Whut? Angelina can't decide who to vote for?

[3894]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I guess this really is rooted in my distaste for the concept of celebrity and why, simply because someone is pretty or in movies, that suddenly what they think is more important than what anyone else thinks.

You have a RR avatar, essentially just an actor, the second worst president of our time.

I don't get it, scaeagles.

[scaeagles]

Sacrilege, and I completely disagree, but I won't take the bait.

Let's just say our assessment of Reagan and his Presidency are completely different.

[Ghoulish Delight]

But he was an actor that became politically active. What's wrong with that? Is running for office the only way you're allowed to be part of the political process?

Many celebrities do indeed just run their mouth because they can. But many do more than that. And whether you agree with their causes or not, the reality is that they work hard for it, and are in a position where their celebrity status gives them access to people and insight into what policies would contribute to their cause. So yeah, when someone like Jolie says she's waiting to hear what the candidates say about the cause she's invested herself in, if that same cause were important to me I'd pay attention to her opinion. She is an authority on the subject.

[scaeagles]

Nothing is wrong with it. Please note while I don't like Al Franken in the least, I take him a lot more seriously than I do Jolie as he is actually running for office.

I just don't understand why it is important to report on who Angelina is going to vote for (or the fact she's undecided). I thought I made that clear.

I didn't start the thread....just commented on it.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I just don't understand why it is important to report on who Angelina is going to vote for (or the fact she's undecided). I thought I made that clear.

And I thought I just made it clear why it might be important. She's not "just a celebrity". She's a celebrity who is in a position to be knowledgeable about refugee children. Just as, say, Charlton Heston was a celebrity who was in a position to be knowledgeable about gun ownership. He was not in office, nor running for office, yet his opposition to Gore was covered, and influential. Is that a problem? Should the media have not reported it? Yes, he was the president of the NRA, but he was only chosen as such BECAUSE of his celebrity. Jolie may not be president of an organization, but she works a lot with the UNHCR. She's not just some starlet looking for attention.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I don't know why it bugs me so much, but damn it's gotta suck to be a celebrity. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. It's either, "You're so vein and self centered. Why don't you try caring about someone other than yourself." But then if they do, and dare to use the celebrity they've earned to actually work to help a cause they care about, suddenly they're told to just shut up and look pretty. I call bullsht.

Celebrities are going to get media attention. That's what celebrities are. I for one am glad that there are a few out there that are attempting to improve the world and happen to be getting press for it instead of partying and getting divorced.

[Alex]

The same reason it is noteworthy to know who the NRA supports if gun rights is an important issue to you. No, there is nothing that makes them inherently more important but they have invested a lot of time into an issue and you may be willing to view them as a proxy.

Angelina Jolie, as much as one might instinctively want to dismiss the thought, has put in more than a PR level of effort into the topic. So yes, if she has a view on which candidate will be better for refugee issues I wouldn't mind hearing it. Same as with Bono on third world debt, Michael J. Fox on stem cell research, etc.

Now, is it unfair that the press would rather share her view than that of Dr. J.P. Nobody in the Department of Public Policy at BFE Junior College? Absolutely. But in the same way that it is unfair that the news will cover the NRA endorsements much more than the views of Dr. Nobody.

[BarTopDancer]

Running for office isn't the only way to make a change, or to contribute.

Clooney, Jolie, Pitt, Damon and Bono all have the money and the name recognition to encourage people to make change. And they are. For whatever reason people look up to actors. If they can get people to make a positive change to this world I can't see anything wrong with it.

If Angelina wants to come out and say she's undecided because she is unaware how the candidates stand on causes important to her then that's her business. Asking her who she was voting for to begin with is questionable. But they did, and it's done.

[Not Afraid]

No no no people! Celebrities should ONLY act in movies and not reveal their political beliefs. You should only do your own paid job and NOT have an opinion about politics anywhere. As a matter of fact, I think all political threads should be banned from this board because, who are we to have opinions?

[Alex]

I ran for class fire marshal in sixth grade*. I believe that qualifies me to have political opinions.



*Despite an embarrassing campaign faux pas that involved a stunt I am sure would get a teacher fired these days I was still elected. I also ran unopposed.