Trackbacks & Pings

1. real men are not » Blog Archive » That’s the joint (overblown footbinding edition!) on 21 Jun 2006 at 2:55 pm

   […] >>OK, OK, i’ll fess up and say that I did enjoy Mr. & Mrs. Smith the first time I saw it. BUT after the smelling salts kicked in, I realized that it was still crap but just served on some Tiffany’s. Anyways, those crazy kids and their millions are out of control. Why spend millions (both your own and the gov’s) to give birth in Namibia and take a giant #2 on the struggles going on there, making a mockery of all the inequities, the infant mortality rates? Cause that’s what you do when you’re the hottest couple in Hollywood! You set trends baby! Then, Angelina decides she wants to keep playing UN color coordinator 4 kidz. […]

2. Mixed Media Watch - tracking media representations of mixed people on 15 Jul 2006 at 11:55 am

   […] [Note from CVK: You’d think, but her CNN interview indicates that she has a long way to go with the sensitivity thing.] […]

Comments

1. Francis wrote:

   Well in the case of cross-ethnic adoptions, there is sometimes a thin line between being a humanist and patronising.

   Josephine Baker had her “Rainbow Tribe” of adopted children. It is said that she developed an adoption “mania” and that after her fourth husband left her she was broke and had a hard time sustaining her “Tribe”. There is not much information on the Internet as to what her children have become.

   Adoption requires having the ressources to properly raise a child, yes, but the parents also need to provide a stable emotional environment… otherwise they are doing the child no favor at all. Besides being rich, famous and a Goodwill Ambassador I hope for the children that Jolie is a good mother as well.

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 10:37 am ¶

2. April wrote:

   What she is doing is extremely difficult. Adoption is what it is — picking and choosing. She’s a white mother, and no matter what she does, she is scrutinized a lot because she is white. If a racial minority adopts a whole host of other racial minorities (minorities in our country), then it would be less scrutinized. It’s just something to think about.

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 11:10 am ¶

3. hmmm... wrote:

   I agree with CVK and Francis. Jolie should put a lot more thought into whether it is appropriate or not to adopt another child. It can be difficult raising one child alone let alone several kids at once. The criticism Jolie has received has nothing to do with her race in my opinion but rather with whether she in sincere in her deisre to raise these children or is just doing so as a gimmick. Remember, this is a woman who once boasted about how shekept her husband’s blood in a vial around her neck.

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 11:36 am ¶

4. Lyonside wrote:

   April: maybe, but the fact remains that a majority of adoptive parents in the US are white (greater than the population percentage), there are more infant minority children up for adoption than white children of a comparable age, and the US has a big racial legacy, so any focus on adoption is going to have to deal with interracial adoption.

   As Francis hinted at, I have to wonder w/ many wealthy famous busy types, their own biological kids or not: are they parenting or is the help?

   The problem I have most w/ the interview is the idea that the children would only be compatible with some children from a specific set of countries or races? What kind of bull is this?

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 12:25 pm ¶

5. Charlette wrote:

   “However to reduce the labels of race, ethnicity, identity, birthcountry is distrubing to me,” WHo the hell had the right in the first place to give labels to other human beings? NO ONE. but some arrogant white man thought he had the power and you still accept that crap. Jolie is trying to eradicate that kind of thinking. Human are humans. Tom Cruise is in the right place also, and what is wrong with him showing emotion? NOTHING. You restrained white dominant culture conservatives that just have to control everyone’s emoting are so arrogant. Tom Cruise beleives that race doesn’t matter if you just love a baby. Babies don’t see any color, know culture, know racism. Only we invent that collect rabid ideology and think its reality. WAKE UP PEOPLE!

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 1:14 pm ¶

6. gatamala wrote:

   uhhh Charlette

   Jolie is trying to eradicate that kind of thinking? How? which race would fit best with the kids If that statement doesn’t perpetuate that kind of thinking - labels - I don’t know what does.

   “humans are humans, race doesn’t matter” saying it over and over won’t make racism non-existent

   I’m glad Tom’s kid has a home. I’m glad he has a shitload of toys. I’m not glad that he ABSOLUTELY REFUSES to come to terms with the fact that race/color DOES matter. No one believes that the love in his family isn’t real b/c they choose to pretend race is non-existent. I sincerely question the parenting skills (& to a certain extent, the motives) of people who opt not to prepare their child for the world they were born into - & yes that specifically includes race.

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 2:04 pm ¶

7. Merq wrote:

   “uhhh Charlette”

   Gatamala, I’m sure we’re related… How do you read my mind and express all my thoughts in two words? Awesome

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 3:31 pm ¶

8. Merq wrote:

   sorry, i thought that was “ugh, charlette.”

   Charlette,

   Reading your posts is honestly a pain. You irritate me with your faux-militant, evil-white-man rhetoric. I mean, the white man definitely has a lot to answer for, but you just seem really ill-informed when you make these comments.

   There. I said it.

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 3:33 pm ¶

9. julie wrote:

   maybe the disturbing aspect cvk is feeling also stems from this old school colonialism generated by angelina jolie’s actions. adoption is great, but it’s necessary to question jolie’s intentions/agenda: why must she pick kids from non-western nations, and seemingly so urgently? why not children from the united states?
   from this, the sentiment that jolie is carrying out this gleeful, white-savior complex for exotic kids definitely rings too loud and too true.

   Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 3:51 pm ¶

10. Renu wrote:

    the problem is with her verbiage choice. Jolie makes it sound like she’s picking out a set of dishes or home furnishings, rather than welcoming a child into her home. “Let’s see, I’ll take one in toffee, one in chocolate, and one in beige. That way our next ‘add’ can be terracotta-to-sepia and still make our Olan Mills portraits look fabulous…”

    It does sound ick.

    Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 4:53 pm ¶

11. Angelina Mantooth wrote:

    I remember when I was a kid and I dreamed that I would one day be able to solve all the world’s problems if I became rich and famous. I would buy everyone ice cream and pop tarts and even coke if they wanted it. Well, guess what kids? I did become rich and famous now I can take care of all of you!

    Now, back to my list . . . hmmm. What about this one? Nah, everyone is doing Chinese or Korean. I must choose from poor! Oh, maybe if I just spin the globe and put my finger on a country . . . Bradley, would you bring the globe in from the pool?

    [cough cough cough] wha? Oh, yeah the globe? Be right back! no wait, I made that into a bong last night. Uh, but there’s that box of tissues with a map on the outside! [puff puff]

    BRADLEY I NEED ONE MORE TO COMPLETE THE SET! GET ME A MAP!

    Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 5:25 pm ¶

12. Merq wrote:

    julie:

    words out of my mouth.

    Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 6:24 pm ¶

13. Bohwe wrote:

    I don’t think Angelina adopt children from other nations, because it’s exotic. When you see pics of Angie and Brad with their children, you can see the love. I don’t think it’s because of guilt or anything. Angie said that her father left the family, when she was like one or something. And she didn’t grow up rich, so she may want to help children who had to suffer like she did. From what I’ve read about Angelina ethnic background(so not worth mentioning, but I will) is that her mother is half - American Indian and French. So, she is ethnic. In my opinion, Angelina can pass as a black girl. I just don’t see the big deal about Angie adopting children of color, when Angie ain’t 100% European herself.

    Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 7:55 pm ¶

14. Bohwe wrote:

    A good example of a white celebrity adopting children of multiple ethnicities and not making a big deal out of it is, Mia Farrow and Stephen Spielberg and his wife. These beautiful people are the only celebrities, that won’t go into detail about adopting children. They don’t wear it as a badge of honor, just for the love. Got to respect that.

    While we are on the subject of white actors with ethnic children by adoption. Doesn’t Kevin Costner have a son that is 1/2 black? i remember him walking with a little boy, a few years ago.

    Posted 20 Jun 2006 at 8:01 pm ¶

15. Meg wrote:

    the fact that she’s a celebrity and the way she speaks publicly about her family (hmmmm, where should i pick a kid from this time, does the black go with the yellow with the white with the colour of my curtains……….) that makes me uneasy about angelina. Plus the ease with which celebrities seem to be able to adopt kids compared to the average family makes me wonder if they truly value their kids or if it’s the latest trend. Maybe i’m just cynical and i should believe that they have sincere motives but it’s just wierd to speak of adoption like it’s deciding whether the new coffee table fits in with your tv cabinet.

    Maybe it would be better if celebrities were just banned from speaking and trying to reduce really complex issues into a 5 sec soundbite. There was a show a few years ago which focused on adoption and showed one couple from somewhere in midwest who had fought for the right to adopt interracial. Consequently, they had 9 (i think) adopted children who were mixed race, ethiopian and i think african american. Although my imagination ran wild about how hard that would be when the kids got older i always remember two things very clearly from it,
    1) the anecdote that for one of the adoptions they were asked to LOOK at the kid before committing because a white couple had rejected him for being too dark and a black couple had rejected him for being too white - a familiar tale of tragic identiy crises in the making (which they refused to do) and
    2) “when you need a hug does it feel any different white arms or brown arms?”

    to me they seemed genuinely committed to recognising that race would always be there and they seemed willing to give these kids a home anyway and to do the best they could. Maybe this is all a bit too idealistic to think it would work happily ever after but there’s more kids from ethinic minorities who need homes then white kids so there will always be interracial/ethnic adoptions. Hopefully families are more like the average family who are willing to work at understanding the issues their kids will face and not the jolie style celebrities who want us to pretend it just doesn’t exist.

    Posted 21 Jun 2006 at 6:27 am ¶

16. site admin wrote:

    Julie - I think you’re right about the colonialist thing. I Tivo’d the interview and watched a bit of it this morning, and I definitely picked up some heavily paternalistic tones in what Jolie had to say about her work with African countries.

    I’m paraphrasing here, but she said something like: we have to be tolerant and understand that they’ve been at war with each other’s tribes for a long time… we came in and colonized them… they’re only just learning to govern themselves… we need to be more understanding… Also she kept referring to “these people,” which bothered me.

    I was definitely left with the sense that she thinks of African people as noble savages who have to be shown the way by enlightened white saviors like herself. –CVK

    Posted 21 Jun 2006 at 7:38 am ¶

17. bertie wrote:

    I think Julie hit the nail on the head. I think this is a complete ego stroke/validation/”I am the mighty white savoir” complex for Angelina. I find it interesting that she chooses kids from the countries viewed as third world in the states. Can the Katrina orphans get some love? We got plenty of homegrown orphans that need a home. Maybe she feels that because these were former European colonies, she, as an american, has “clean hands” concerning the conditions of the countries she’s adopting from–and thus can be a pure savior to the kids. If she adopted a kid in the US–she wouldn’t feel as pure or savoir-like because she probably know, at least subconciously, that she’s likely benefitted from the racial disparities in this country.

    Posted 21 Jun 2006 at 10:56 am ¶

18. April wrote:

    CVK, why should it bother you that she said “these people”. She is saying the truth, despite how paternalistic her mannerism is. The French, British, and a whole host of European countries split the country apart. Colonialism will do that for ya. She can’t be perfect. I would rather her be the way she is, because there are tons of other white female actors with her star power that do not have the courage she has. Too bad there are not more groups like yours which teach to “educate and appreciate” instead of how to “tolderate and perpetrate”, hahaha… pitiful but true too. I suppose I can see both sides of the equation. Overall, what she is doing is good, but it never hurts to criticize…

    One thing I noticed in the comments on this thread, is that there is more of a focus on this actress being more superficial as opposed to REAL. We do not know what is in her heart.

    Posted 21 Jun 2006 at 10:42 pm ¶

19. JK wrote:

    Yeah, I agree with April. I mean, I understand why you guys are attacking Angelina Jolie for her comment but, maybe your just reading it in the wrong context. Maybe, when she speaks of what “gender or race fits best with the kids” she means something completely different. It could be that other people such as yourselves have been giving her a lot of backlash about adopting so many kids of different races, and now shes a bit more apprehensive and less, I dunno, “speedy” about adopting children of different races.

    Although I’m not a famous celebrity or anything, but I have thought about adopting children from different races, and I realised that there is much more than just giving them a good home to live in. If Jolie is any kind of a good mother she WOULD consider what “kind” of child she adopts next, celebrity or not.

    Posted 22 Jun 2006 at 4:39 pm ¶

20. lyonside wrote:

    JK:

    See, as far as I’m concerned, she’s a very well known professional actress who has deliberately chosen to place her children in the public eye. She chose to do this interview (among others) and she SHOULD be choosing her words differently. She’s also chosen to be some sort of public awareness model (for what, I’m still not sure - While I don’t know her own favorite charities, I think I’d take bets on U2 and Bill and Melinda Gates doing a little bit more for developing nations at the moment). She even took a UN job as part of it.

    If someone is that public, then they deserve to have their words picked apart for substance (or the lack of). Otherwise, do as other celebrities have done and KEEP THE KIDS OUT OF IT.

    Posted 22 Jun 2006 at 7:13 pm ¶

21. JK wrote:

    But do you honestly think that a celebrity… ANY celebrity must ALWAYS be careful about what they say? I mean, come on, she’s still human.

    My whole idea is that you can be taking what she said in the wrong context, understand?

    Also…. I dunno… at least she is someone who actually gives a damn about the children in developing countries, so I dont think she deserves so much backlash for one stupid comment.

    Posted 23 Jun 2006 at 1:34 am ¶

22. Lyonside wrote:

    No, but this is something she obviously CARES ABOUT and has invested time and money in. It’s an interview she deliberately agreed to and prepared for (heck, half the time, most questions are given to the interviewee ahead of time, or they have at least a gist). Do I expect her to be aware of her words and their meaning? Hell yeah.

    If this were a random question thrown out at some other event, unprepared, say the Oscars, or a restaurant, of COURSE it wouldn’t matter.

    However, as a “celebrity” actor in the US who also moonlights as any kind of advocate, doing “serious” interviews is part of your job that is in the public eye.

    Put it this way: among friends, I joke that wetlands are “land that goes squish for most of the year,” and noone cares (even if I work with them). If I put that into a report or say it at a professional meeting, I deserve any flack I get.

    It’s a public interview. Therefore, it’s up the public to listen and critique and decide whether to care.

    Funny thing is, personally, I don’t. Two or three adopted kids from developing nations will likely not improve the lot of the thousands of other kids. Yay, you’re rich, famous, and adopting! Now, how about working to get some better infrastructure to get malaria meds to where they’re most needed?

    Posted 23 Jun 2006 at 8:37 am ¶

23. JK wrote:

    But seriously, do you have any idea what Angelina Jolie has done for many people in developing countries besides just adopting. I dont think you do, maybe you should look her up on Wikipedia. I mean, you dont get the title of UN ambassador for nothing.

    Posted 23 Jun 2006 at 4:50 pm ¶

24. lyonside wrote:

    Never said she didn’t do anything, just saying that if you parade children in the media, of any background, and then talk about it, you better know that the parenting spotlight is on you.

    I repeat, if you dont’ want the attention, stop putting the kids in the damn limelight.

    Posted 24 Jun 2006 at 5:45 pm ¶

25. Gandalf Mantooth wrote:

    JK:

    She is not the “UN Ambassador.” That would be one John Bolton. Her title, UN High Commission on Refugees can actually be conferred for doing little of nothing, as it is given to celebrities who are interested in promoting the cause of the commission. Good on her, using her fame for something, though.

    Posted 27 Jun 2006 at 12:14 pm ¶

26. Remi wrote:

    Are any of you readers adopted? Have any of you spent time in a refugee camp - as a celebrity or otherwise? I am a transracial adoptee who was born during one of the many civil wars in Africa. Regardless of Jolie’s motives or mothering skills, I welcome anything that draws attention AND resources to the most vulnerable population on earth - refugee children. We should all focus more on what we do in our own lives than judging one person that - as far as I can tell - nobody on this site has even met. (And kudos to Jolie on recognizing and celebrating her children’s unique situation.)

    Posted 06 Jul 2006 at 11:47 am ¶

Post a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.