Muslim protest group outside Angelina Jolie’s hospital room
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie probably think that the constant media attention that is focused on them is ridiculous since they’re often just going about their daily lives. They aren’t the only ones.
Yesterday, a Muslim protest group held a demonstration outside of the Lenval hospital. They were protesting the fact that Brad and Angie get so much media attention when no one had taken notice of their cause which was to get the remains of a stabbing victim released in time for a proper Muslim burial.
You know what? Angelina would probably agree with them!
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POSTED IN: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, France, Video
26 opinions for Muslim protest group outside Angelina Jolie’s hospital room
Sherry
Jul 16, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I have the best readers here at Pittwatch so this probably isn’t necessary, especially since we weathered what could have been a tense discussion before when we talked about the lack of black princesses in Disney films. Still, I must request, let’s keep it respectful since this is treading on religious ground and we all have different beliefs. Thanks!
Rach
Jul 16, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Well i don’t think the way to get respect is to disrespect others. Angelina has nothing to do with this and she really needs her peace..it’s like you said, Sherry, Brad and Ange probably would agree with them. It’s a shame that it’s obvious they don’t know anything about her. I have nothing to say about their religion just about their respect and courtesy. Which obviously they lack somewhat. It’s not fair to do that after she’s just had twins but i’m sure security/police would’ve got rid of them pretty quickly if they were being much of a bother. Poor Ange, i guess she’ll be going back to Cambodia or a similar country next time she gives birth..
Neela
Jul 16, 2008 at 10:56 pm
i can understand the prostesters in that they want to bring attention to something very important to them; having the media there was an opportunity for them to send out their message. the media is pretty nuts that they’ve given some ridiculous attention to the birth of the twins; they hadn’t even been born yet, and tabs and entertainment news shows had been going crazy for some dish. i actually tuned in to access hollywood today, and they showed paparazzos trespassing on rooftop buildings, hoping they can camp out there to try and get some shots.
unfortunately, there are some people who will somehow find a way to fault the JPs for the protest, for taking attention away from something else that is deemed important by others. and i don’t think we can blame the JPs for this because they’re just existing and living their lives as normally as they possibly could. it’s the media and the general public that have always had an intense fascination for celebrities. even the local government there has been starstruck, and while it is natural, i hope they’ll continue to give attention to and address other more pressing cases.
ligaya
Jul 16, 2008 at 10:58 pm
I think the group is right and Angie & Brad would support them. The news I saw didn’t mention that they were seeking the release of the body for religious purposes. (There are a number of religions with strict requirements as to when burial should happen - Jews, Buddhists & others?) Just that the group was upset that Nice’s mayor paid more attention to the American celebrities than the murder of one of its citizens. This probably had an extra charge to it because of discrimination against Muslims, the North African race & immigrants wrapped up into one. They were smart to use the international media’s presence to publicize their grievance.
Showbiz Tonight milked it as the “Brangelina Outrage!” They spent more time implying that the protest was against the JP family than against the mayor.
ligaya
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:00 pm
My comment is under moderation - what’s the emoticon for “shrug?”
Lucy
Jul 17, 2008 at 1:03 am
Some people do not know where to draw the line. If they want media attention, they should ask their leaders to petition for this person’s release. Angie does not have anything to do with this protest. This is why they went to Namibia for Shiloh. Whew!
isacutie
Jul 17, 2008 at 4:39 am
While I agree that they should’ve gotten attention from the Mayor, I don’t think it’s fair that they protest at the hospital. They should’ve protested at the Mayor’s office because that seems more the proper venue. It isn’t the JPs fault that the Mayor seems to want squeeze the twins’ birth as much as possible for publicity for Nice.
Funny now that it seems the way media is spinning it is that the JPs have something to do with the Mayor not acting on the Muslim’s cause. I understand how they feel, because they do have a custom/tradition to follow, but they should direct their protest to the Mayor. Brad and Angie would probably agree with them.
le
Jul 17, 2008 at 4:50 am
They use Jolie-Pitt popularity for their cause.
Debra77
Jul 17, 2008 at 6:26 am
I do understand the protesters anger. I don’t like that the media is making it seem as if it is Brad/Angies fault. We have all seen public frustration when something bad happens to a citizen and the media is not covering the event. I would be angry too. But Brad/Angie having a baby(ies) has nothing to do with the issue. The Mayor was a little star struck, and probably should not have had a press conference showing the babies birth certificates, but that again is not Brad/Angies fault. The medial is going crazy.
Sherry
Jul 17, 2008 at 7:24 am
The thing is, I don’t believe they were specifically protesting against Brad and Angelina, but rather against the mayor of Nice and the media in general, they were just pointing out, “hey look how much attention you’re giving celebrities while stuff is happening here in your city with your own citizens”. And I think the reason they chose the hospital to hold their protest rather than the mayor’s office is clear - because the media is all camped out at Lenval.
I really don’t blame them either.
Mary Jane
Jul 17, 2008 at 7:45 am
Shame on Showbiz Tonight - “Brangelina Outrage”! How pathetic when they try to spin this into something it is not. Absolutely deceitful. I will never watch such this unscrupulous program again.
Rose
Jul 17, 2008 at 7:48 am
The Mayor needs to get a life! He’s trying to get his picture taken with the JPs and all. He needs to get back to work. The media also has this all wrong! Yes, people are happy for the JPs but people have twins in this country EVERYDAY, and there is no media frenzy about that. I know its the JPs but they have already saturated the newsstands with stories about their 4 other babies. It’s time to get over it, and the Mayor certainly needs to get to work on the more serious issues like poverty, crime, unemployment, etc.
susan
Jul 17, 2008 at 9:06 am
I agree Sherry- I think their issue was clearly aimed at the mayor of Nice and the media. Let’s be honest- he’s spent the last few weeks discussing nothing but Brad and Angelina with the press (from the honorary citizen story to the birth)…
I think this group is demonstrating how ridiculous celebrity gossip and tabloids are when there are real issues at hand…if they have received little to no help from the mayor, then I believe they feel going out to the media camped out at the hospital will maybe get some attention and help for their cause…
I don’t find it particularly inapproriate since the press being located outside a hospital has already been rude and disrespectful enough for weeks…they probably feel desperate and believe this measure will help the cause…
And I am sure they are not protesting against Brad and Angelina per say- more at the media who shower them with all this attention and headlines when there are more important issues at hand in their area…it was a perfect place to state their protest because obviously they will get some headlines and maybe recieve help…
I say good for them- it is a perfect example on how the media today is less concerned with real issues and choose to cover stories such as the birth of celebrity babies or gossip stories as if they really were important in the scheme of the world…
Sue
Jul 17, 2008 at 9:12 am
Very sensitive issue. This is very important to this people. I hope Lenval hospital and the Mayor will address this matter as soon as possible.
Fan from Vietnam
Jul 17, 2008 at 9:43 am
I don’t understand what was written on those banners that they carried. Hope they did not attack Angie and Brad directly - it was not their fault. I believe the couple would die for peace and quietness themselves.
Next time I hope it will not be twins and so Angie can choose a remote place to give birth and to stay away from the craziness of the media. I remember in one of Brad’s interviews he did say that his family was chased out of almost every big city by the paps. And yet even in a small town they are not left alone!
Mary Ann
Jul 17, 2008 at 9:48 am
They had a cause and they went to the hospital where all the media attention has been non stop for weeks. Brad and Angie would be the first to back their cause.
Peaches
Jul 17, 2008 at 10:17 am
I have to agree with Susan and Sherry. The hospital was the logical place for them to stage the protest as the media seems determined not to be moved from the hospital grounds. It’s a really difficult issue as it goes so much deeper into political and religious grounds. The mayor should be chastised for not giving a more visible commitment to this issue when he has spent so much time promoting the JP’s.
I am sure that the JP’s would have much preferred that he didn’t focus the attention of the media on them so incessantly when there are clearly much larger issues in play
ligaya
Jul 17, 2008 at 11:11 am
Angelina & Brad brought a rosy light to Nice, now the mayor’s neglect has given it a black eye. Hopefully, he’ll have learned his lesson & will pay attention to this issue. IMO, there was more to this than a timely release of a body. The numbers of people were too big, the intensity of the anger too deep. Having been in protests like that (I’m a child of the 1960s & 1970s), they were for big issues, bigger than just one family. Melodie & others can speak more to this. But I’ve read that the friction between immigrants from France’s former colonies & native-born is growing. Add race & religion, and it could be explosive.
ligaya
Jul 17, 2008 at 11:24 am
under mod: my take on what’s behind the protest
Fan from Vietnam (my husband & I would really like to visit someday), Access Hollywood said the JPs are unofficial promoters of the scooter they rode when visiting. The maker said only women rode the scooter before. When people saw the glamorous couple on it & that Brad liked it - sales zoomed up for men & women.
ligaya
Jul 17, 2008 at 11:49 am
I hope it’ll be a few years before the JPs add to their family - Angelina (Brad too) needs time to rest & recuperate. And the whole family needs to adjust. (I know Angelina & Brad want to have kids while they’re still young.)
I hope they adopt next time - maybe a Native American, an African American orphan from New Orleans, an orphan from the Americas, a disabled child - to round out their rainbow family.
Now that the strong urge to pass on genes has been satisfied with Shiloh, Knox & Vivienne, I hope they resume adopting. Hopefully, the paps will leave them alone since they don’t value adopted children as much as biological ones born from Angelina & Brad.
Rita
Jul 17, 2008 at 2:10 pm
so far, it seems the lead source for this “news” is TMZ and X17online….Hmmm, I am not sure I totally believe that the protests were sparked by the Jolie-Pitts. A few days ago (and now, of course, I cannot find it!) I did read about a protest in front of the hospital. The protestors had chosen that location because the victim had died at that hosiptal. That article made it seem that it was coincidental that the Jolie-Pitts were there. But unfortunately, as I said, I can’t find that link anymore.
I’m just a tad bit suspicious of TMZ and X-17 online….
angela
Jul 17, 2008 at 7:16 pm
now that they got the attention they’ve wanted and needed, i hope the mayor will address their problem.
andrea
Jul 17, 2008 at 9:14 pm
You guys are all right, for the protesters it’s an issue of the mayor focusing on “other things” than the proper treatment of this murder victim & case–nobody is directly attacking Brad and Angie (except for the paps, of course, twisting the news to suit their purposes as usual, sigh). For that reason, I don’t really consider this “Jolie-Pitt” news . . . just another sad example of how politicians will ALWAYS sweep anything they fear might tarnish their reputation under the rug and try to distract the public with prettier, nicer things. Having read about this, I feel like the mayor’s extreme eagerness to comment on and attach himself to the birth of the twins makes more sense, in an unfortunate way. What politician wouldn’t rather be seen congratulating the world’s most beloved couple on the birth of two beautiful, healthy babies than dealing with the aftermath of a violent crime resulting between the ugly tensions between mainstream France and a misunderstood, underprivileged religious/ethnic group?
andrea
Jul 17, 2008 at 9:18 pm
resulting FROM the ugly tensions between.
is what I meant to say.
Fan from Vietnam
Jul 18, 2008 at 5:44 am
ligaya, your scooter story might be right. The only thing I was not happy about Brad and Angie riding the scooter in Vietnam was that they somehow forgot to wear their crash helmet! If they had done that, it could have helped raise local people’s road safety awareness. Anyway, the reason they did not do it was perhaps because they wanted to be like everybody else on the road, “when you are in Rome, do what the Romans do” kind of thing :)
You and your husband would be my guests if you come to Vietnam!
ligaya
Jul 18, 2008 at 12:28 pm
That would be wonderful, Fan from Vietnam! And vice versa, we’d love to be your hosts if you visit the San Francisco Bay Area or San Diego (where my mom lives). One of my husband’s hobbies is studying which economic system works best for different societies. Of course, there’s the scenery, arts & culture, history & architecture, and birds we’d like see.
But all this is just a dream that will go up in smoke depending on how much of a disaster the U.S. economy will be.
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