Angelina Jolie attends war crimes trial at the Hague

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Many have theorized that Angelina Jolie isn’t at Brad’s side in Cannes right now because she’s stuck in New York, working on Salt. Some thought she wasn’t with Brad because they have totally broken up. The first theory was wrong – Angelina isn’t in New York, she’s in the Netherlands, attending a war crimes tribunal at the Hague. Because that’s how she rolls, y’all.

Angelina attended the International Criminal Court’s prosecution of Thomas Lubanga, a Congolese warlord charged with recruiting and using child soldiers. It’s some serious stuff, but I can’t help but wonder how Angelina Jolie sits in a courtroom in the Hague and doesn’t become a distraction for the proceedings:

Angelina Jolie, an outspoken advocate for the rights of children across the world, attended the International Criminal Court trial of a Congolese warlord charged with using child soldiers Tuesday in the Netherlands, the AP reports.

A statement released by the court Tuesday says the case against Thomas Lubanga is a “landmark trial for children,” and called attention to former child soldiers who traveled to The Hague to testify. This trial is the first international trial to focus on child soldiers.

Lubanga is the founder and former leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots political movement and its armed wing. He has pleaded innocent to charges of recruiting and using child soldiers in tribal conflicts in 2002-2003. The United Nations estimates up to 250,000 child soldiers still fight in more than a dozen countries.

[From OK! Magazine]

Angelina is more than just a children’s advocate, she’s goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commission on Refugees. The Congolese civil war has displaced millions of Congolese civilians, many making their way across the DRC’s borders into Uganda, Tanzania and Angola. Angelina has a UN-related reason to attend the trial, and she’s spoken about the ICC in previous interviews and speeches.

On October 17 of last year, Angelina spoke at a symposium about the ICC, saying: “I’ve seen refugees return to live among the same people who attacked them. They are returning to the same lawlessness that sent them running in the first place. I’ve seen aid workers tear up as they put ladies on a bus and say, ‘I don’t know what we’re sending them back to.’ I don’t know if the ICC is the answer. And I don’t know what type of court is, or what it would need to be to make all of us agree and make it strong enough. But I do know this: No mother who had her children killed in front of her, no young girl sold into slavery, no boy kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier and no young girl like the 3-year-old I met in Sierra Leone, who had her limbs cut off, should be expected to simply forget. No one should have to choose between peace and justice.”

Could it be that Angelina is attending the trial because she simply wants to learn more about how the ICC works? Or is that part of Brangelina’s publicity tour for Brad’s premiere of Inglourious Basterds? One thing’s for sure – Angelina would rather see a war crimes trial than spend time with Brad. Oh, the tabloids will have fun with that!

Angelina Jolie is shown on the NY set of Salt on 4/27/09. Credit: VILA/ANDERSON/bauergriffinonline.com

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78 Responses to “Angelina Jolie attends war crimes trial at the Hague”

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  1. yadira says:

    And the AJ and BP bashing will begin in 1….2….and…

  2. e says:

    Another site said that she is still supposed to walk the carpet with Brad.

  3. daisy424 says:

    Good

  4. Nyek says:

    What a stupid write-up – cant you people find better writers who actually have interesting perspectives with celebrity news? Angelina would rather attend the trial than be with Brad?! It’s for promotion?! Yeah, because the Brange controls the date and time of the trial to coincide with Cannes right???!!!!!

  5. Sauronsarmy says:

    This isn’t a coincidence. At.All.

  6. morgs says:

    @Nyek, I think Kaiser was being sarcastic.

  7. anonymous says:

    What exactly is she doing there?? And, how exactly will her appearance at this trial help at all??

    Please, someone, anyone! explain. And don’t even start with “Well, if it brings attention…” Cause I don’t buy that.

  8. Katharine Jaynes says:

    Good for Angelina!

    I used to work as a DA in Manhattan and I’ve prosecuted cases against many pedophiles and child abusers. Each trial has been difficult to sit through. Truly disgusting, unbelievably horrific. Anyone who says Angelina is doing this for publicity has never had to listen as a child testifies to the abuse they have faced. Kids break down in tears on the stand, forced to share their tragic stories with a room of strangers. Unfortunately, I have seen it and it is something I will never be able to forget.

    Whatever people’s opinions of Angelina, she is clearly devoted to the plight of children. Listening to these horrible stories is not a pleasant way to spend your 2-day vacation. Obviously, there are much easier ways to get publicity.

  9. Give it a break already says:

    Oh for crissakes the premiere is tomorrow not today, she don’t need to be in Cannes before that. Angie has been doing a humantarian work for a long time now and she don’t need it to drum up publicity for Brad’s movie. Tarrarinto is doing that all by himself.

  10. jodie says:

    She is an amazing person. She talked about this trial months ago. Stating that she was following it carefully. She has been involved with issue about kids for years. I have no doubt some stupid and ignorant people will try and spin the visit as a PR stunt..Problem is this is Angelina Jolie. She does not need a PR stunt. She nor Brad. So to the fans we are happy to see this news. We know what kind of person she is. She has made such a difference in the lives of so many people who would have been forgotten. Yes she is a great woman. Respected and Admired. That is why she was INVITED to this event. She has been to places that even our President has not been. She as witnessed things that would make a Solider blush. She is tiredless in her efforts. Over 8 years of doing this.. Hardly an ACT.

    Proud to be a fan.

  11. Gosh says:

    #3:14PM. No one need to explain anything to you, you already made up your mind about this woman already. She is doing a lot more for people that are less fortunate etc that you are doing.

  12. ChristinaT says:

    man the jolie pitt fans are really annoying. as soon as there is any article about this couple, some stupid loonie fan will come and set their fence around it, making it uncomfortable for people to post responses… people are bitchy about everyone here, not just AJ… and yes yadira, i’m speaking about you and your kin… GET A LIFE!

  13. marion says:

    it’s just spin to make her look like she’s above us average folks: she’s got world issues to attend to — let cannes be damned.

    a picture of her attending this trial is worth 10,000 words and an army of publicists.

    she’s santa angelina — no lowly mortal. she’s got important work to do and is thereby above our petty mores and free to behave the way she does in terms of breaking up people’s engagements and marriages, sleeping with her own mother’s boyfriend, and swapping spit with her very own brother for all the world to see.

    some people think commitment ceremonies and marriages are meaningless. some people perceive themselves to be above all that. she is one.

  14. Pufft says:

    Can’t we take a step back for a second and see the bigger picture for once? I was hoping that no one would make this about Angie/Brad/Jen, but take the article in all its essence and take time to learn about the atrocities that happened in the DRC. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo deserves to hang. Rebels under his comment have committed countless and unforgivable crimes against humans such as rape, murder, mutilation and massacres. Gee-effing-whiz, why don’t we talk about that for once? Why are we still talking about whose relationship she has broken up? Why does she need a reason to be there, other than to inform herself?

    Forget Cannes for second and educate yourselves. The world doesn’t begin and end in tinsel town.

  15. LuLu says:

    Stop hating. I have a huge amount of respect for her putting a spotlight on this issue. If her presence there makes people stop and think for 1 minute about genocide, then she has my full support.

  16. kap says:

    She is a strong advocate for the ICC, who recently sent out warrants for the Sudanese leaders responsible for Darfur. I know you don’t want to hear about how her presence brings attention to important causes, but do you really think this trial would be picked up by so many news outlets if she hadn’t attended? Even if you don’t like her, be honest. Guess she could be on a yacht in Cannes soaking up the sun, or getting spa treatments so she’ll look good on the carpet tomorrow, but she’s not. She’s trying to do something good with her life, why all the hate? She did not “steal” Pitt, he left a vapid and self absorbed wife and a childless marriage. His EX’s entire career now rests on peoples hatred of AJ and her (Anistons) continued self victimization. Just my opinion.

  17. morgs says:

    @LuLu: it won’t. The Brand has gotten out of control and clouds everything they are trying to accomplish when it comes to humanitarian causes. They can’t cage the beast and the beast has taken over.

  18. jennifer says:

    anonymous:
    May 19th, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    What exactly is she doing there?? And, how exactly will her appearance at this trial help at all??

    Please, someone, anyone! explain. And don’t even start with “Well, if it brings attention…” Cause I don’t buy that.

    Well, while I have many, many, many causes that I support and educate myself about and research and whatnot, I’ve never heard of Thomas Lubanga and knew nothing about this trial until reading about it via Lainey. So yes, she IS bringing attention to it to ME. And I’m happy for that, because it’s obviously an important thing to be aware of. I’m in no way saying “Oh blessed Saint Angelina will save the children!” but the simple fact is, yes, she’s bringing much attention to the issue, and that is NOTHING but a good thing. People will hate and you can’t stop that, this woman is the DEFINITION of “damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t” lol, but for ME, I’m grateful to have been made aware of this case.

    As for the PR aspect, I know some people think this woman controls the sun & the moon (O_o) but she cannot control the date of this trial. If it coincides with Cannes that’s not her doing. And no matter what anyone thinks of her, if you tear her down for being a UN ambassador (loooooooong before the emergence of “Brangelina”) and for bringing attention to causes such as this, well, see Pufft’s comment above. Couldn’t have said it better, Pufft 😉

  19. Katharine Jaynes says:

    kap – the more I see the more I agree with you. JA and her ridiculous $10,000 custom made UGLY wig vs. Angie and the ICC. It seems apparently obvious to me that all things here are not equal. One of these woman has more depth in her pinky than the other has in all of her highlights.

  20. nony says:

    I don’t think she went for public sake or the promotion of anything. I think she went because this stuff seems important to her. It also seems important for her to walk the walk, and not just talk the talk, isn’t that a good thing?
    C’mon, it’s a court proceeding not Disneyland, it’s not like people are going to run up to her and form a line in the middle of an international war-crime trial, use some sense people.

  21. Cinderella says:

    Cannes just won’t be the same without her.

  22. Praise St. Angie! says:

    “he left a vapid and self absorbed wife and a childless marriage. His EX’s entire career now rests on peoples hatred of AJ and her (Anistons) continued self victimization.”

    listen, I don’t like this woman much at ALL, but I will certainly give her credit for bringing attention to things that no one would even care about otherwise. Clooney, too.

    but when you post crap like what I quoted above, you demean any praise you give her by making yourself look like the proverbial “brangeloonie”.

    you want the “maniston” fans to get over it? take your own advice.

    to ChristinaT…what you say is so true…to add, if you say anything against the holy couple, you’re automatically branded a “jen fan”. the loonies don’t get that you can not like Brangelina and also NOT be on “team Aniston”.

  23. yadira says:

    Wow ChristinaT, your ignorant and moronic words have made me see my ways and I will change just for little and insignificant you. NOT!!!

    If you have such a hard time “allowing” others to have different opinions as yours, you might want to step off a blog site and silently read to yourself.

    And what does my kin have to do with it? Dumbass 🙂

  24. the original kate says:

    i thought that was the “millionaire matchmaker” lady! bangs are not good on angie, no.

  25. Casey says:

    Once again, what does this have to do with Aniston?

  26. Jeane says:

    BAAAAAAH!! That is right around the corner from where I live!

    If only I’d known earlier today, I could have stalked her. Or something. Not that I’m a fan or anything but it would have been a cool story if I had stalked Angelina and she would have yelled at me. Or something. I don’t know. Nothing ever happpens here!
    I’m bored.

  27. Lucinda says:

    She’s been doing the UN thing for many years, since Maddox was a baby. This is just her thing. It does bring awareness. I knew nothing about this trial until this article, therefore it created awareness for me. Like her or not, it’s what she does. I agree that she doesn’t need publicity stunts to keep her name in the news. The news does that just fine on its own.

  28. Hieronymus Grexx says:

    Gasp and swoon- she leads a separate life away from Brad like a normal woman in a healthy relationship would. The horror ! 🙄

  29. ChristinaT says:

    yadira, you should still get a life… one that doesn’t consist of posting about what others are GOING to post… moron.

  30. lauren h. says:

    when a person acts like a predator and goes after someone who is already married or engaged — that person is a homewrecker, but not her?

    People, have some sense!

    Three men — who’s next?
    1. Laura Dern’s fiance Billy Bob,
    2. Jen Aniston’s husband, Bradley, and
    3. her own mother’s boyfriend

  31. Jones says:

    Perhaps if only the media would focus on world issues such as child soldiers, poverty, victims of natural disasters the public would not need a actor or actress to be a spokesperson. Prior to our unending hunger for gossip, and giving these people iconic validation we actually were the ones who paid attention – or is it that I am old enough to remember the 60’s? What happened to taking responsibility for what we consumed and read? Now we have elevated the ones who are paid to entertain us on the screen to be our social conscience?

  32. morgs says:

    “After watching the proceedings from the viewing booth, I stood up and found Thomas Lubanga Dyilo looking at me,” Jolie said. “I imagined how difficult it must be for all the brave young children who have come to testify against him.”
    ****************************************

    Of course he was looking at you Angie! The planet revolves around you. When he saw you, a chill ran down his spine…he realized he saw the closest thing to God. STFU AJ.

    I appreciate you bringing this to light, but that quote in itself highlights the narcissim that runs rampant through you.

  33. jayem says:

    I think it is absolutely hysterical that some of you assume that even IF someone HAPPENED to be an incestuous, tattooed, homewrecking slutbag with no morals and tons of neglected children, that they couldn’t do something good for someone else. I’m so glad you’re all perfect on your high horses. By the way, when will you be donating a third of your salary to charity?

    And where’s your fearless leader, Ned?! Looking through one of his old comments so he can copy and paste his usual reply into this thread?

  34. morgs says:

    AJ and bradley are at cannes. there are pictures now.

  35. Pufft says:

    We are indeed living in a shallow world when we are more concerned about the minutiae of celebrities’ everyday lives than what is actually going on outside our front doors and around the world.

    I don’t even know why I’m getting worked up by so many of these comments. Ignorance is indeed bliss. Leave your opinions about Angie outside the door and read more about the subject matter. Save your I’ll-defend-Aniston-with-everything-I-got comments for other posts, and talk about the issue at hand.

    Do most of you have to turn every sodding post about either Angie or Jen into a verbal war between the avid fans of the two camps?

    Thomas Lubanga recruited child soldiers – why aren’t some of you getting worked up about that sad reality instead? Why does the Angie-Jen feud take precedence?

  36. Nony says:

    IN The Hague. The Hague is a city, so she can’t be AT it, she’s IN it.

  37. Sakota says:

    It must be wonderful to be an actress, you get to do all sorts of stuff you’re unqualified for.

    She gets to be a UN Goodwill Ambassador, sit in on War Crimes trials, meet with heads of state, and to think, I used to believe that you had to go to school and be trained to do all that stuff!

  38. Codzilla says:

    Sakota: I was thinking the same thing.

  39. morgs says:

    @sakota:

    Nope, just the ability to go down well, big lips, big boobs, and a holy manger as a uterus.

  40. Sakota says:

    I am sure it’s something she worked hard at being qualified for, given her vast credentials and hands on experience in that area. I am sure she knows more about it than someone who has spent months in the field directly dealing with refugees on a day to day basis.

    “I imagined how difficult it must be for all the brave young children who have come to testify against him.”

    Yes, it was brave. But I don’t think you can imagine the abuse this little guy suffered, furthermore, if you would pull your head out of your self centered arse, maybe you could try deflecting the press from yourself.

    As for bringing the spotlight onto it, the press was all over this the minute a cease fire was announced. This nutbag wasn’t needed at all to let the world know.

  41. N.D. says:

    Actually where do they teach people to be Goodwill Ambassador and observer in trials? What kind of rocket sience is there to be studied before you’re qualifyied? The only qualifications that bringing awareness job requires are being bothered with such issues and being ready to invest your time.

  42. Chicamorena says:

    Now this is what I am talking about. Unlike someone else who shall remain nameless who spends all her spare time laying on her ass on the beach in Meh-hee-co, Angie talks the talk and walks the walk.

    By the way, she and Brad arrived together in Cannes this evening, and the ear-splitting sound you’ve been hearing since the photos were published is the sound of a thousand haters’ heads exploding.

  43. Gistine says:

    @sakota Yeah.

    But here is the quandary: how is it that we can “hate on” a do-gooder even if we think she is unqualified and one sammich away from a looney picnic? I mean, at least she is doing a good deed, right?

    I am conflicted on this subject. I think it is good human on her behalf to express care, but then she gets on her private jet and goes to cannes in her expensive dress and wears millions of dollars in jewels. It seems kind of incongruous to me.

    I’m over her man-stealing, brother-licking past. That’s old hat. Her celebrity does bring the cause to the forefront, but she just seems to be lacking somehow. She’s like one of those creepy dolls from way back; granny on the top, big bad wolf on the bottom.

    Maybe she has to be so good because she is also so bad?

  44. sela says:

    I am glad AJ is presumably interested in the ICC’s prosecution of Thomas Lubanga and lending her celebrity to bring attention to the case. But, I find it so utterly ironic that she continues to introduce, allow, and promote the use of weapons with her children and continues to earn her living from gratuitously violent movies. Does she not understand the effect of desensitizing children and adults to guns, weapons, and violence for the sake of violence. She may be concerned for refugee chilren who are victims of violence but does she not care about children in this country and globally, who are direct and indirect victims of violence as it plays over and over in our heads because we regard it as a form of entertainment?
    She either gets it and her actions are self-serving or she gets it and is able to live in an insular world of make-believe. She seems like someone who cares and who has intelligence … but really needs to make the inconvenient effort and act upon her convictions.

  45. jennifer says:

    Pufft – you’re waiting your breath, my dear (not intended as an insult AT ALL, I’m with ya here 😉

  46. Chicamorena says:

    Oh Sela, give me a break. Did you grow up inside a plastic bubble, insulated from everything outside? Kids never played with toy weapons when you were little? When I was a child every little boy in the neighborhood had a cap pistol or an air rifle. Not one of them grew up to be a mass murderer.

  47. jess says:

    “It’s some serious stuff, but I can’t help but wonder how Angelina Jolie sits in a courtroom in the Hague and doesn’t become a distraction for the proceedings:”
    ……

    she’s famous to westerners who are pop culture fans. not to governments and people who have been living in war torn nations. i’m sure they couln’t give two dips about who she is.

  48. sela says:

    Chicamorena

    You entirely missed my point!

  49. Sakota says:

    “What kind of rocket sience is there to be studied before you’re qualifyied? The only qualifications that bringing awareness job requires are being bothered with such issues and being ready to invest your time.”

    Why not someone from the field, who has actually worked 24/7 in the camps? Why not someone who has invested their time and money and tears and gone above in beyond caring for oprhans of these disgusting atrocities.

    There are hundreds if not thousands of people who have worked in refugee camps for years and for some reason, this little tart gets to have the position and press. I wonder what a refugee worker has to say to the press about the atrocities and the people that these workers are caring for.

    I am sure it would be much more poignant than Jolie’s narcissim and her self centered view of the whole thing.

    The press was all over this the minute the cease fire was announced; this dip wasn’t needed to bring attention to it.

  50. cara says:

    I think it’s great she’s using her “fame” for a good cause, but with human trafficing being the worst and most heinous of crimes effecting us as a whole globaly, I just wish she would bring it to the worlds attention and not rest, until there is not a person alive who isn’t aware and sick about it.

    Children, men and women are THE most valuable commodity on the black market today and it’s disgusting.

  51. Wow...Pathetic... says:

    same old same old…

    AJ fans: self-assured; competent; intelligent; described as “sexy”; lively; interesting…

    JA fans: insecure; cheated on by losers; told they have a “good personality” because they’re probably not so good looking; bitter; boring…

    does, ‘just sayin’ cover it?

  52. Chicamorena says:

    Sela: you had a point?

  53. gg says:

    I have no opinion on her causes, but I must say I really don’t like her hair cut like that.

  54. Magsy says:

    What is Angelina in a budget movie? That damn wig is the worst. It looks like a Halloween wig?

  55. Josephina says:

    Sakota-

    Angie uses wisely her celebrity stauts to draw attention to child abuse and refugee mistreatment.

    Obviously, there are reports and interviews covered by much lesser known, long-time workers and activists. Those reports already exist. Are you motivated enough to go to the library and look up these journals and bring yourself up to date on the material? If you googled, would you know what to look for? Probably not. THAT’S WHY Angie’s approach is smart. She brings attention to a broad audience. It can motivate others to take a stand or even just simply OPEN their eyes about how the world treats their children who are in poverty.

  56. Chicamorena says:

    Um, gg — that’s a wig she’s got on for the movie she’s in.

    If you want to see a photo of Angie at the Hague today, check this out:

    http://justjared.buzznet.com/gallery/photos.php?yr=2009&mon=05&evt=jolie-soldiers&pic=angelina-jolie-child-soldiers-04.jpg

  57. yadira says:

    christina, now I recognize your user name. you are that psycho poster who takes posts to heart and makes a mission out of it…you know cus your always right. whatever loser, get a job

  58. cakes says:

    Since she’s a UN ambassador it makes sense that she attends this trial. I highly doubt she’s doing this for publicity.
    For the record, couples don’t need to spend every second together to prove their relationship is solid. They don’t need to prove anything to anyone.

  59. Celebrity says:

    That is right around the corner from where I live!

  60. dirtyoldman says:

    They should’ve tried her while they were at it.

  61. Mairead says:

    I think sela’s original point on guns and weapons is an excellent one personally. it’s an aspect of her behaviour that I don’t agree with or approve of.

    As for what impact AJ will have on the trial – none. She’s sitting in the public gallery and is not giving evidence. Why she’s there? Feck knows – perhaps she requested it or perhaps she was invited. Either way she’s just a bystander like a good number of others allowed to be in the public gallery that day.

    But I would like to thank some of the posters for one thing – up to now I was labouring under the illusion that (alleged) adultery was not the worst crime a person could (allegedly) commit. I had this completely bonkers notion that murder, rape, physical and sexual abuse, torture and slavery were.

    But I have now seen the light and am fully committed to any movement set up by the Antilinas to cease the ICC and divert those funds and criminal law expertise to where it’s needed – the ICA – Internment of Criminal Adulterers (not to be confused with the Irish Countrywomen’s Association).

    To feckin’ hell with all those sponging refugees; professional complainers moaning about a few hundred people being burned alive in churches and barns; skanks complaining about being “raped” (if they didn’t want it, they wouldn’t allow themselves to be caught – simple as that) and as for child soldiers…. it’s giving them a bit of responsibility and keeping them off the streets, sure more places should do the same!!!

    Adultery,,, now there’s a real crime.

  62. someone says:

    She is delaying going to Cannes, she doesn’t want to spend any more time with Pitt than is necessary to show the world they are “fine”…

  63. Ursula says:

    She is a joke that takes itself too seriously.

    She gives her child knives and publicises it and toy guns and then turns around and pretends to care about war children. What crap from someone who glamourises violence.

    Besides, charity begins at home. Stop being cruel to people around you, ruining marriages and relationships and pretending to care about total strangers when you or your baby daddya has a movie to promote.

    Phew… rant over.

  64. miranda says:

    And how many African children died searching for the diamonds she wears to every premiere?

    If she cared about children for a second she wouldn’t pimp out her own every time she’s got a movie out. That W photo spread was sickening.

  65. N.D. says:

    “Why not someone from the field, who has actually worked 24/7 in the camps?”

    Simple: because that someone works in the field! They are already very busy doing their very important job there. And they do not make news just being themselves so their chance to be heard by general public is rather slim. While Angie (and others like her) is already a public figure and is willing to do her little bit.

  66. Shadow says:

    I understand this is a celebrity blog, but the main of this story is not about AJ, it is about the trial of a horrible person who forced children to pick up arms to kill others. Maybe this is the author’s fault for not informing you of what that really means or perhaps he/she thought you would care enough to look it up, so here is some information on what it means to be a child solider in these places.

    The children we are talking about can be as young as 7 year olds.
    They take mostly boys, but have been known to take girls also, sometimes the girls are simply raped, in others they to are taught to fight.
    In some areas they are simply kidnapped from their families, in other areas the people will grab the children and one of the parents, and then through beatings and torture force the child to KILL their loved one, and not with a gun, but with a machete, or cutlass. This is done so the child will know he/she cannot go back.

    Now think about that for a second, a cutlass / machete is similar to a sword or large knife, but you do not stick it in a person, it is made for slashing, and these children are forced to use this to kill their loved ones. It is a very brutal, and bloody way to kill someone, because you cannot do a one shot and they are dead, this “weapon” is really a gardening tool, and was made to cut down small tress or high grass, so only a very hard hit from this will go through a person, mostly you will cut the flesh and maybe if you are strong enough, break a bone, but only a very strong man can use it to cut off an arm in one shot, so it will take a child a number of hits to kill someone, and yet they will force the child to keep hitting their loved one again and again until the person is dead.

    I am sure that some of you are saying they can never force me to do that to my Mother. At 7 years, in fact make that 11 years old just for fun, if a group of men broke into your home, and just beat on you until you were begging for them to stop, and they told you that they will not hit you anymore if you took this big knife and killed your mother, and every time you refused they serious hurt you, how long do you think you would last before taking that knife? Unbelievably there are some who do refuse, but they are killed before the captors move on.

    Those that pick up the knife, congratulations, you just started training to be a child solider, and it only gets worse from here.

  67. Pufft says:

    @Mairead: I love how you used sarcasm to paint how ridiculous some of the comments are.

    @Shadow: It is a shame what happens to these children. Last year I read a book by Dave Donelson called Heart of Diamond – not to be confused for Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad – which, by the way, is also an amazing book. I digress. The book completely opened my eyes to the issues in the DRC. I was so conflicted that I found myself wanting to learn more, and got the book The African State of the Congo War by John F.Clark. Clark gives an in-depth analysis of the local and international dimensions of the Congolese war. I’ll recommend this book anyday.

  68. jennifer says:

    Mairead:
    May 20th, 2009 at 4:28 am

    You are my new hero hehe 🙂

  69. Annie says:

    Mairead: Rofl. 😀 Exactly. Adultery is the true crime here! Who cares about the millions of displaced people or the children soldiers?

    And hey, if I had the opportunity to sit in on an ICC war crimes trial, I would be all over that too.

  70. I Choose Me says:

    God bless Mairead, Pufft and jennifer for being able to see the real issue here. *sigh*

  71. Alex says:

    Oh Sakota… why don’t you do a simple google search? Or go to the UNHCR site and read about it:

    “You may wonder why we have selected singers, musicians, actors and a high-profile business personality to represent UNHCR around the world. Can their star power raise awareness about the suffering and needs of millions of uprooted people around the world?

    While our Goodwill Ambassadors come from diverse backgrounds and have different skills, they share one thing in common – an unstinting willingness to use their time and influence to help those who have been forced to flee their homes due to persecution or conflict. This commitment is invaluable for UNHCR and that’s why we treasure them so highly.”

    The celebrities are ASKED by multiple charities to represent them as goodwill ambassadors. That’s how charities raise their profiles for their causes. Unicef has been using celebrities since 1954: Audrey Hepburn, Mia Farrow amount others… Why don’t you educate yourself before you speak? Or perhaps you’re too narrow-minded to bother?

  72. leila says:

    Ursula, why don’t you go back to the dark ages and stone women for adultery? It seems you missed your calling in life. Live on in hate, creep.

  73. Crista says:

    Great post, Mairead! If we made adultery a crime, then 66% of mankind would be in prison. I’m sure some judgmental freaks would love to lock everyone up.

  74. whatchasay? says:

    Great post, Mairead! If we made adultery a crime, then 66% of mankind would be in prison. I’m sure some judgmental freaks would love to lock everyone up

    hey, this freak would! I’d lock up all the homewrecking whores and their man whores with them. LOL!

  75. raven says:

    LOL, what about the child murderers? Or didn’t you have the reading comprehension to get that far into the article?

  76. anonymous says:

    I think the reason Angelina is so annoying to everyone is not simply of adultery but because she is proudly parading it with every man she steals, and also with all her humanitarian work clearly wants to show like how good and important she is – like she is something more than just a man-stealer. In fact she is very average, has not even gone to college.

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