FTA: Hollywood star Angelina Jolie showed off her newly-adopted Vietnamese son in a British magazine Wednesday, describing him as "very strong" and saying he was slowly adapting to his new life.

Two things stand out in that paragraph. One, the verbiage of "showing off" her newest acquisition; and two, slowly adapting? I'm sure it's much easier "adapting" to a Malibu mansion than it is "adapting" to a tattered blanket, dirt floors and daily sloppings of gruel.

Jolie and her "rainbow family" bullshiat is really obnoxious. Plucking one lucky little orphan out of poverty really doesn't do a damned thing in terms of addressing the issue of "lifer" oprphans--especially when the newly adopted kid is heralded like a new purchase. She is the focus of attention--not the child, his country, or the situation of all those still in the orphanarium. I hate to impugn her motives, but her actions smack of extreme holier-than-thouness in what is really just an empty gesture.

jefe_gonzo: what is really just an empty gesture

FTW.

jefe_gonzo: her actions smack of extreme holier-than-thouness in what is really just an empty gesture.

She doesn't just adopt random orphans and brag about them. She donates a massive amount of money and tours to raise awareness for some worthy causes. I'm all for bashing celebrities at every chance, but she's not exactly as useless as you say. Yes, a lot of people do focus their attention on her instead of the plight of the children she tries to help, but those people would be focusing their attention on nichole ricche's waist measurements anyway.

When it comes to her tits, resistance is futile. Just ask Brad Pitt.

I wonder who she will adopt next. Perhaps some poor backwoods child of West Virginia? Or does the kid have to be "exotic"?

Staticdistance, I agree that she goes to far greater lengths when it comes to putting her money where her mouth is when compared to the overwhelming majority of celebrity "activists," but I have a real problem with the way in which these kids are exoticized. Granted, they're culturally and ethnically "different" than Jolie, however that shouldn't be the primary focus of attention. BUT, that generally is the focus--"what color is the new Jolie-Pitt kid?" is the context in which they're portrayed in the media. They're little human novelties--like a Precious Moments collection for the very wealthy, PC-minded set. Make "the story" about the kid's circumstances, not the wonderful, courageous signing of adoption papers by a mediocre actress with a bangin' body.

By adopting one orphan, she hopes to encourage others who look up to her (and copy everything she does) to adopt one as well. If enough people do it, it will make a different.

difference.

Wow--I'd love to be that kid. One minute you're in absolute hell, the next minute you are rubbing elbows with the Weinstein children at day care.

/Ten bucks says he does some kind of "cameo" within ten years.
//Yes, I'm jealous.

Pax Thien wants some breastfeeding.

It's a perfectly cromulent name if you ask me.

Heh, I read the headline as "Angelina Jolie's kidnapping went well."

Finally a greenlight that's not Boobies!

/submitter

rocket lawn chair: Heh, I read the headline as "Angelina Jolie's kidnapping went well."

I couldn't help it

yeah, she sucks, and what she does makes no difference. Especially not to the kids she adopted. They would live very good lives with loving parents regardless of whether she came along or not. Except for the not having parents part, and living in a third-world orphanage part. Other than that, no difference at all.

She gave a 3-year-old a GameBoy?

charmed1782: I wonder who she will adopt next. Perhaps some poor backwoods child of West Virginia? Or does the kid have to be "exotic"?

If perhaps she adopted a whole village with all that moolah, and helped everyone in it to have a better life, then maybe I would begin to have some sort of respect for her. But sorry, Jefe, this is all about HER. Notice that Mr. Aniston's name was left off the adoption papers?

Yeah. Exactly.

The money she spent on adopting one kid could sustain an entire African or Vietnamese village for years. But then who would take pictures of her?

God/FSM bless her. She is doing more than me and you. Her only equal is Oprah, who instead of adopting a child, adopts a village. Have you wrapped your arms around a trembling child? Have you taken them home, loved and fed them?

FTFA: "It will take him a while to realise he has a family; that his new life is permanent and it won't keep changing."


Yeah, cuz uber-famous celebrity lives never change.

Purelilac ...Have you wrapped your arms around a trembling child? Have you taken them home, loved and fed them?


Jacko, is that you?

It never ceases to amaze me how people can still shiat on her after all the good she's doing.

darkhorse23

She gives a third of her income away. "Mr. Aniston" isn't on the adoption papers because it's more difficult for unmarried couples to adopt in Vietnam.

No one can save an entire country. You can shiat on her all you like, but by adopting this one little boy (and yeah, he's got it good now), she has placed a spotlight on the problems that other orphans face in Vietnam (and Ethiopia and Cambodia). Other people, who don't have her high profile may be motivated to adopt children there or even just contribute to charities that help children in Vietnam and elsewhere. Plus, she's donated a bunch of money to help those that she couldn't adopt in Vietnam. She and Brad have donated lots of money to fund clinics and support children's aid programs in lots of countries.

If Brad's name wasn't on the adoption papers, maybe it is because they're not married. I believe (don't know for certain) that it is difficult for unmarried couples to adopt in the US as well.

she has placed a spotlight on the problems that other orphans face in Vietnam (and Ethiopia and Cambodia)

Yeah, cause orphans in America have it so good. You wanna fix the problem in countries like this? Send them condoms, have the Pope allow condoms to be used in his screwy religion.

/by saying 'in America' I was using my own country, and her country to I beleieve.

You know... I always assumed that she was British, due to her slight accent, but never actually bothered to check. She was born, at least, in LA, according to Wiki, and is the daughter of John Voight (wow. I didn't know that) and an actress who I'm not familiar with who was half French-Canadian (reason for the accent or is it just fake?) and half Iroquois.

When I was in Vietnam we visited an orphanage (not the one Jolie adopted from). All the kids were either sewing, making jewelry, or cleaning. While intially I thought "sweat shop," I learned that this was the only way to finance the orphanage (government either gives very little or none at all). In addition, they were teaching these children viable skills, so that when they eventually went into the real work force, they could actually find jobs (especially the girls, who, because they could sew very well, would not have to resort to prostitution).

So yeah, Jolie can't change the world, but I'm sure she just made a huge difference to that one child.

Hugh_Janus: Yeah, cause orphans in America have it so good

Are they working slave labor? Given AK-47s to fight rival warlords? Killed and raped indiscriminately?

The vitriol towards this woman is unbelievable to me.

I yearn for TNG Episode Guide Song... brb

to all the people that rag on her for adopting a child:

you farking do it then.

better yet, YOU get off your sorry ass and save the whole world. it's that easy, right?

p.s.

that's what proud new parents do.

"show off" their kids. sorry that your parents weren't that proud of you.

the part that bothered me was where she gave a three-year-old a game boy.

DUBYA TEE EFF?

DRTFA, but subby gets points for the Pepsi the flew out of my nose!!

/Loves me the Trek

look ma no pants
the part that bothered me was where she gave a three-year-old a game boy

What's your point? I gave my son his very own honest-to-god PC when he was three. Kids eat it up. They're young, not stupid, and can do amazing things if given the opportunity. He's now seven and helps tutor other - even significantly older - kids at school who are not as "lucky" as him.

/I'm not saying anything, just saying . . .

Why I'm chiming in on this is beyond me, since I am sick to bloody death of Brangelina (stupid name even).
But I would like to say that yes, Ms Jolie does highlight the fact that there are oprhans in the world. But this is a fact that I am sure most of us are aware of anyway. What she does not embody in her personal crusade, is how hard it is for 'normal' people to make a difference like that, even to one child.
Correct me if I'm wrong- and this is Fark so I know you will- most of us can't fly into a foreign country in our own private jet, splash some cash then whisk away the chosen child to a life of luxury.

Besides, hasn't there been some bad rep about Angelina upstaging the 'real' work of the UN?

/stepping off my soapbox now.

Don't give a shiat about her or her rainbow family but does it seem to anyone else that her natural daughter is pretty screwed? Nobody ever mentions her. Perhaps she's a mutant or something.