Last Friday, Angelina Jolie guest edited the BBC Radio 4 program Today. We knew she was doing it ahead of time – Angelina has become more involved in the media, and even more specifically, she’s become more involved in British media. BBC Radio 4 even posted some nice photos of Angelina hard at work behind-the-scenes:
Good morning. Angelina Jolie has edited today's programme. @mishalhusainbbc and @justinonweb are presenting #r4today pic.twitter.com/pXoGV1vbB4
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) December 28, 2018
As part of the one-time gig, Angelina did grant an interview, and she ended up spilling some interesting information about where she is politically and personally:
Angelina Jolie hinted Friday that she might enter politics – and even seek the White House.
“If you asked me 20 years ago, I would’ve laughed… I always say I’ll go where I’m needed, I don’t know if I’m fit for politics… but then I’ve also joked that I don’t know if I have a skeleton left in my closet…I am pretty open and out there. I can take a lot on the chin. That’s good. I honestly will do whatever I think can really make change,” she told host Justin Webb.
The California-born humanitarian and special envoy the UN Refugee Agency discussed a wide range of issues, including social media, sexual violence and the global refugee crisis – but also waded into politics.
“Right now I am able to work with a UN agency to do a lot of work directly with people in need,” she said. “I’m also able to work with governments and I’m also able to work with militaries, and so I sit in a very interesting place of being able to get a lot done without a title and without it being about myself or my policies,” she continued. Jolie added that “for now,” she would stay quiet.
That comment prompted Webb to press her on whether she could be on the list for the Democrats’ next presidential nomination, she coyly replied: “Thank you.”
And when asked about the rise of nationalism under President Trump and his pursuit of an “America First” agenda, Jolie drew a distinction between patriotism and “narrow nationalism.”
“I am a patriot but I am also an internationalist and I love and value other people and other countries,” she said. “To be a patriot is to be very proud of your country and even your country first but you do not think your country is better than others.”
I understand the distinction she’s making about patriotism and nationalism/jingoism, even if I think she could have explained it better? Americans are brought up believing in American Exceptionalism, that we are the best because we were born in America. For many Americans, those beliefs soften with age, and we consider ourselves patriotic Americans, some of whom might be exceptional and some whom are not. What Trump and the Republican party have done is to make the patriotism conversation into some kind of white nationalist, jingoist, narrow and ignorant calling card – American Exceptionalism on steroids, only it’s just smoke and mirrors. I remember during the Bush administration, there were thinkpieces written about how Bush represented the decline – and eventual fall – of the American Empire. I think about that all the time, how America is a fallen empire now, and how even post-Trump, America and American patriotism will never be the same.
As for what Jolie says about possibly getting more involved in politics – do it, Villainess.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Ahhh, the Brexit Broadcasting Co-operation. Man, I used to love the beeb, but now, throw it awaaaaaayyyyy.
After this shower in government, Jolie couldn’t do any worse. At least she’s travelled, and she seems to be aware of issues, and interested in said issues.
She can achieve more of her goals where she is now. As a politician it is inevitable that you will have to make drastic compromises, and all politicians get their hands dirty at some point for “the greater good” of their constituents. I hope she doesn’t run, I think she’d be disappointed.
We had a famous musician who was a big advocate for the environment, indigenous peoples, etc. run here. He didn’t run with the Greens (the obvious choice) but with the more left-wing of the two major parties, because he wanted to have a stronger chance at effecting change. They made him Minister for the Environment and forced him to go out there and sell/back policies that they had decided on as a party but which he must have hated privately. It really embittered him I think and ruined his reputation when it came to those matters. Yes, he had the chance to be in the room and push for stronger policies and more change; but most of the time he was voted down.
Also, side note: love you guys in the US but it IS amusing to the rest of the world how much Americans think they are free-er, better, luckier than the rest of us. Erm, okay?
SK, Midnight Oil was one of my favorite bands in high school and I still replay their CDs in my car. I was disappointed when I learned from an Australian that Garrett’s musical politics had been diluted in actual politics.
Yeah, it was disappointing! I think it was a rough life lesson for him on how politics work…
As an American, I find it weird that we consider ourselves free-er too. Especially since the focus of that freedom seems to be owning weapons, being free to ruin the planet, and other horribly destructive “rights” that ultimately inhibit our freedoms.
I think the big thing for most of us overseas is your horrific medical and insurance situation. You have arguably the best medical options in the world but hardly anyone can afford them. People end up bankrupt, homeless, or dead because they can’t afford treatments. It’s horrifying. I have friends in the US who are terrified of getting sick because of the costs involved. That’s not freedom that is selective, elitist medical care. And the craziest thing is how many people are brainwashed into thinking that any kind of free or subsidised medical care is a stepping stone to communism. Many of us “foreigners” see medical care as a basic human right.
Other big red flags are the guns and gun violence and the oddities of your electoral system (eg: that political bodies with vested interests are often in charge of voting borders, the systems in place to vote, blocking voters, etc. instead of having a neutral and fair electoral commission. The fact that some US states use old or flawed machinery, make it difficult to vote, openly engage in voter suppression, and have someone who is running also in charge of the system is not exactly “free” and is something that obviously needs fixing).
You are an incredible country with so much, but like everywhere you have flaws. I have lived in 10 different countries and I see things like this: there is no best country, no free-est country, no most beautiful country. There are many countries that are wonderful in many different ways and yet they also have their flaws. All of them have levels of corruption (human nature) but some are better at reigning it in and condemning it when they can. Some have better laws for equality and freedom but all have a ways to go in society in actually acting these things out. All countries are run by a very small fraction of society who control most of the wealth and power. I feel like we would be a lot better off looking at our common ground and connecting than competing and claiming we are all the best.
Can we collectively stop suggesting celebrities run for POTUS? Please?
I’d imagine she’ll stay in the private sector and can do more that way, but if she does decide to run for office, hopefully she starts smaller to gain some government experience.
I don’t think she went hard enough at the idea of nationalism here.
Agreed. I have a lot of respect for what AJ is trying to do, and possibly maybe she could have a successful run at congress in CA, but that would be a smaller more limited stage than she has already. Realistically, AJ has a big name but no degrees, no military service, and isn’t a billionaire CEO. The White House isn’t even remotely an option.
Thank you. It has been a disaster that will take years to recover. Does not even have basic understanding of roles of different parts of the government and how he is not the boss of all of them.
God, yes – please and thank you.
Nationalism and patriotism are symptoms of the same disease. I was raised in the military AND in a cult, and they are the same thing. Nationalism is trash, and patriotism is just a nicer sounding word that means the same thing.
Not all nationalism is bad. Positive nationalism offers an imagined community, a real demos that shares values and elects governments on that basis – shared values. I believe in the nation state because it yields the best form of democracy we can achieve.
On the other hand the EU is a supranational entity that usurps democratic processes. The dream of objective technocrats – unelected in any way but appointed – running the world efficiently on our behalf and helping us transcend petty national differences thanks to their technocratic skills is a pipe dream. Look to diplomacy and international agreements to maintain the peace, not these pointless fantasy entities. And the elite do very well with supranational entities like these but the bottom 30 – 50% suffer.
I’d have to see her policies before I could decide on whether or not I’d vote for her.
I’d have to see who she’d be running against (which almost guarantees that I’d be voting for her).
Speaking of which, hopefully Kanye West isn’t serious about ever possibly running for president.
Patriotism is fine to the extent that if you love something, you should want to make it better. Loving something should be continuous work. The problem with American patriotism is that it’s ethnocentric and stagnant. It views itself as exceptional, rather than being properly self-reflective. And that is essentially just repackaged nationalism. The people of a country should always matter more than the country itself.
Yes, very well said. I’ve long felt that “patriot” has become code for white nationalism here in the US. It’s gross and completely un-self-reflective (I’m not sure that’s a real word). It’s too bad that Jolie used the term, imo.
Negative nationalism isn’t good but the nation state is still really important – it’s the only collective democratic vehicle we have. I think we should be aware of people who are still trying to sell supranational bodies like the EU – pure fantasy in how it achieves “efficiency,” “wealth,” and “solidarity” – in the aftermath of Greece and Brexit. I’d say a majority people who voted for Brexit are not racists or narrow nationalists but understand the system hasn’t served their interests and that it’s not democratic and the leaders are not democratically elected. Borders are a fact of life for nation states – it’s a question of how humanely our policies enforce them.
I don’t know…it seems to me that this narrative of US exceptionalism was used to justify colonization and imperialism abroad, ie places where people of color live. I think that what we are seeing from the Republican party and its affiliates is business as usual it’s just that they are no longer putting the effort into putting up a facade that their efforts are anything but xenophobic and racist.
In theory I think that it is possible to have affection for one’s nation while still being able to identify what is problematic about it…but I have to admit it is difficult for me to look ok at how the US has treated Black and Native American people in particular but all folks of color really and to see the damage that has been wrought in the Middle East before theses recent wars, in the Caribbean, in Central America, in South America, in Africa, in Southeast Asia, in East Asia, throughout the 20th century and to feel like what the Trump administration is doing is a recent occurrence…to me it just feels like they have leveled up.
“narrative of US exceptionalism was used to justify colonization and imperialism abroad”
+1.
It’s was a really good segment and was praised by many for the hardcore topics and guests on the show. People have even requested Angelina to do the daily editing as they really enjoyed it.
Angelina will be able to do more if she doesn’t have any governmental positions and she knows it.
She continues to use her fame for good and that is truly praiseworthy.
Angelina also mentions that her children aren’t on social media and that they know the fake stories about them out there and who to trust and not to trust.
That just confirms to me that the older JP children know how much their father smeared/smear their mother through media and that’s why they refuse to see him.
Kids are smart and his fans wonder why they want nothing to do with daddy dearest.
Oh biyy there was an update in the bbc news fb page about her a few days ago, and many were supporting her, but the attacks of haters were dirty. If she ever runs, I hope she waits until her children are all grown, some ugly people were attacking her decision of adopting children, et al. She can stand it, she is atrong, but politics are dirty and her children donnot need this f lth in their lives, no matter how sheltered from it could they be.
They always do. Some of the hateful propaganda that gets spread related to her children is just sickening.
Are they any worse than the tabloid attacks they get DAILY. Her children are uses to being attacked by the media and Brad fans. Nothing will change.
Her running for president would probably unleash almost as much- if not more- rabid misogyny as Hillary. There would even be liberals and liberal women who wouldn’t be able to shut up about, “I guess I’ll have to vote for her, BUT, I have to virtue-signal about how I still think this villainess is a total……” You can tell just by how she’s trashed on most gossip sites.
She wasn’t hinting at running for president at all. People should listen to the the whole broadcast in context.
I listened to the entire broadcast and you’re correct she was not hinting at all. It’s funny how the media can take one small detail out of context and twist it . The broadcast was really good though and hopefully people took the time to listen to if for themselves instead of reading soundbytes that were selectively chosen for click bait.
Michelle-👍🏿
This comment may not make it due to the brutal honesty….but Im always fascinated how people will say america has fallen NOW or something in that vein
for Black and Native peoples it has never been a great place (well prob before europeans and whatnot) so patriotism for us is rather meh and kinda like something you hear white ppl and maybe new immigrants hooting and hollering about. This country literally was build with the blood of a stolen people on stolen people’s land. The so called ‘forefathers” were at worst rapist and murderers and at best turned a blind eye and participated in the hypocrisy of “give me liberty or give me death”
I wish people (esp white ppl) would stop overlooking that and insulting our intelligence by saying things to the tune of (America has fallen NOW) ….its a constant reminder that this society that was enforced never cared nor will truly recognized how we were affected and continuously treated.