SO, Friday night (Feb. 11), CBS News reporter and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Lara Logan was physically and sexually assaulted in Tahrir Square during Egypt's little celebration of Hosni Mubarek stepping down. Lest you think this is an isolated "She's a cute Western reporter" incident, it was actually one of over 140 attacks on reporters covering the protests in Cairo. 140 in 18 days... Now, when you figure in the fact that the first days of the protest were extremely peaceful, I'd say we're looking at 10 assaults PER DAY over the last two weeks of the demonstrations. Including what CBS News calls a "brutal" attack on Logan.
As much as I dislike the mainstream media, I like Lara Logan. Not just because she's attractive, because she goes where many of her male colleagues fear to tread, and gets WHOLE stories, not just the parts Katie wants you to see. We've seen her in Iraq and Afghanistan telling the stories of everyone from Marine Expeditionary Units to Tribal Elders to Afghan women getting their first chance at an education. And yet, after trudging down IED packed roads with soldiers, and climbing to mountain-top villages in war-torn countries, her most dangerous assignment comes at a supposedly peaceful protest, in a country that hasn't been at war since the '70s.
Cooper Anderson from CNN was also attacked, but not to the same degree. Even Middle-Eastern reporters weren't safe, one team was told, "We're going to behead you" by their temporary captors. The reporter's knowledge of local dialects and traditions, and his kindness toward an elderly man on the street were the only things that saved him and his team from the blade.
Here are three things I hope:
1. The Muslim Brotherhood does not take the lead in Egypt when the dust settles.
2. We can stop calling protests where 140 attacks on foreign reporters occur, and 300 people die, "Peaceful"
3. Ms Logan has a speedy recovery and return to the field.
Peace, Love, and "Reporting live, from_______"
St00bert
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