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Angelina Jolie Makes a Movie About War and Rape
by Kristina Chew
Bono and AIDS. Madonna and the school in Malawi. Farm Aid. Celebrities promoting good causes have become a tired cliché and now heres Angelina Jolie not only engrossed in humanitarian work but also directing a movie, In the Land of Blood and Honey, about the Bosnian War and violence against women, and making the rounds in Washington D.C. to promote it. The question is asked again and again, do these partnerships actually do any good, aside from creating an aura of good will for the already-famous entertainer/actor/pop star?
In a recent essay, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof turns this notion of celebrities promoting good causes for their stardoms sake on its head, writing that, celebrities are actually making a difference and especially when you compare their efforts to the likes of (for instance) our vainglorious Congress and other politicians (some of whom could be said to be wrapped up in the business of becoming celebrities themselves). Writes Kristof:
Congress is so paralyzed and immature, even sleazy, that we reporters sometimes leave a politicians press conference feeling the urgent need to shower. But look at university and high school students. Sure, plenty still live for a party, but a growing number have no time for beer because theyre so busy tutoring prisoners, battling sex trafficking or building wells in Africa.
Even more startling, we can now turn to moral leadership from brace yourself Hollywoods most beautiful people. I know, I know. What we expect from celebrities is mostly scandalous sex lives and crackpot behavior, and some do oblige. But increasingly as our leaders debase the national conversation, sex symbols elevate it.
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Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/angelina-jolie-makes-a-movie-about-war-and-rape.html#ixzz1kUE0EPtt
La Lioness Priyanka
(53,866 posts)not just cause she is beautiful but because she seems to want to be remembered for more than her good looks.
polly7
(20,582 posts)committed to humanitarianism, I admire both of them very much.
niyad
(113,213 posts)I knew of sean penn's "bad boy" image--was surprised to learn his views and commitments.
obamanut2012
(26,060 posts)But female directors (and Steven Spielberg) usually are.
And, like Lioness, I also admire AJ so much.
niyad
(113,213 posts)obamanut2012
(26,060 posts)Very few women are able to break that wall, no matter how talented they are. It's maddening.
And, no, I'm not surprised.