Thoughts on Lara Logan
On Sunday, I wrote about how Ive learned to save my wrath for real-life sexist outrages instead of getting agitated over songs and movies. Im devastated that an example of the former has come to light so soon. CBS reported that its foreign correspondent Lara Logan was surrounded and suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating in Egypt while covering the reaction to Egyptian president Hosni Mubaraks resignation. (Some reports say that she was raped; others say the assault didnt include rape.)
Compounding the horror inflicted on Logan are the vile blame-the-victim responses to her attack. Nir Rosen, a journalist and fellow at New York Universitys Center on Law and Security, , jesus christ, at a moment when she is going to become a martyr and glorified we should at least remember her role as a major war monger. Then, in his initial apology, he accused her of being an attention whore: ah fuck it, i apologize for being insensitive, its always wrong, thats obvious, but im rolling my eyes at all the attention she will get. Appropriately, he resigned his fellowship in shame. Maybe the name Nir Rosen will be to Twitter what Dooce is to blogs a reminder that online activities have real-life consequences.
Meanwhile, as Mary Elizabeth Williams of Salon wrote, it took all of minutes before somebody made the story about Logans appearance. Simone Wilson of LA Weekly called Logan the blonde reporter and referred to Logans shocking good looks and Hollywood good looks, as if women of all shapes, sizes, colors, races and ages arent assaulted on a regular basis. Wilsons post-hate-mail clarification Just so were clear: Rape is awful. Logans rape was not her fault belatedly stated the obvious. And Debbie Schlussel wrote, 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]. Schlussels apology reiterates her initial stance: Now she [Lara] knows what Islamic revolution is really all about.
Those sentiments hardly compare to the poison spewed by commenters on the articles mentioned above and other editorials and news stories. Just like I said on Sunday, I’ve learned that famous entertainers are easily beaten in the offensiveness race every single day by the .
Personally, I think the only appropriate response to Logans attack is the one that my husband, MrB, gave on behalf of the Committee to Protect Journalists:
We have seen Laras compassion at work while helping journalists who have faced brutal aggression while doing their jobs. She is a brilliant, courageous, and committed reporter. Our thoughts are with Lara as she recovers.