CBS has released more details about Lara Logan’s assault in Egypt on February 11.
New reports state that that a 200 member mob surrounded Lara Logan’s team and proceeded to beat her and her colleagues with fists and flag poles. They tore off Logan’s clothing and attacked her for 30 minutes. When they stopped, Logan was left with red welts covering her entire body and what looked like bite marks – although sources say that these were caused by “aggressive pinching.”
But Why did these horrible events transpire?
Rumors have been circulating for some time that the foreign press was actually ruining the reputation of the country. While it’s been said that most didn’t believe in the rumors – one Egyptian gang. They thought that most of the journalists were actually disguised Israeli spies. As they surrounded Logan’s group they screamed out “Spy” and “Israelis” at them before beating them.
All this on the day that President Hosni Mubarak was ousted in Egypt.
Lara Logan has not commented about the horrific incident. But should she? Some say that it’s her right to stay private. Others say that she has a right to her viewers to speak out and tell the world what happened to her on that awful day.
What do you think?
Her friend recently reported to the Times of London that “Lara is getting better daily… The psychological trauma is as bad as, if not worse than the physical injuries. She might talk about it at some time in the future, but not now.”
Do you think she has a duty to divulge what happened to her on February 11?
I think she has a right to defend her privacy. She does not have a journalistic duty to report her nightmare if she doesn’t feel like it. She’s a journalist. But she’s also a sexual assault victim. Telling her story could rebuild her pain.
But someone else who was there in her crew should tell the story. It is an important and dreadful occurring which brings insight to the nature of the Middle Eastern upheavals. Moreover, justice needs to be sought.
Naturally, CBS telling her story will cause morbid curiosity, the occasional inelegant comment and whatnot. Nevertheless, a story which has importance has to be properly reported.