Mail Call: Competing Schools

In a harsh world where the gap between the haves and the have-nots is widening alarmingly, it's people like Angelina Jolie who stand out to make a difference by offering succor to the underprivileged and the downtrodden ("Angelina Wants to Save the World," June 25). It's one thing to donate millions for a cause but entirely another to get involved in the cause itself. It's rare to see celebrities doing what Jolie does so dedicatedly. May her tribe increase.
K. Chidanand Kumar
Bangalore, India

Angelina Jolie says that "Real work and your integrity will win out." An individual, even a celebrity, should ignore malicious, abusive remarks. She has done that. Doing good is admirable. Period. As Teddy Roosevelt might say, "Bully!"
Michael G. Driver
Ichihara City, Japan

Angelina Jolie deserves praise for portraying Mariane Pearl, wife of slain journalist Daniel Pearl, and thereby contributing to the cause of greater international understanding. I agree with Brad Pitt that only someone with Jolie's resolve and reputation could fit the role of Mariane, who, despite her grief for the brutal murder of her husband, did not publicly blame any Muslim or seek revenge for his death. Jolie's transformation is a symbol of the immense influence Hollywood celebrities are exerting not just on American politics but on the post-9/11 international environment as well, especially in issues concerning the Darfur tragedy and the war in Iraq. I wish that Filipino celebrities would strive to emulate the example of Hollywood stars as advocates of change and development. The current trend for showbiz personalities in my country is either to directly run for public office or mire themselves in personal controversies that are overly celebrated by our entertainment media.
Aldan S. Avila
Rizal, Philippines

Your cover story on Angelina Jolie was excellent. Like the poverty issue she has taken up, I too have taken up a mission to heal the wounds of soldiers disabled by mine blasts, gunshots and grenade attacks and also help ex-servicemen and the families of martyrs. Some soldiers lose their limbs because of frostbite. I have succeeded in getting soldiers into wheelchairs or on crutches and back to productivity.
Mukesh Anand
Project Healing Touch Mission
Gurgaon, India

A Partisan Word Choice

Apropos the headline on your June 18 piece "Our Latest Man in Baghdad": the use of the word "our" instead of "America's" seems to compromise your journalistic integrity by associating NEWSWEEK with a particular side in the Iraq conflict. Your editors should make a more concerted effort to seek out and eliminate biases in reporting.
Zachary Pegan
Santa Clara, California