Not to bring a dipless vegetable tray to a dessert party, but today's post is going to be unfunny, just a warning.For the last few days I've been completely collared by a news story I read on newyorktimes.com. Here is a link on CNN.com to what its all about: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/01/lara.logan.interview/
Even the big Osama news hasn't displaced this story from being queen in every cavern of my mind, and I have a reason or two for the Osama news to matter to me. So I've been forced to think about why I'm taking what happened to Lara Logan so personally.
The first reason I've come up with is that Lara Logan is a strong woman. She's the type of gal that will go to Afghanistan and put a helmet and a flak jacket on and chat with the Taliban. She's the type of lady that will go into Egypt while the government is teetering to talk with folks. I like to think I'm a pretty tough little lady myself, but I'm not itching to go to war torn Arabic countries. So if Lara Logan was vulnerable - where does that leave me?
And did you catch that it was 200 to 300 men who were attacking her? That's what gets me too, that a frenzied crowd can spread evil like nuclear fallout and make otherwise restrained people into maniacs. One of the links within the article suggested that Egyptian men think its ok to molest a woman if she's in public because she put herself out there which, if true, is repulsive. But I'm guessing that a lot of these guys checked their reason at the door and gave into an animalistic flood of emotions. That scares me.
And then I think this is bugging me because right now, more than ever, I feel guilty for how much I have taken my freedom and safety as a woman for granted. Plenty of women in the U.S., of course, get silently accosted every day. But my feeling of sisterhood for the other women on this planet who face a much greater threat than I do has been awoken in me like it never has been before. The article said 83% of the women in Egypt surveyed claimed they have been sexually assaulted. Don't worry, I took statistics in college, I've been taught to be wary of anything with a percent after it, but I have a feeling it's not far off. And my prayers are earnest now when I ask for freedom and openness in societys that don't have it. I'm a little less begruding of American involvement in the Middle East even now that Bin Laden is dead, although I know its not Americans that will ultimately get a handle on the issue over there. But to ignore it? It feels a little unthinkable now.
"I didn't even know they were hitting me with flagpoles and sticks and things because I couldn't even feel that...the sexual assault was all I could feel - was their hands raping me over and over again." That quote is going to sit with me longer than I want it to. Thank you Lara Logan for having the courage to share what must feel humiliating, degrading and painful so as to throw a cup of water on faces like mine.
3 comments:
After reading that article and then finding a video of Lara's interview from 60 Minutes, I can't seem to think about anything else either. I remember Marc telling me about a CBS reporter that was attacked back when it happened, but I wasn't aware of the details. I can't even begin to imagine the horror that she experienced nor the horror that so many women in other countries live with day to day. You said it perfectly, Jess.
I think this story also pinpoints why the inequality of the sexes in any community is so dangerous. Lara Logan represents a strong, independent American woman. She can sway political opinion with her high profile job. In a society that doesn't typically afford that opportunity to women, that is probably seen as a threat. Assault is an attempt to take away power, and I think that is part of what motivated such a terrible attack. You're right, we are very lucky as American women, and we can't forget about the women around the world who don't have the same opportunities.
I love both of your comments! It's so nice to share thoughts!!
Post a Comment