Angelina Jolie in Iraq (Not Jordan)

Ha and the rest critical of her visit to Iraq:

She is a UNHCR (High Commission on Refugees) ambassador. Part of her job is to generate publicity. There are six ambassadors at any one time. I bet most folks can’t name the other five–because they generally do two fund raisers a year. Angelina is much more involved–she has averaged about one event a month since she began her stint about five years ago. Other ambassadors have included Sophia Loren, Armani and more. I don’t believe any of them ever went to visit a country torn apart. If you think she is doing this for publicity–exposing herself to the attrocities that men commit upon one another–then maybe you need to go over to one of these countries and check it out personally. You probably would never go back. It is heartbreaking.

Secondly, because of her activism, the UN has her doing trips like Iraq where she goes back and reports on conditions so that the UN can better serve their population in any given country. They trust her view points because they know she studies and is an informed ambassador, not just one giving lip service to her work.

Thirdly, what a morale booster for the troops to have her eating with them, signing autographs and acknowledging their sacrifices. They’ll be telling their grandchildren about when they met Angelina Jolie just like the WWII troops told their stories to us.

And for those of you who criticize her for leaving her children and risking her life and that of her unconfirmed as of yet baby–well, then you need to level those same criticisms at those that put their lives at risk everyday for our safety: our police forces, fire departments, our troops, those men and women with families who fight the wildfires so they won’t spread and burn your house down, who are fighting to rebuild the Gulf Coast and New Orleans where crime rates are at an all time high. Or those community activists that try and effect change in the inner cities of Chicago, New York City and the rest of our inner cities. Every day they go to work not knowing what is going to happen–will this be the day I die from a crazed motorist? From burning beams falling on me? A sniper’s bullet?
Life in many ways is a roll of the dice. Those five women in Lane Bryants in Chicago probably walked in there feeling perfectly safe never dreaming their visit would end with a maniac shooting and killing them. Those students at VA Tech as they went about their day never expected to not see the sunset.

Angie knows if anything were to ever happen, her kids are in great hands–their father’s. She knows Brad’s family and her family will step in to support them and love them. And she is not stupid, if you noticed there was hardly any publicity about her trip. She is well protected because the UN and the US doesn’t want the headline story to be Angelina Jolie Dies while on mercy mission.

I think what she is doing is wonderful–both her deep love for her family and her unstinting commitment to her work with refugees and those displaced by war and natural disasters.

As she once said when asked about the criticism about her work with the UN (paraphrased)–those that know me know the real story and that is all that matters. And she matters to those that need the hope she brings, to those that find her an inspiration, and to those children she adopted and gave a chance at a wonderful life.

Just wish there were more out there with her passion and devotion. GO ANGIE.

the real tita,you are so naughty,hahahahahahhaha

UN Fundraiser Draws Celebs, Questions

Feb 7 04:19 AM US/Eastern
By JOHN HEILPRIN
Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Madonna, Chris Rock and dozens of other celebrities raised $3.7 million Wednesday night at a star-studded benefit at the United Nations to help poor and sick children around the world.
The $2,500-a-plate dinner and live auction hosted by Rock was an unusual blend of charity and commercial promotion for the U.N. and made some of its officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, uneasy.

Gucci, which paid the costs, pegged the event to the Friday opening of its Manhattan flagship store on Fifth Avenue and put its logo and UNICEF’s behind the walkway where celebrities were photographed.

The United Nations Children’s Fund relies on $1 billion in private sector donations for its $3.5 billion global budget, but the U.N. had never before granted permission to a company to erect tents on the north lawn of the U.N. for such a lavish event with a commercial tie- in.

The red-carpet reception drew stars such as Drew Barrymore, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Amy Adams, Brooke Shields, Salma Hayek, Djimon Hounsou, Dita Von Teese and UNICEF Ambassadors Tea Leoni and Lucy Liu, followed by a cocktail party with the likes of Donald Trump and media mogul Barry Diller.

Celebrities paid $2,500 to $10,000 each to dine on grappa-cured salmon, wild striped bass, tart of goat cheese, foraged mushrooms, truffled mashed potatoes and sticky toffee pudding with creme fraiche. Madonna played videos of Malawi and introduced children from the southern African country. Rihanna, Timbaland and Alicia Keys played music afterward.

he said.

Tom Cruise bid $100,000 for a sports package that included the privilege of hanging out at Yankee Stadium with Alex Rodriguez and a private hour playing soccer with David Beckham, but lost out to a bidder who ponied up $350,000.

“It was an extraordinary evening. The whole evening was quite moving,” Cruise told The Associated Press, accompanied by his wife, Katie Holmes, who agreed. Cruise called the United Nations “an absolute necessity” because of the staff who dedicate their lives to building peace.

A trip to Paris with a tour of a vineyard and lunch with Francois- Henri Pinault and Hayek went for $120,000. The priciest auction item was a $600,000 winning bid to tour with Madonna and take a dance class with her and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Organizers said the proceeds would be collected by the Gucci Foundation, a registered charity, and split among Raising Malawi, an advocacy group that operates under The Kabbalah Centre International, and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, which supports the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Security was tight and few reporters were allowed inside the dinner.

Madonna has tried to help Malawi orphans since she and her husband, Guy Ritchie began raising a Malawian boy they want to adopt. Rights groups questioned her actions since she took him from an orphanage in 2006 at the age of 1. According to UNICEF, HIV/AIDS affects almost 1 million people in Malawi, including 83,000 children, and half of the country’s 1 million orphans have lost one or both parents to AIDS.

“I’ve earned a reputation for many things: pushing the envelope, for being a provocateur, for never taking no for an answer. For endlessly reinventing myself, for being a cult member, a kidnapper. For being ambitious, outrageous and irreverent. And for never settling for second best,” Madonna told the dinner.

“But I don’t just want you to write me a check. I’m more interested in your heart. I want to take you on that journey with me tonight. I want you to feel as inspired as I do right now,” she said. “Yes, I want to raise Malawi. But if I can do that—if we can do that—then the sky’s the limit.”

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

think @ 02/07/2008 at 1:43 pm

We are talking about the trip to Iraq. Why don’t you listen to Angelina?

jjs @ 02/07/2008 at 9:20 am

she’s great! and with no makeup on, she looks very human and approachable, but she does seem kind of tired and like she should get some rest. i hope she doesn’t collapse from all the stress of travelling. but she’s doing a very good thing and raising awareness.
________
#29, jjs, I kind of have to agree with you.

God bless her and her mission. Stay safe Angelina.

((((((((((((((((((((((( NEW THREAD)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

A new thread!

lol,
you are stupid . Brad is with his kids like any good father will be. Don’t you know Angie does the same when he works or he is away?
They love each other and respect and support one another. Since the trolls has no chance to play that boring breakup story anymore they start another kind by trying to make it look one is jealous of the other etc… Bit.ches just go away.

Read this @ 02/07/2008 at 1:48 pm

and Angelina just gave her own hard earned money what a great woman she is.

I HOPE TO GOD all the bitter, critical bas****** are doing SOMETHING for other human beings–volunteering in their communities, in relief work, bring awareness, or SOMETHING before CRITICIZING SOMEONE ELSE WHO ISN’T JUST SITTING ON THEIR AS* AND TYPING IN INSULTS ALL DAY.

OT, SKIP IF NOT INTERESTED.
Speaking of strong women, did you guys watch GMA this morning? They have this segment called “I dare you”, where each of the anchors has to do something they’re not comfortable doing. This morning was Robin Roberts’ turn, and someone dared her to walk the catwalk, so she did it live at the Isaac Mizrahi (sp) show. She was nervous and everyone was anticipating her coming out, but when she did, she walked out there WITHOUT HER WIG, strutting confidently in all her power and glory! It was one of the most powerful, moving moments I’ve seen, I started crying. No one on the show was expecting her to walk out bald, and they all cheered her on, from the sound booth people to the audience. It was awesome.
Just in case some of you don’t watch the show or haven’t heard, Robin has just finished being treated for breast cancer.

And why does the woman interviewing her on CNN remind me of a typical stuck up, high school b****? Her voice is so dreadful and the way she asks her questions make her sound so condescending.