Right-wing blogs attack Lara Logan after tragic incident

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Right now, I'm truly disgusted and ashamed of people within my own party who are either blaming Lara Logan for the brutal rape and assault that she endured or chalking it up to karma.

Two blogs - The Gateway Pundit and DebbieSchlussel.com - have both taken different but equally awful approaches to discussing what happened to Lara Logan.

First, a portion of the entry from Jim Hoft at The Gateway Pundit:

Lara Logan is lucky she’s alive.
Her liberal belief system almost got her killed on Friday. This talented reporter will never be the same.

Why did this attractive blonde female reporter wander into Tahrir Square last Friday? Why would she think this was a good idea? Did she not see the violence in the square the last three weeks? Did she not see the rock throwing? Did she miss the camels? Did her colleagues tell her about the Western journalists who were viciously assaulted on the Square? Did she forget about the taunts from the Egyptian thugs the day before? What was she thinking? Was it her political correctness that about got her killed? Did she think things would be different for her?

[Source]

Next, the entry from Debbie Schlussel:

As I’ve noted before, it bothers me not a lick when mainstream media reporters who keep telling us Muslims and Islam are peaceful get a taste of just how “peaceful” Muslims and Islam really are. In fact, it kinda warms my heart. Still, it’s also a great reminder of just how “civilized” these “people” (or, as I like to call them in Arabic, “Bahai’im” [Animals]) are...

[Source]

Schlussel also posted an update after receiving reaction on the entry:

The reaction of the left to this article is funny in its predictability. Sooo damn predictable. Of course I don’t support “sexual assault” or violence against Lara Logan, and I said that nowhere here. RIF–Reading Is Fundamental. Your premature articulation is a problem. I did say that it warms my heart when reporters who openly deny that Islam is violent and constantly promote it get the same kinds of threats of violence I get every day from Muslims. Because now they know how it feels. They aren’t so dismissive of the threats when those threats are directed at them, instead of at us little people. And yet they still won’t admit that THIS. IS. ISLAM. Lara Logan was among the chief cheerleaders of this “revolution” by animals. Now she knows what Islamic revolution is really all about.

Hoft chose a more "misogyny-on-parade" approach, focusing on her looks and asking condescending hypothetical questions about why she was there, as if her presence gave anyone the right to touch her in the first place. Schlussel, on the other hand, seems to imply that Logan's abuse was deserved based on an allegedly naive attitude about what the people were like and how they'd treat her.

It seems people have taken a casual attitude about rape in the past few years, and that's really bothersome. No wonder rapes go unreported in the world, when you have morons like these playing the victim-blame game.

EDIT: Seems it gets worse when you read the rest of Schlussel's entry:

So sad, too bad, Lara. No one told her to go there. She knew the risks. And she should have known what Islam is all about. Now she knows. Or so we'd hope. But in the case of the media vis-a-vis Islam, that's a hope that's generally unanswered.

This never happened to her or any other mainstream media reporter when Mubarak was allowed to treat his country of savages in the only way they can be controlled.

Now that's all gone. How fitting that Lara Logan was "liberated" by Muslims in Liberation Square while she was gushing over the other part of the "liberation."

Hope you're enjoying the revolution, Lara! Alhamdilllullah [praise allah].

[Source]

I want so badly to punch Debbie Schlussel in the face over and over and over again...

Comments

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

I learned something new today - that Egypt is a country under Sharia law. Thanks for the info, I wasn't aware of that.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

But you just threw a hissy-fit implying that Lara Logan should have known better than to wear...what was she wearing?

OH MY GOD! She was wearing a black blouse and a blue jacket...WITH PEARLS!!! What was she thinking?!?

You just said they're under Sharia Law, then admit that they're not AND admit that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Thanks for clearing that up. And by all means, continue with the victim-blaming. I'm sure it makes you a better person.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

You do realize that Egypt heavily depends on their tourism, and they've had tourists around Cairo for decades, more skimpily dressed than Logan in that picture. Hell, when I was in Egypt I saw plenty of people in little t-shirts and tank tops, and this wasn't in tourist dives either. Egypt has in many ways had a similarly dressed crowd as they have in Syria, with a rather heavy western influence mixed in. Seeing work places in Syria with Syrian women dressed in short sleeves and long pants, reminded me of Egypt, actually.

Edit: sorry, I meant Cairo and obviously not Ankara.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

That is an incredibly over simplifying definition on what had been going on, in fact the Egyptian mass of protesters is a diverse group. Your summary would be like saying that the Muslim Brotherhood is orchestrating it all.
I have several friends in the region, and they sent updates to people who put reports to various webs, including twitter, and what they said is that there are different groups that have come together for several reasons that happened to hit the fan at the same time. One part of the crowd is middle class, hit by a really shitty job market. They are acutely aware of how democracy works and how the lack of it looks, they know enough about the corruption that NPD harbored, including a solid grip on industry and public funds. Another part is the mock election of 2010, which, unlike other mock elections Egypt has held, got a lot of media attention. Also, the Baltageya payed civil forces have cracked down on people heavily in the last years, and they were actually infiltrating protester crowds until very lately, maybe they still do. For all we know, they could be the perpetrators in the Logan case, they certainly hurt enough protesters in the upcoming days before Mubarak stepped down.

So, even if there is truth in there being elements that think the way you described, it is far from the only line. There are also plenty who really just want democracy and things to be stable in Egypt again after Mubarak steps down. Many know how much Egypt depends on getting industry going again, including tourism (which is killed for some time), because the country's economy is bleeding.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Sure, there absolutely are such elements, but the particular thing with the demonstrations was that it was really diverse, including how the women were dressed (or that there were so many women at all).

what region did you live in?

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

You were the one mentioning that you lived there, I've been to Egypt and have friends there, hence I was curious.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Why would I need to google that? "The region" can mean many things, including a region in a country, just like "subregion" means a narrower concept of the first, and we were discussing Egypt.

You are awfully defensive, aren't you?

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

This is hyperbole as much as anything else. The demonstrations were filled with women that were dressed very differently, and it all was peaceful, until the celebration started, after Mubarak stepped down.

A coin with two sides

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

heh, anyone can pick and choose among pictures. Your pictures underscore what I said, that there was a variety of styles during the demonstration.

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v630/sealwhiskers/?action=view&current=Egyptian_women_protest_on_January_25.jpg)
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v630/sealwhiskers/?action=view&current=EGYPTWOMANPROTEST7.jpg)
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v630/sealwhiskers/?action=view&current=Egypt-women-300x196.jpg)
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v630/sealwhiskers/?action=view&current=5422296006_1e862e1f80.jpg)
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v630/sealwhiskers/?action=view&current=gimg_1365218.jpg)
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v630/sealwhiskers/?action=view&current=450c4ec4256a80ad_109005499preview.jpg)

Re: A coin with two sides

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Cleavage, huh?

You must be Amish.. ;)

Re: A coin with two sides

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

showing neck?

And for a Kurdish man, you know an awful lot of American lingo.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

My icon has nothing to do with rape. Learn to read.