Northern Territory politician’s way out Jolie rant

 It sounds like Northern Territory politician Willem Rudolf Westra van Holthe hasn’t been getting enough attention lately, or perhaps is self-absorbed enough to think his comments on movie stars activities are relevant.  Mr van Holthe (Left) has come out with an over the action of Angelina Jolie (Right) in having a double mastectomy being regarded as ‘heroic:’ 

A NORTHERN Territory minister has come under fire on Facebook after bizarrely weighing in on Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy.  Country Liberal Party member and MP for Katherine, Willem Rudolf Westra van Holthe sparked a flurry of angry Facebook responses after posting this on news.com.au's Facebook page last night:

Mr Westra van Holthe was referring to a story in which Brad Pitt called his fiancee "heroic" and praised her decision to undergo the radical surgery after discovering she carried the breast cancer gene that killed her mother at 56. 

Pitt was quoted saying: "Having witnessed this decision firsthand, I find Angie's choice, as well as so many others like her, absolutely heroic. I thank our medical team for their care and focus.

The press are a little overenthusiastic in handing out hero labels to celebrities be it Hollywood stars or gay sportsmen, but at least it saves them from the dilemma presented in finding them in the ranks of the great unwashed.  On the other hand in this case it is somewhat churlish to criticize.

Jolie essentially carried out a preemptive action to prevent the high risk she carried of contracting breast cancer.  While this was probably a difficult and emotional decision to make, it was probably the most sensible one available to her.  A great many women with breast cancer though have difficulty in coping with radical surgery despite the almost certainty of death otherwise.

Her action in announcing her action to the public will give many women encouragement to do what is needed in that situation and may save many lives in the long run.  She deserves to be congratulated on that, not hauled over the coals or have her contribution to women’s health belittled as has happened here.

We wish her well.

(Ed note): Mr van Holthe’s image (above) was taken after a fight in a pub.