bono concluded, “I kind of get the realpolitik of and the situation that Joe Biden found himself in, and so, I took that medal on behalf of all those people who don’t get medals, the activists, the people are getting killed now in Gaza.”

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    Mute Big Beats
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    Nov 25th 2023, 4:16 PM

    People are terrified to upset the landlords that they won’t apply for credit for fear of non-tax complient landlords kicking them out.

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    Mute Paddy C
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    Nov 25th 2023, 4:21 PM

    Have to find a house to rent that might be somehow affordable first,like a needle in a haystack,still though government keep increasing population with nowhere for people to live, homelessness higher than ever at the moment, brilliant

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    Mute Kevin Kerr
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    Nov 25th 2023, 4:38 PM

    @Paddy C: There are an estimated 400k existing renters that are eligible for this tax credit.

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    Mute Paddy C
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    Nov 25th 2023, 6:17 PM

    @SYaxJ2Ts: marvellous

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    Mute BigEd
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    Nov 25th 2023, 3:53 PM

    If you do not pay tax you will not get it…. Most of the renters are on the doll or pay little to no tax… Or landlord is not simply registered and they are victims of the system..you pick one….

    Ps: i got the full credit

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    Mute Paul Somers
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    Nov 25th 2023, 5:20 PM

    @BigEd: I rent, paye, actually I lease a room in a house share, so can we apply for this on the basis of leasing a room as opposed to renting

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    Mute Caoimín Ó Muircheartaigh
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    Nov 25th 2023, 4:03 PM

    No surprise to see FFG support FFG. There was never anything between these parties and Golfgate showed us the irrelevance of political screamers in a fancy building in Kildare Street. At least the rioters showed us the cosy narrative of Martin and his ilk, who thought their pontificating was, and remains, their own illusion. McEnteen wants to bring in tougher minimum sentences which will do little to zero on the real issues which is the haves looking down their noses on the rest of Ireland, thinking a woke administration will keep the sheep at bay. Now we all know from Martin’s support for a hand-me-down politician from Mearh that we live in a left dictatorship where “democracy” is the weapon of choice. Control the narrative and you control the sheep. Goebbels learnt it easily enough.

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    Mute Jack Dermody
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    Nov 25th 2023, 10:08 PM

    @Caoimín Ó Muircheartaigh: Nice rant. You said nothing about the topic..

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    Mute Áine G
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    Nov 25th 2023, 5:38 PM

    I can’t claim it as my landlord hasn’t registered with the RTB. Nothing I can do.

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    Mute Paul
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    Nov 25th 2023, 5:46 PM

    @Áine G: report your landlord to the RTB and stop whining

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 25th 2023, 6:15 PM

    @Paul:
    And then the landlord decides to sell……

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    Mute Lydia Mcloughlin
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    Nov 25th 2023, 7:50 PM

    @P.J. Nolan: I hear though it’ll be years before it can gets to be sold! Three years a cpl have been living at a friends house down the country, not paid rent since 2019. Can’t evict them to sell the house as they have nowhere to go, too expensive!

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 25th 2023, 9:25 PM

    @Lydia Mcloughlin:
    I work in the sector.
    3 years would be extremely unusual, in fact I have never heard of it.
    9 months would average, sometimes a year or so and often €5,000 plus in legal fees plus loss of rental income

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    Mute Mary M
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    Nov 26th 2023, 7:22 AM

    @Áine G: plenty you can do … report said landlord! Bosh!

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    Mute Paul
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    Nov 26th 2023, 8:58 AM

    @P.J. Nolan: Landlord has to issue a notice along with a statutory declaration of intent to sell.
    Once notice expires he has to open a case with the RTB to end the tenancy. This will take a year at current processing rates.
    The tenant can appeal without grounds, which will add about 6 months waiting for a full second hearing with a 3 person panel of RTB adjudicators.
    Of the RTB rules in his favour, then he will still have to apply to a District Court for an eviction order if the tenant refuses to leave. This will add approx 10 more months.

    So, you don’t know the procedure and how the decks are stacked against law abiding landlords.
    You’re content to spoutthe SF IRA propaganda!

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    Mute Margret Walsh
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    Nov 26th 2023, 6:10 PM

    @Áine G: plenty you can do actually. Report him to RTB thats what they are there for and stop whinging !

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    Mute Lydia Mcloughlin
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    Dec 2nd 2023, 11:39 AM

    @P.J. Nolan: Well it is fact that this is the case here. Those in situ known to guards (if you are in the business you could look it up). Has been to court excuses such as can’t move out and can’t afford it accepted.

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    Mute Magnificent Mongoose
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    Nov 25th 2023, 7:24 PM

    They probably can’t navigate the absolutely awful revenue website.

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 25th 2023, 9:27 PM

    @Magnificent Mongoose:
    If you think the Revenue one is bad, you should try the RTB website l.
    It’s so bad they have put an apology on the front page

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    Mute Allo Allo
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    Nov 25th 2023, 7:32 PM

    There are a lot of renters tax evading in different ways, they do not claim any tax back for fear of bringing attention from tax man

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    Mute Graham Dunne
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    Nov 25th 2023, 8:03 PM

    My rent was increased on the basis I’d be getting it, thereby nullifying it. Pity they don’t just hand it out as an actual rent supplement and weren’t so busy hiding it from us instead…shrugs…

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 25th 2023, 9:28 PM

    @Graham Dunne:
    Do you think your landlord wouldn’t have increased the rent either way?

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    Mute Graham Dunne
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    Nov 26th 2023, 11:53 PM

    @Peter Murray: Rightfully so? It’s supposed to be a dig out in tough times for tenants- not landlords. But fair play to you. I’m sure you could do with the few bob.

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    Mute Paul
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    Nov 25th 2023, 5:47 PM

    Any tenant that hasn’t registered is a dope.

    Stop blaming everyone else for your problems.

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    Mute Temp Stuff
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    Nov 25th 2023, 3:30 PM

    How?

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