we are the world, an artifact

We Are The World 25 For Haiti @ Yahoo! Video

This earlier version is, of course, what I grew up with.

I just wanted to post them both here. I find it interesting that the new version is bashed and bashed some more, with commenters focusing on the singers and how it resembles the original and differs from it. I'm afraid that the purpose of the revision will be overlooked. A lot of the comments I read speak to how much the new version "sucks," but I like to think the artists' hearts are in the right place. Also, perhaps this renewed focus on the song will keep awareness for both famine and for the people affected by the earthquake in Haiti in the forefront of many people's minds.

Once again, I'm sending out my hopes for peace and healing -- this time keeping both focuses in mind.

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Edited to add: I had to go look up USA for Africa to see that the original song was intended to bring attention to and raise money for famine in Africa. I had the purpose wrong.

This is from the website:

Our mission: To take action that will help demonstrate the importance and power of individual participation and collective action in helping to solve the problems, address issues and challenges that presently confront our global society.

Hunger still exists, our climate is challenged, conflicts rage around the world. The need for people to care and act still exists, perhaps more urgently than ever before. We honor our past and those who led our early efforts, those who made our initial efforts so impactful, and salute those dedicated visionaries and volunteers who are spearheading our efforts today. Past is prologue to the future and our future world will only be as good as we enable it to be.

Also, so many commenters are also complaining that "God" was taken out of the newer version of the song. Am I now just hearing things, or is there still talk of capital-G God? I know some of the God-referencing lyrics were removed, but not all. The song still argues that "we are all a part of God's great big family." I think there are some later lyrics referencing God also. Hmm. I'm wondering if some of the people who proclaim to hate the song have yet to listen to the song?