Angelina Jolie is in Turkey today on UNHCR business. She’s on the Turkey-Syria border, where she’s meeting with some of the thousands of Syrian refugees now living in refugee camps within Turkey. The refugee exodus from Syria has increased over the past months as the Syrian government cracks down on anti-government protests. According to the AP, Jolie is due at a camp in the Turkish province of Hatay, and Turkish authorities were hanging a banner to welcome her. The banner reads – no joke, I swear – “Goodness Angel of the World, Welcome.” Seriously. Here’s more:
Actress Angelina Jolie, a longtime goodwill ambassador for the U.N. refugee agency, arrived in southern Turkey on Friday to visit Syrian refugees, a high-profile trip focusing attention on misery faced by ordinary citizens who have escaped violence in turbulent Syria.
Jolie, who is scheduled to visit the Altinozu refugee camp, arrived at the airport in Hatay and was greeted by officials, according to the state-run Anatolian Agency.
Hatay provincial officials had vans for the trip to Altinozu, and “toys unloaded from the plane were loaded to one of the vans in her convoy,” the agency reported.
More than 9,600 Syrian men, women, and children have fled their country for Turkey to escape violence, including a military offensive in the Jisr al-Shugur area.
Refugees at Altinozu are housed in warehouses at an old tobacco factory, and they staged a demonstration at the camp in solidarity with the many anti-government demonstrations occurring across the border in Syria.
They held up signs that said “Our military is killing its own people, please make it stop,” “U.N., help us please” and people chanted “stop killing children” and other anti-regime slogans.
[From CNN]
Angelina likely scheduled this trip to draw extra attention because of World Refugee Day, which is Monday. I’m still hoping she gives a major interview for the occasion, and I saw on CNN this morning that they have a reporter on the trip too, so maybe CNN will get the interview. Here are some raw videos (from Turkish television) of Jolie’s arrival in-country:
Photos courtesy of WENN.
that banner message is funny,but seriously she is one in millions and i am so proud of her
Oh St. Angie… I feel sure they are so blessed by her presence.
It’s good that she is drawing attention to such important causes and issues in the world but the adoration for her is totally out of proportion.
There are volunteer workers out there who dedicate their whole lives to this type of work, they should be recognised and acknowledged but then I suppose they don’t do it for that reason.
It takes a lot of heart to just show up. Major kudos to bringing the worlds’ attention to the slaughter of innocents by it’s evil government.
I pray that one day tyranny will be overthrown by every people. In the meantime, thank you, Angelina, for making a difference. You never know if you are going to be the next Joplin or the next Japan, and I’m amazed by everyday folks who care enough to help others when they are down and out.
Let the hate begins for someone who is trying to shine a light to these refugees plight. Keep up the good work Angelina The refugees appreciate your continued help and support. God bless you.
What a major eye roll at the hanging banner.
It’s not like she does anything, she just goes there, which is cool but nothing more.
She’s beautiful, I love that she’s passionate and giving when it comes to her work as a UNHCR ambassador and charity…but “goodness angel” is a tad too much. Seriously.
I think even herself was embarrassed by that banner.
Rose: because no one works for the refugees but her. Yep, no one donates money or works in refugee camps but Angie.
Yea I think Angie’s trip coincides with World Refugee Day. The banner may mean something completely different when translated in their language, you know since English isn’t their first language the banner sounds a bit funny. None the less its sweet. I do hope Angie does another CNN interview for World Refugee Day awareness. Loves her and I wish her safe trip and like always peace and return to their home for all the people who displaced.
This should be fun can’t wait to see a hundred rants about how this proves she’s a bad person.
She didn’t commission the banner. Turkey has other people in its community. Just like all the fans that traveled to wait outside the gate. That was their doing not hers. She is a STAR and people get excited by seeing stars. That is just the way it is.
She is there and now that situation is being put out on the news sites. YES other are there everyday, doing their jobs. And I for one applaud them. Just like Doctors and Nurses, Firefighters, Police, do their jobs everyday. But when a regular person helps deliver a baby or a bystander pulls someone from a building.. that makes the news. It is the way of the world.
She has done this for 11 years. Most of which is not covered in the media. They don’t talk about the schools she has built, clinics, sanctuaries for animals. Causes she and Brad support every day.
so like her or not. She is not doing it to be liked by the people that trash everything she is doing, she does it because she thinks it is right; and that must be enough. Because she keeps going despite the snark and nastiness. For some people I think because they can’t imagine themselves doing this, it makes it impossible for them to see it from others
@mln: Uh-huh. She only does it for publicity, yadda yadda yadda. Bring the tar and feathers.
What can I tell ya… haters gon’ hate.
What is ironic here is that Turkey will not take responsibility for its own previous massacres, that they repeatedly deny (Armenians, Pontians, etc), not to mention the invasion of Cyprus.
And Angelina, as her usual attention seeking self, is so goddamn ignorant and gets on a plane with the eagerness of a desperate debutante attending every social party at the drop of an envelope.
Turkey only does this to appear humanitarian (and hopefully gain entry to the EU, which hopefully will never happen until they take responsibility for their paltry human rights abuses.) How many people have died because of the Turkish government? Hundreds of thousands.
Angelina just shows how stupid and ignorant she is, visiting a country with questionable record of human rights. If she has done this, Lisa, for 11 years, would she not know the bad record Turkey has?
Or is Angelina so dense and wrapped up in her Mother Teresa image?
I, and many hundreds of thousands of others around the world, have relatives that have died in Turkish massacres- that they deny- and there is this ‘glam’ celeb just endorsing Turkey. Does she really need to be there?
Who TF is she?
A messiah?
She is still the messed up girl of years ago. Except now she has a better PR team to cover her insanity.
I thought I saw it all, but I’ve completely gone off her now. She just won’t let up.
I’m waiting for a bunch of Australian protesters to send her an invite to Malaysia, the next drop off point for asylum seekers. Funny how Angelina has no goddamn idea about that. How humans are going to be be ferried like live cattle exports to countries that defy the UN Convention for Refugees.
But maybe Australia is ‘too far’ for her cause.
Narcissist.
@shay
OMGosh where were you when the world needed it’s education on the history of Turkey
I always find it fascination how so many people are so educated on every where Angie goes only. She works with the UN they are there. The refugees are there in need of assistance So seriously whatever their history is or is not does not matter to the 9600 people living in the tents.
And thank you again for telling us about Angie’s past. Best part is she never hid it or lied about it. But yeah, in your perfect eyes. she can’t grow or change or become aware in your judgement mind. I bet you don’t hold others to these standards
And she is her PR. deal. and no matter your rant those people waiting to see her don’t care that you are bothered by it. But you seem to follow a lot of what she is doing Perhaps you should stop. YOU seem a bit to vested, being that you dislike her so much.
Go and read some history Lisa and learn a little. And what assistance will Angelina give? 0.00001 of her Louis Vuitton paycheck?
Don’t you dare minimise the reality of Turkey’s horrible records on human rights because that renders the lives of those who were massacred as meaningless.
Yes, it’s about time some people awoke to Turkey’s history and their repeated denials.
Angelina is just your average fame whore.
Her father was right about her years ago. She cares about appearing in headlines.
What about asylum seekers who are carted off and detained in Australia?
Or don’t they matter to Angelina because they aren’t part of a world headline like Syria is?
What Angelina does, making guest appearances, doesn’t change anything. That is the reality.
@Shay: Feel better post-rant? Next time try paregoric…
@shay you are right of course that Turkey has been responsible for unspeakable cruelty. I just don’t give a sh=t about the propaganda because that doesn’t take away that the Syrians are running for their lives and have no where to go.
The woman gives money and time. I’m just glad that Turkey hasn’t seen fit to mow them down, and for now we sadly have a huge group of refugees that need help.
@ Shay – I’m sorry about your family’s loss and my thoughts & prayers go out to you, but did you even read the article? She’s not endorsing Turkey, she’s there visiting the Syrian refugees in their camp, which is in Turkey, because they fled from the Syrian government and it’s atrocities. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t agree with the Turkish human rights violations, but this trip is about the Syrians.
She isn’t wrapped up in any St. Angelina bs, that’s entirely the media’s doing to diminish the work that she’s been doing for over a decade.
@shay
OH please go talk to the governmental officials. You attacking Angelina because she is visiting people in need is the wrong target. And all this talk of her past and her father. seriously what does any of that have to do with Turkey.
If you want to rant stick to one topic. Don’t use a true issue to make nasty comments on this woman. Calling her names.. Yeah I fell your concern for the well being of others.
@Cheyenne, at least I’m not so star struck as to be blind to the hypocrisy.
It’s not the Angelinas that change things. Political leaders have to be involved. But what to expect from the UN? An organisation that is great at sending out its celebrity goodwill ambassadors while people are dying and starving.
How many people have died because of the Turkish government?
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How many people have died because of the US government backing dictator when it suit them or meddling in their business for oil, ect ?
No country is totally innocent. You are here writing stuff with your personal computer, your pen when parts of that computer, parts of your clothes, your objects, your foods are likely made with China which is not a democracy. The US deals with China and does business with that country that floods its products everywhere including in the US.
So you are no better than those you are criticizing and insulting with your self righteous diatribe.
The world is not white or black, politics is not black or white, it’s made of compromises including treating with people to save others even if those people are not totally innocent.
And instead of blaming Jolie for daring meeting refugees there, blame your own government cause Turkey is one of the biggest and only allies of Washington along with Israel in that area and receives millions of your own taxed dollars every year.
Each US resident who work is helping maintaining into power the pro american turquish government by proxy through his/her taxes…the same government responsible for the kurdish massive human rights violation.
every country has questionable record of human rights.
you sound so angry shay,its okay calm down,the woman is just doing what she is asked to do and has been doing it for more than 11 years “drawing attension to the refugees that ar in needs of foods and shelters”
@ Shay:
She was in Germany, a country responsible for a more recent and more devastating genocide than Turkey – should she avoid that country too? Pretty well every country in North and South America had been involved in the eradication of its indigenous cultures and peoples. I guess those nation states are off limits too.
Point is, she is involved with UNHCR, and UNHCR, by its very definition, is in hot spots. And her work in Turkey is for that organization, not for the government of Turkey. So I’m not sure that it is fair to interpret her presence there as an endorsement of the government of Turkey, any more than her visits to UNHCR camps in other sketchy countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan and the like could be.
And as for Turkey in the EU, if historical respect for human rights is so important, how do you feel about Germany, Hungary and other former Soviet blockade countries in the EU?
There is only so much that one woman can do to change the world and make it a better place. Angelina does as much as she can, she really gives her all to the plight of refugees. There is nothing bad that can be said about her heartfelt devotion to UNHCR & her role as goodwill ambassador.
Sure, the adulation is disproportionate, but isn’t that the point? She’s there to focus attention on problems that most people in the world would never know about if it wasn’t for her visits. Of course a lot of this has to do with her image, but you cannot argue with the level of her commitment in going to these places no other celebrity will go. It’s not hard to write a check or to show up at a concert or telethon, but it is very difficult to travel for days by plane and truck in rough conditions to get to a refugee camp at the edge of a war zone.
@Lisa: “For some people I think because they can’t imagine themselves doing this, it makes it impossible for them to see it from others.”
That is a ludicrous and high-handed statement.
I would say no, most people can’t imagine flying first-class around the globe as UNHCR ambassador. Plenty of people give and could not care less about what others see. It’s her job to plaster her face on causes. Why that is so outstanding and exceptional to some people is just silly.
I’d be interested to know if the UNHCR ambassador was anybody else, how many celebrity-worshippers would actually pay attention to where they went or what crisis they were trying to bring to the world’s attention.
I’d say probably none, which is exactly why she was asked so let’s all get over it. It’s strategic on the part of the UN and likewise for her since it keeps her in the media while advancing her personal charitable causes.
It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement and that isn’t snark or “hating,” that’s reality. It would behoove some folks to stop carrying on like she’s the only person who truly gives a damn and makes a difference – because she isn’t.
Like Ell said, there are plenty of volunteer organizations out there doing good work but I’ve yet to see any adoration over the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Doctors Without Borders or World Vision – organizations on the ground doing the real work of bringing relief to people that need it.
badrockandroll: difference is that Germany has taken responsibility for what they’ve done Turkey still denies the genocide against Armenians. Human rights are non existent in Turkey.
Bill Hicks is God: I’ve yet to see any adoration over the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Doctors Without Borders or World Vision
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You make a valid point, but that doesn’t negate or minimize any of the work Angelina is doing for the UNHCR. This is the organization she has chosen to work for.
Turkey continues its denial of the genocide it attempted against the Armenian people. That’s different than Germany. And let’s not turn this into a “whose genocide was worse” competition. Thank god those refugees have somewhere to go to escape the violence in Syria. Now that St.Angie Jo has visited, maybe they will be safer because people know about them.
Isn’t it funny that the biggest advocate for Turkey to be included in the EU is none other than….Washington while the big three : France, Germany and the UK (especially France is against it !
Washington has always lobbied for Turkey to be involved in the EU because it’s vital it join a larger bloc of allies for their global foreign policy.
They put more money in that country and Israel than anywhere else. Both Israel and Turkey are key allies because they constitute for the US its nearer and only sattelites at the door of the muslim world.
That’s why they put thousands of millions in Turkey and help that government, staying blind and deaf about the Kurdish problem because they want to keep the government secular and US friendly and control the rise in power of the pro muslims.
It’s really ironic when someone criticize Turkey government the way Shay did because it’s common knowledge that this is one of the most important US allie that stays in power beacuse of the US support and that has participated actively in 1990 during the first Gulf War by opening his country and space to the US militaries.
Everytime there is trouble in the region and Washington hdecide to intervene, Turkey keyrole is discussed.
This often lead to a rift and tensions between the government and its muslim population.
@GG: One. More. Time. As UNHCR ambassador, it’s her job, that is what she is supposed to be doing. She’s not flitting off as her “regular” celebrity self to places no other celebrity will go. What is it about this, exactly, that people are not getting?
But the really important question, was she carrying her LV bag, you know the bag that goes everywhere, jungles, waterparks, refugee camps?
Thank you Cheyenne, I learned a new word today.
Ugh Bill Hicks What part of Angelina never had to become a UN Ambassador in the first place don’t you understand. It touches people that she WANTED to be apart of this organization and help people and spread awareness of issues people otherwise wouldn’t know about. If Angelina had never filmed the Tomb Raider movies she might not have even known these issues existed herself. We can admire her as well as the other people who aren’t so famous involved with refugees if we want. Angelina has done a lot of good and we can admire her if we want.
Very interesting that people on a celebrity gossip site are complaining about the attention a celebrity gets rather than non celebrities working in the trenches. If you have a problem with popularity of celebrity figures stay off these sites and only go to the sites that highlight the hard work the voulunteers are doing.The more comments about Angie,the more web hits, the more she will be featured…Bill Hicks is God_ how often do you visit the DWB websites and other voulunteer organization to commend them on their hard work vs visits to celebrity sites? FYI Brad and Angie through their foundation JPF have donated $7 Million dollars to Doctors w/o Borders since 2006 according to the foundation’s federal tax statements.I’m sure you have donated as well to this great organization.
the banner is embarassing
@Shay
So, the fact that Turkey oppresses its own people is also somehow Jolie’s fault?
Or should she have denied the visit to the camp (and disregard her UN responsibilities) because of Turkey’s history? I mean, does it make the plight of Syrian refugees less important? Any less real? Should no help be given to them?
And yeah, shall we discuss American and European history of genocide and oppression in more detail? Just to make a list of countries decent people should avoid (according to your reasoning)?
I’m not saying I’m okay with how Turkey acts towards its own people, especially its minorities. As a European, and EU citizen, I actually feel very strongly about it.
I’m just saying your line of argument is mindboggling.
You know when you go to Lady Gaga and Rihanna concerts and their fans are carrying placards like “I LOVE YOU LADY GAGA” YOU COMPLETE ME RIHANNA” and when hundreds of Justin Bieber fans FAINT at the MERE sight of him? well, I think Angelina’s banner is chicken feed compared to that kind of adulation.
these are REFUGEES they’ve lost all hope. and suddenly they see a sliver of hope in that Angie’s visit can take their message to the rest of the world. I’m sure she’s equal parts touched and embarassed by that banner. I think it’s sweet. it’s not anything. it’s just a banner. OF COURSE, the ENTIRE blogosphere is gonna go ballistic over the simple words “Goodness Angel of the World” but as far as i’m concerned if those Syrian refugees could be on Celebitchy right now, they’d be defending their banner like crazy…
too bad they have to think of where their next meal is gonna come from rather than be on here.
Okay, I’ve tried to hate her for years because she’s just too gorgeous and all those kids and the husband and the charity work. It can’t be for real, right? I give up. She is kind of awesome. Just kind of. I gotta hold unto some of the jealous hate.
There are plenty of volunteer organizations out there doing good work but I’ve yet to see any adoration over the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Doctors Without Borders or World Vision – organizations on the ground doing the real work of bringing relief to people that need it.
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I don’t know about the others, but Doctors Without Borders gets recognition. They have many PSAs, and I believe Jolie commissioned a reality episode about them for HBO. Also, Pitt and Jolie donated 1 million to them. So, I think they are recognized.
@Kim123: Don’t give yourself a brain cramp by pondering what sites I visit or don’t; what organizations I give to or don’t or; what my level of activism is.
And most certainly, do shut it insofar as what people should or shouldn’t be reading, and where they should be saying what. Your approval hasn’t been solicited nor is it needed.
If a celebrity is going to be involved in various activities outside of their entertainment world, of course I’m going to comment on that, wherever it happens to be posted. As will others.
That being said, you’ve flown in the face of another poster who said the Jolie-Pitts don’t just write cheques/throw money at charities. Well, what do you call a donation of 7 million dollars to DWB/MSF? It’s also a mighty fine tax write-off…
That it took my post for you to mention the organization only to point out the JP’s donation is just incredibly skewed.
I am not negating what she does, I am saying she is overblown and the adoration is disproportionate. The End.
@Love Angelina: Admire her all you want, I never said anybody couldn’t.
i think what Angelina is trying to do is selfless, and heartfelt, she is only one person, she can’t do it all by herself, unfortunately the problems where there way before she became ambassador UNHCR, when i was small i remember other popular celebs activist, such as martin sheen, MIA farrow, Audrey Hepburn, and so many more, too many to name, the point? they do help bring attention with their celeb status, others who are constantly also working tirelessly are just as important, life is funny how some, just don’t consider non famous people as important as famous, even if they are equal. any way, thanks to Angie and all the past and future volunteers for what they also bring to the table. a good heart goes a long way.
@ 38 Chloe
ITA.
And again before shooting Jolie or the UN, you better know your facts in terms of political interraction, government policies and foreign affairs, cause boy, Turkey is the second country after Israel that got billlions and billions yearly from the US government ALONE, hence from its peole, hence from…Shay included.
The US is the biggest allie of Turkey, then come germany because of its big turkish population.
So it’s pretty funny seeing people geetting all up in arm blaming Jolie by extrapolating and politicizing a humanitarian act as if she was baking that country politics when those people surely backed it to through their own government’s financial aid and involvement.
There were even a project to build US military bases in Turkey soil but the government refused because of the uproar of its population..
Politics is a dirty job. Noone is innocent, the stronger one is the one who make the rules and distribute the good and bad points according your level of ‘allieness’ not because of human rights.
Koweit is not a democracy, Jordania neither, Saudi Arabia, one of the strongest islamic dictatorship, United Arab Emirates are known for enslaving foreign workers paying them two dollars a day for working 15 hours/day building their towers… That doesn’t stop westerners flocking to Dubai with their euros and dollars and those countries are ALL Washington buddies…..
🙂 Gosh, Angie’s soo dedicated. I’ll bet the UNHCR is soo glad they decided to make her an ambassador in 2000. she has helped up their game ever since. i’m such a pop-culture fiend, i probably wouldn’t have cared so about the UNHCR if Angelina Jolie wasn’t so vocal about their objectives?
Wow.
we live in a time when many people can NOT keep up with anything for any extended length of time… People are befuddled.
Just dumbstruck… and then they become appalled that this woman they keep expecting to fail, keeps going on with her life and beliefs. then, we have history professors and world politics experts… on a CELEBRITY website; trying to take everybody to ‘school’.
All because of Angelina Jolie…
It’s unbelievable!
Angie is just doing what she does best: CARING.
I really like that she is not afraid to touch and get close to the people with affection (real or not, who cares). Other celebrities prefer to keep a distance and only allow you to touch their hand, if even. Angelina just whole heartedly goes for the hugs.
I don’t need Angelina to make me focus on world plight, its on the front page of every newspaper..its nice that she goes in person to see the devastation, but I get my news from other sources…
@Shay: I grew up in Lebanon where we have a sizable Armenian community who fled the genocide, and shared with us their tragedy. So I completely understand your anger. It is even more infuriating that Turkey will not recognize it and proceed to give appropriate compensation. Obama promised the Armenian Americans during his election campaign that he would pressure Turkey to recognize genocide…. and of course he has sold them out. I felt that other commentators were a bit dismissive of Shay and his/her anger. Truth is, when your family/community has been through genocide (esp. one that still has not been dealt justice) wouldn’t you also feel a lot of anger and pain?
That said: I really think she wasn’t there for Turkey, but rather there for the Syrian refugees. This may seem insignificant to some people, and I can understand why since it does not translate into direct policy change immediately. But having lived in the MidEast when tragedy struck, you can feel so silenced and forgotten. It means so much to the people in those camps when someone comes to hear them and give them the desperately needed attention they deserve. That said, I’m not an Angelina fan or anything, and I need to read more on what she does for the Refugee Commission before I judge.
Oh, and the banner was ridiculous.
Ok, that’s all for today folks, lol.
love our angelina
@Bill Hicks IS A DUMB-ASS: I’ve yet to see any adoration over the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Doctors Without Borders or World Vision…
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HICKS: what do you call a donation of 7 million dollars to DWB/MSF? It’s also a mighty fine tax write-off…
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So the DWB/MSF should have the the same or more than the level of adoration that people give to AJ, but she donating to the DWB/MSF (or anyone else donating to them, for that matter) for the furtherance of their activities is questionable because she (and them) get tax-write offs? It can’t be because she ‘adores’ what they do. Got it.
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HICKS: That it took my post for you to mention the organization only to point out the JP’s donation is just incredibly skewed.
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So as chief ‘facilitator’ and ‘cheerleader’ of the Doctors Without Borders, Stephen Lewis Foundation and World Vision Adoration Project, etc. did you ALREADY know about this donation? Somehow, I doubt it.
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HICKS: I am not negating what she does, I am saying she is overblown and the adoration is disproportionate. The End.
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And you JUST contributed to it by hitting up this thread… with not one, not two, but three comments…
Angie loves you for making her more ‘overblown’ with three comments on her post…
gosh, Hicks, you must’ve had an extremely entitled childhood. entitled to so maaaaany DUMB opinions…
If you don’t reply to this, you’re a tokbele.
If you do reply to this, you’re a yakabomo.
Hit up Angie’s post again for the translations of those words cos you’re not gonna find them in an English Dictionary. Maybe your comments on an Angie post can go up to a 100.
@ 48 Yasmine
Nobody is dismissing her anger but when you target an international organization and its employee for just visiting a refugee camp on Turkey while you exonerate your own governement, you are more hypocrite than angry.
Washington has an embassy there, has close diplomatic ties with that country and is a staunch supporter of this government. Hell they even plan to build some militarie bases. If that isn’t backing up a government i don’t know what it is.
So you can’t target your anger to someone posing an apolitical act (just like tourists going there) while playing deaf and blind with the active supporters of such a regime.
Your anger doesn’t give you the right to accuse someone else of backing up a regime, insulting the work of an organization that is there to help saving some life when your own country is intimately involved in the policies of that country you criticize.
And last but not least, the logic that the UN only send its empoyees to perfect democracies is the dumbest aberration and stupid excuse to bitch about anything ever. The UN Refugee policies deals with refugees and refugees are 99 % in non democracies.
Democracies deal with their people in tragedy. The poeple are placed within the country and taking care of, they don’t have refugees. So of course every UN goodwill ambassador will likelyvisit non democratic countries where refugees are parked.
excuse me while I barf.
Yasmine: she wasn’t there for Turkey, but rather there for the Syrian refugees.
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Exactly. Why in the world would anyone have a problem comprehending that, aside from willful blindness?
@nnn: I said “that’s all folks” but I usually appreciate your comments on this site, so I’ll reply 🙂 About being dismissive, I wasn’t referring to you. I was referring to a comment like this:
“@Shay: Feel better post-rant? Next time try paregoric… ”
And I tried to stress how anger is where Shay is coming from, because sometimes it’s hard for other people to understand. And they in turn can become, dismissive. I’ve seen it with the Armenian genocide, with the ongoing apartheid and occupation of Palestine, etc…
I’m not saying that Shay has the right to misdirect her anger into attacking Jolie and what the UNHCR does; I’m just saying that people can be NATURALLY angry that Jolie visits Turkey when they have serious and personally devastating issues with the country. And I realize that would apply to many places, and it most certainly should. If people want to argue with Shay over Jolie’s personal motivations, go ahead. But just understand where people are coming from, it’s all I ask. That said, I did stress that I appreciated her visiting the refugees and bringing attention (however little it is) to their plight.
Finally, your comment: “Your anger doesn’t give you the right to accuse someone else of backing up a regime, insulting the work of an organization that is there to help saving some life when your own country is intimately involved in the policies of that country you criticize.”
I completely disagree. If there is a government you should always criticize, it is YOUR OWN. Firstly, because you are a tax-payer and fund these policies, and secondly, because your country’s policies overseas and domestically directly affect you. You can be supportive of some things you are proud of in your government, but must also exercise your democratic right to interrogate what other things your government does for you and criticize it if you disagree. It’s a right people in the world would die for, as Jolie will hear from those people. I say: criticize BOTH! Sketchy foreign regimes, and your government’s support for them. I don’t see any hypocrisy here if you criticize both.
yeah, something I have learned from these commens:
-We sould not donate anything to anybody or any organization and request a tax refund. Nevermind that MANY organizations depend on those types of donations, and that is why they give those receipts. Hey, maybe other celebrities can demand a tax refund, of course, except brad and angelina.
-A country that has had a bad histoy on human rights (name one that is perfect), should not receive refugees into its borders, no matter that they are their next doors neighbors. Let them walk somewhere else, and if that country receives refugees, nobody should visit those refugees o plead for them and their couses, aor even ask for donations or any kind of help (yeah, right!)
My country has had a mixed history regarding human rights since before it got its independence. And in the XX century there were dissapearances and killings in the 1968 events… gues what, we held the Olympic games that same year, at the same time, in that same century, my countr received immigrants from the middle EAst, and from spain who had to flee because of Franco, there were even children who came to stay, nevermind teh central american families (el salvador) that came and stayed for years when they were at war (hey, I heard that the US had some kind of a role in that war). Many stayed for good (one of my studdents is half salvadorian.
I remember 1 or 2 years ago, angelina went to Thailand or something, and she pleaded for some refugees that had lots of needs,and that the neighbor country wouldn’t received them. I remember her voice helped many to turn their heads towards tha country that did not want to help those refugees much.
She is no superwoman, but she is commited. And good for her and the causes she supports.
If many more people in HW were that commited, maybe she would not be singled out so much. Go and call out to your favorite celebrity and ask them to help more, so there are more celebs posts of people doing good. I bet they would not be so hated then.
Double standard for Angelina… sadly, that’s not new.
Glad that some people are aware of Turkey’s vile, blood-soaked past (for which it feels no remorse, BTW). There are still laws in Turkey that secure censorship of any expression of “offenses to Turkishness”, leaving out-spoken journalists imprisoned or assassinated.
Turkey’s soaking up any good press it can get; disgusting!
ladybert…I’ll hold your hair back.
@Yasmine:
I appreciate your calm reply to what you have read. My comments regardiny Shay’s was these comments..
1.And Angelina, as her usual attention seeking self, is so goddamn ignorant and gets on a plane with the eagerness of a desperate debutante attending every social party at the drop of an envelope.
2.Who TF is she?
A messiah?
She is still the messed up girl of years ago. Except now she has a better PR team to cover her insanity.
3. Angelina is just your average fame whore.
Her father was right about her years ago. She cares about appearing in headlines.
****** These comment have nothing to do with Turkey’s History or the US policies regarding this them. NOT to mention the 9000+ people living in those tents.
These are personal and beyond uncalled for. If you want to school people that are not aware of a history why was it necessary to call her these names to get your point out. This has an underlying feel.. and that is what I reacted to
Rightly so I might add
At she uses her celebrity to help others. Some celebs dont care while some actually do-and she’s one of them!
Regardless of AJ’s motive “to be seen being good”, it still helps to raise awareness about issues.
@Shay… I have a question.. You bash a woman who gives time and money in generous amounts to those in need…. As a volunteer of several organizations myself to help others.. My question to you is.. What if anything have you ever done to help others?? Just wondering as most that complain about another’s humanitarian work usually are conveniently too busy or broke to help others when they have the opportunity…
And for the record… I am disabled and not rich… But am thankful celebrities do use their time, money, and health (or illnesses in some cases) to help causes… It’s a fast way of getting the attention of all the media outlets around the world…
@ Cheyenne: my comment was under moderation for a while. But I wrote before you posted that I recognize that she was there for Syrian refugees, and that I appreciate that. Again, I was trying to stress where some people are coming from. I wasn’t being ‘blind’ to that. No need to be rude, thanks.
@ lisa: I now understand your response and what you are conveying in your defense of Jolie. I looked past the comments personally attacking Jolie mostly, I suppose, out of being desensitized to rants about Jolie, (especially since I have no opinion or position towards her). But looking back at the comments again now, I see Shay’s personal opinions of Jolie (if one likes her and wants to defend her) would then seem to discredit the other totally legitimate facts and grievances she/he conveyed, which is unfortunate. I was focusing on the grievances with Turkey’s history (these are the ones I’ll support Shay on), rather than any personal opinion of Angelina, who I am completely indifferent to regardless of her actions.
As Bill Hicks is God (always entertaining and witty comments) put it: “It’s her job to plaster her face on causes. Why that is so outstanding and exceptional to some people is just silly.” Oh, and thanks for your kind and polite reply 🙂
@Shay..
If you feel that strongly maybe you could use your knowledge (which no one disputes) to highlight Turkey’s questionable Human Rights records and advocate that their proposed EU membership does not get sanctioned until they acknowledge their past genocides (which I totally agree, they should).
My great great grandfather was the general of a Libyan army and passed through Syria in 1911 (during the Ottoman Empire) while in exile from the Italian invasion of Libya. At the time, there were Armenians living in Syria, which was governed by the Turks. The Turks tried to get them to settle for a while in a village that was full of abandoned homes. After walking around the empty homes for an hour or so, it became plain that there had been an Armenian genocide there. He took his men to pray in a nearby school and when they had finished praying he said, “If any one of you accept one of these houses, you’re nuts if you think your prayers will be accepted by God”.. and that was that.. they kept on passing through…
All this to say, at least Anjelina Jolie is using her attention drawing capacity to draw world attention to the plight of the SYRIANS (ie.not the Turks).
I don’t see anything wrong with using her “star power” to bring attention to the people in trouble. If someone could have drawn attention to what was happening in 1911 maybe things would be different for the Armenians today.
she’s just so damn beautiful
Thank you cut the Cheese! I feel better now! ha ha ha
jolie actually gives quite a bit more than 0.00001 percent. She has given millions away.
@ Daisy – I believe it’s closer to 33%. She gives away one-third of her income to charity. (I wish I could afford to do that…)
OT – Where is HGF?! It’s way past time for my HGF fix and I’m going through withdrawals, lol!
@shay (13)
Angelina is not visiting Turkey, but refugees from Syria who are in Turkey, and if she is visiting Turkey, what business is that of yours?
She does her job for the UNHCR, and if or when they ask her to go to Malaysia or Indonesia she will do that too.
Stop being so bitter!
@Shay
with your ignorance, wait how many like you are there??? Angelina Jolie works for an organization she is not unto herself. Comments like yours are a waste of time and completely pointless, it also diminishes the the efforts she is making to bring the country’s plight to the forefront. STFU….
@shay (20)
No one person can change things, and you’re right, “it’s not the Angelinas that change things,” but they are part of everybody who help the refugees.
Who are you to talk down people who work for the various UN agencies?
Angelina, like many other people, donates and she also gives her time. It’s the combined effort of everybody in the world to help the refugees.
Do you think posters are stupid?
Of course political leaders have to be involved, and governments and people through parliament/congress.
“But what to expect from the UN? An organisation that is great at sending out its celebrity goodwill ambassadors while people are dying and starving.”
That is an idiotic things to say. The UN, via its agencies, including the UNHCR, does a whole lot of good work that we don’t hear about. All we hear is the negative stuff. The UN is not perfect but it’s the only organization to which all countries belong.
Shay is just another idiot. SHE was asked to go there..period and she is NOT going for TURKEY. sHAY doesn’t really care why AJ is there lol she is Team Jen lol So she has to get her bitterness out.
@Yasmine (48)
“…when your family/community has been through genocide (esp. one that still has not been dealt justice) wouldn’t you also feel a lot of anger and pain?”
Of course, but why take it out on Angelina, who is just doing her job?
@Yasmine: Good lord, I didn’t say YOU were being blind. Your comment was spot on. I’m referring to a few people on here who hate this woman so much that they would bash her if she found a cure for AIDS.
The UN is not perfect by any means. But it is the best that is there. But what also has to be understood is that the UN can not just enter a country; regardless of the plight of the refugees. UN workers have to be protected. The places have to be stable in order for them to get aid in. Because more times then not, the oppressors take that aid and it doesn’t reach those in need. HOW many times have we seen UNHCR workers killed.
She goes in some very dangerous situations. And I doubt a famewhore as she was called would but herself in that danger. I don’t think Angie is perfect. She is not. But that is why I like her. She is human, and flawed like us all. I just like that she has never forgotten that while she has so much there are a lot that have nothing. And the people in those camps were happy that someone came to see and hear what is happening to them. Sometimes that means the world.. For someone outside of your circumstance to listen.
I wonder how many others have made such a visit. NOT Many I will bet. I don’t see our Government officials in this country or others rushing to Refugee camps.
Firstly of all Judy, I’m not ‘team Jen’. I don’t care for the ‘team bullshit’.
What I do question is her compulsion to visit every place at the drop of a hat to say ‘there there’, get her photograph taken and so on.
What, you think that 9000 Syrians are more significant than asylum seekers around the world in detention centres, that far exceed the 9000? There are more than 100,000 asylum seekers detained in countries like Malaysia, or detained by the likes of Great Britain and Australia. Did any of you have any idea that a British company makes a profit on detained asylum seekers in Australia?
Oh no, many of you know if Angelina is wearing makeup in a Louis Vuitton ad, and that she gives money.
What money? The minute percentage? I bet you she didn’t even donate half of her LV paycheck. She doesn’t reveal the percentage, but my main point is not about the paycheck it’s about the way she just has to present herself.
Also, in regard to UN. I”m not criticising UN peacekeepers, whose job is made more difficult by the power brokers/bureaucrats. But yes, the UN did stand by and render its peacekeppers powerless when half a million Rwandans were slaughtered.
The UN Security Council allowed the US to invade Iraq.
In short, the UN is not a powerful agency that does ‘right’. If they did, then George W Bush and Cheney would be charged as war criminals in the International Court of Justice for all the tortures and civilian deaths they are responsible for!
So don’t give me the Angelina is saint crap just because she is associated with the UN.
Why doesn’t Angelina visit the detention centres in Australia? Why doesn’t she visit the detention centres in Malaysia? Aren’t those refugees, sorry ‘asylum seekers’ significant enough?
But Angelina goes to places where they permit her to go, to detract from the real issue, like the current destabilisation of the Middle East. So the general public, ie average Americans are so goddamn distracted by celebrity.
I don’t like the woman but I have to be impressed that she does this work.Her motivations don’t even matter what matters is that she is bringing a spotlight with her.You don’t have to like her any better or think she’s all St. Angie in the motivation department but you should be able to acknowledge that this is something she’s getting right.
@Shay First off Angelina isn’t a saint. She isn’t a world leader and she can’t fix every problem in the world. She is in her position at the UN at their pleasure. She doesn’t have the influence of a politician, a President, a Senator, nor should she-therefore UN policy won’t immediately transform to suit Angelina’s personal convictions. She has a choice to either work with the UN, imperfect though it is, or abandon that role. I am sure that if you are concerned about the minute fiscal details of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation and her donations etc you can find tax records on the internet. As for the detention centers I can’t speak for Australia but I know that in the US the JP foundation has helped to fund access to lawyers for young people detained in the US who are seeking asylum and otherwise would not have any counsel and face deportation.
Again Angelina isn’t a saint. The banner those people made was over the top, but I do think that her visit made them feel happy that someone knew about them. That doesn’t mean that every problem they have will be erased. You seem to want to blame her for every problem in the world because she is actually trying to do something. It’s unfair.
oh shay, shay… since almost everyone answered you, now you change the issue, now the problem with AJ is not that she went to Turkey, but that she HASN’T been to every detention centre in every country!??!
ahahahahahaah please!
I am not as eloquent as other posters here, but I can answer something: Angelina is not a superhero, hey it’s like that spidey movie where he realized he had no life becausse he was in superhero mode the whole time.
The woman is an actress, she earns a lot of money and her and her partner (both of them were not born multimillionaires, they are not heir and heiress) have donated a lot to the causes they support. She is listed as one of the main individual donor for the UNHCR, and she has donated for years to them (and others, go and search before criticizing)money is money, and I do not see everyone in HW donating a lot to many causes, they go go charity parties, mostly, or donate used stuff, etc.
She is not a full time UN worker.
I do not live in the US, but there are sylum seekers here, and people from my country have gone elsewhere too and many are detained or are assking or asylum due to the drug violence in my country, and guess what? it would be great if she could came, but there are more immediate crisis elsewhere.
What you could do is ask her office what are the spects that they take into account to send a goodwill ambassador to a certain zone, then maybe you could sugegst or invite the Jolie, or BArbara hendricks, giorgio armani,Adel emam or jesús vazquez o visit.. there are at least 10 ambassadors like Angelina… or does it HAVE to be her?
She’s probably one of the most active because of the press, and because she loves what she does.
Invite her, go support a cause, not just whine here. your rants come off as grasping at straws.
I think it’s great that she does this work! These refugees need help and she does it, even though she doesn’t have to. This woman gets media coverage for everything she does from shopping for her children or posing for a picture- I think it’s great that she uses her fame to point the spotlight in a different direction.
Also, speaking of Doctors without Borders last year our store raised about $400 from a bake sale to donate to them. My cornflake cookies were particularly popular. 🙂 It’s small change but it was fun! We gotta do it again soon.
The banner was incredibly cheesy, but that’s okay! It’s cute. It may not have translated well…Saint Angie Jo has a better ring to it I think!
@Bill Hicks is God: And what you don’t seem to be getting is that she didn’t have to take on the job. The UNHCR does not draft you army-style, they ask you very nicely and you can always say no. Other people have.
Could one imagine having to plea to the U.N. for help, they are killing our children,please help,our military is killing us.Could you imagine having to plea like that,and hope someone hears your cries.I commend Jolie,for the effort she puts forth.To anyone who complains about her,for her dedication,I ask this.Where are you now? Now is your chance to stand up,and show the world how you can do better.Come foward and show the world how it is done.Do that-and I will make a banner for you.
OMG
this is such a pile of hypocrisy! And it’s so embarrassing: ashamed Angelina, ashamed USA!
I think the banner is funny too BUT things DO get lost in translation — I’d bet the Turkish expression which was translated into English as the “Goodness Angel of the World” isn’t *quite* so corny as the translation sounds.
OT – I was watching a Hallmark channel movie (yes, I’m a dork) & the Sean Patrick Flanery (another secret crush of mine since Boondock Saints!) character asked his friend to guess who just emailed him. The friend said “Angelina Jolie & she wants to have your babies.” Even the writers at Hallmark channel know the allure and appeal of Angelina! Although admittedly, that could be a great movie pairing for me, AJ & SPF!
First, this made me a little sad that I didn’t know about this until I read this article on this gossip site (because I actually live in TKY) and think perhaps I need to get my daily news updates direct on TKY since I don’t have a radio or TV that picks up the news (sad but true).
Second, in regards to “the event I will not mention by name” (I don’t kid myself that my internet activity can be/is monitored so l like to avoid using buzz words/terms) and AJ visiting this country for the Syrian refugees despite that…..come ON! Am I to correctly understand that some of you’d REALLY rather her not come here (a place that is open and welcome to her) to help those people and their plight (whom this country is also helping) in order to punish this country for that incident that for years has been so complicatedly dragged on? Should this country also not be allowed to accept refugees as punishment for its own past crimes (sort of a once you’ve done something bad it’s not helpful for you to ever do something good kind of mentality)? How do you punish them for something they don’t acknowledge without creating a bigger issue? How does refusing to come to this country because of their potential crime record from YEARS past (that is still to be acknowledged let alone something that many people are aware of) and not helping people they are providing refuge to who are currently suffering HELP the situation? How is it a MORE loving act? Ay yi yi! I just can’t with this issue!
Third, I HAVE to add because I didn’t with the Kim on TKY’s Cosmopolitan cover post (I think it was Cosmo and I think that post was this site)……I found it very interesting that her platform was as American- Arm. that she was on a Cosmo cover considering the relationship of the 2 countries. Perhaps the chick is smarter than we thought and was dealing a low-blow, slap in the face of sorts. Still haven’t seen the cover here yet BTW. I’m curious to TKsh people’s opinion on KK as a whole though.
Lastly, I find it sweetly ironic maybe that AJ’s coming here to bring attention to the plight of the Syrians is also bringing attention to “the event I will not mention by name”. I dunno, I just wonder if maybe either or both AJ and Shay weren’t savvy and wise enough to pick up on it and have used it to bring attention to the good, the bad and the ugly. In any event, I’ll give the benefit of the doubt to both and say, “well done and well played”.
Or is Angelina so dense and wrapped up in her Mother Teresa image?
********************
She’s a nice rich lady who gives some of her time and money to charity and I think that’s cool, but enough with the Mother Teresa crap. She’d have to give away every dime of her money and move in with them to deserve that comparison!
Once again, almost all of you are complete idiots fighting over nothing. What she does is awesome, so haters need to STFU. Of course, it doesn’t make her an angel OR a saint, so Angie fans chill the hell out!
Usually I laugh and make fun of both sides, but you people make coming here less and less fun with your rabid obsession and stupid fighthing with strangers day after day, saying the same crap over and over again.
@Sakyiwaa:
“If you don’t reply to this, you’re a tokbele.
If you do reply to this, you’re a yakabomo.”
========================
I’ve never been name-called in an African language before. Sounds African. Which one is it? Yoruba?Bantu/Swahili? Zulu?
“Look it up” What a tit-head you are. Why would I waste my time looking up foreign-language insults when I can be expeditious and just tear you a new one now?
To properly insult somebody, they need to understand what exactly is being said in order to be offended. DUMB-ASS.
In English, so you don’t have to look anything up anywhere: You are an hysterical tool and phenomenal dimwit. So much so, it’s astounding really.
Thank-you though for your extensive post. You might want to run along now and have your blood pressure checked, unless you’ve already keeled over your keyboard…
Maybe if she didn’t shill luxury bags that little children in India make for 50c an hour in her spare time one could take her seriously.
Why compromise your integrity to promote products that contribute to inequality in the world? Because you are greedy and love money. Shame on you St. Ange!
It is completely understandable to me why the Armenian community would be upset by the press Turkey is receiving for taking Syrian refugees.
Canada and the United States still will not admit or use the word “genocide” regarding the willful human destruction in 1915 and the subsequent Armenian Diaspora.
Why? Turkey is a member of NATO and a secular Muslim country and Middle-East buffer nation, that’s why.
Wow Angelina & Jennifer threads really get people going, its so strange! I dipped my toe into the last theroux/Jen thread and it just got crazy, nobody listened to each other. Everybody seemed very angry with any opposing views and would write essay length comments, trying to debunk anything was impossible! People very obsessed, anyway good for her, she doesn’t have to be an ambassador, she could spend her downtime shopping.
true dat!!!
@Shay, I’ll pray that Angelina hugs you one day to easy your pain!! and please next time try to understand the post before you comment. be blessed baby!!
@Anya: Would you like her better if she shilled designer water in plastic bottles that contribute to the pollution of the planet?
Visiting Turkey is on my bucket list — I hope I can see Istanbul before I die. Until then, I hope that the current or a future Turkish government will address the issue (genocide of Armenians) properly…I really do. But if that doesn’t happen, I’ll still visit the country if I have the chance. That will not mean I condone, in any way, what happened; or that I’m evil. But (of course) some people will think that way.
Now, Jolie — by visiting Syrian refugees (which is what she does as a UN ambassador) — is being bashed because *GASP!* such refugees are in Turkey…Honestly, I think some of you are going overboard. How was she supposed to do her job then? Using a Star Wars holographic message? Seriously, some of you hate her for reasons that are beyond anything rational. Hate her for whatever reason you want, try not to hate her for doing her job! And I bet my ass that if she didn’t go there for the Syrian refugees, let’s say…because she was waiting Turkey to be punished (for what happened to Armenians), people would still be bashing her anyway.
I understand what happened to Armenians and I’m sorry Turkish governments over the years haven’t aknowledged it, nor apologized for it. However, that doesn’t mean Turkish people nowadays are necessarily at fault. We shouldn’t be generalizing here. I’m almost sure that there are (Turkish) people there just as angry as some of you are.
The posters haters/ lovers are equally nuts. Hope Angie dumps brad soon so his fans can move on. She looks so unhappy/unhealthy with him anyway 🙂
@bored
you need to step off..Angie is not some frail fool. If Brad was not what she wanted then she would leave.
YOU are a fool.. get a life.
@Bill Hicks IS A DUMBASS: To properly insult somebody, they need to understand what exactly is being said in order to be offended. DUMB-ASS*.
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Two more comments…. Wow. Dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms./Mad. I’m-So-Verbose-My-Web-Name-Is-A-Sentence. I love YOU.
Nope. None of the African languages you mentioned above are it. And not to worry, I’m sufficiently satisfied that I called you a Word; you’re Never gonna find the meaning of…cos it’s pretty bad. And I have to respect the sensibilities of the rest of the commenters as well as myself. Thank YOU for acknowledging your real name* in your comment.
I don’t care what she does it for. She does it. She donates millions and tries to get the message across to others to help. Hate on, stranger.
I just don’t understand why some people keep spouting ridiculous, negative nonsense about someone doing their JOB. The whole reason for Angelina, or any other ambassador they hired, is to bring attention to something. You can’t bring attention to the world about something that is kept private and under wraps. The UNHCR hires photographers to go with her, they release statements of her goodwill trips, and they get the press they want. How this becomes just a pr ploy to promote a movie is beyond ridiculous.
I congratulate Angelina on all of her hard work and dedication for over a decade; it shows she really is concerned and cares about what she’s doing for the UNHCR.
Even though the banner message most likely got lost in translation, Angelina Jolie truly is a goodness angel of the world.
She’s awesome!