Celebrity Charity

Or… why I don’t like Angelina Jolie.

Sometime between writing her husband’s name in blood on her shirt while getting married in Las Vegas, and snatching someone’s husband (oh the rant I have right there), Angeline Jolie became a humanitarian. She’s globe trotted around the world, passing out bags of rice, speaking about what she has seen across the world. Somehow, she’s become this patron saint of charity work. And none of it is done here.

I am, as an American, good enough to spend my hard earned cash, now my husband’s hard earned cash, on her movies, going to see them in the theatre, renting them, buying them, in general, loading her bank account. She enjoys the benefits of being an American citizen, including the right to say anything about anyone at anytime, in any magazine that will let her listen. Because of me, and all of the people that watch her movies, she can have anything she wants, homes in various countries, clothes straight from designers, handbags you have to be on wait-list to own.

But she does no charity work, of any kind, here in the states. I’ve yet to see her champion any cause, schools, cancer walks, war wounded. Nothing. Which brings me to my point. The vast majority of celebrities pick a cause, a bright shiny cause-of-the-moment, and they spend all their free time endorsing that cause, speaking on that cause. And so many of them are busy speaking about causes that aren’t here. I do not mean to trivialize the plight of those suffering in Darfur, Cambodia, or anywhere else. But when are they going to pay back the adoration of all those American fans; the ones that wait patiently in the pouring rain for tickets to movies, for autographs, that buy their memoirs, dvds. And only a handful, a brave handful, seem to be willing to stand up for the American Soldier.

Bob Hope toured with the USO, I have family members who can remember Marilyn Monroe on stage, singing to soldiers. The time-honored tradition of supporting our troops has, apparently, fallen out of popularity. And allow me a moment of hyperbole; without the sacrifices of a soldier, none of the celebrities would have jobs, they couldn’t make controversial movies, couldn’t sound off in a magazine about what is wrong with this world, with this country. We wouldn’t have anything, without the willingness of a soldier to fight, bleed, and die to protect us all.

So… where in the hell are all the celebrities? Why is it just a standard handful of faithful, that I see and hear about, visiting troops, touring with the USO, sitting with the wounded. And yes, Ms. Jolie made a surprise visit to Walter Reed Hospital. One time. One single time. Contrast that with Gary Sinise, awarded the Presidential Citizen Medal for his work with the USO, and his contributions to Iraqi school children. Toby Keith has done USO tours, Kid Rock has, Jessica Simpson has, the WWE has sent it’s starts to Iraq and Afghanistan repeatedly. But the list of who contributes, who gives back to those who give the most, is short. The list of those who look down their noses at soldiers, who call them baby killers, who consider them mindless automatons of the United States government (Jane Fonda, I’m talking about you here), is long. And it’s seriously pissing me off.

My husband gives everything he has to being a soldier. It defines him. Carl, and the Army, are wrapped so tightly together, I cannot imagine one without the other. It is part of what makes me love him so much, and part of what keeps me up at night. I know countless other soldiers who do the same. So how difficult is it for the celebrities among us, to simply spend some time with them?

I dislike Angelina Jolie because she is a husband-snatcher, who pursued a man she wanted, regardless of the chaos and heartbreak left in her wake. I dislike her even more, because she does not seem to give a damn about those fighting for her freedoms, who keep her safe. And I will do the one thing I can, as a consumer.. I will remember this, the next time I see an advertisement for one of her movies.

~Jennifer