Angelina Jolie, while commenting on Trump’s ban said that it was wrong to discriminate against the refugees because of their religion or country of origin. She also said that these kinds of policies were responsible for the instability which the citizens seeked to avoid.
She said that policy of discriminating against the Muslims was not the American way of life for which the country became famous.
Angelina Jolie on American Values
The Hollywood actress was of the view that deviation away from the values considered foundation of the country created more problems than solved, adding,
“Every time we depart from our values we worsen the very problem we are trying to contain. We must never allow our values to become the collateral damage of a search for greater security. Shutting our door to refugees or discriminating among them is not our way, and does not make us safer.”
Angelina Jolie became a special envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees in 2012. She advocated for the refugees’ safe settlement, saying that they were mostly subjected to terrorism and torture or may also be in need of advanced medical care.
Jolie also pointed to the adequacy of the current vetting process for refugees, saying
“Refugees seeking entry to the U.S. already undergo extensive screening by various federal agencies. If we send a message that it is acceptable to close the door to refugees, or to discriminate among them on the basis of religion, we are playing with fire.”
She cautioned the American government and Trump Administration about the repercussions of such a discriminatory approach terming the whole situation as lighting a fuse to burn across continents.
She also said that like any other country in the world, America should be concerned about the country’s security and deploy all means possible to protect its citizens against terrorism. She explained that she was fully aware of the refugee crises and threat that persisted because of terrorism but every government had to balance the needs of its citizens with international responsibilities. She warned that America’s response must be measured and based on facts.
