ThinkProgress.org: Right Wing Mocks Reporters In Egypt: Not "A Great Deal Of Sympathy For Those Who’ve Been Attacked"

[Baculus]

I have been rather saddened by the right-wing's joyous response over Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour being assaulted or threatened on the streets of Cairo. I know they aren't well liked on the other side of the political aisle, but it's been disturbing to see the actual joy over any members of the media being attack there. (Members of a Fox News crew was also attacked.) The general sentiment seems to be, "They deserved it."

Right-wingers have something in common with authoritarian regimes: they hate the press.

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/04/reporters-egypt-sympathy/

Perhaps this demonstrates a fundamental issue with some people -- they seem to hate information, or least information that doesn't agree with their bottom line. And apparently they don't think events out in the real world need to be covered by journalists. All we need is Glenn Beck with his chalkboards, ranting about caliphates, and everything is all good.

[twa]

Whining ****es,the notion ya can go in a foreign land and have the freedom we enjoy seems beyond them

Oh,and **** Thinkprogress and Glenn Beck too

[elkabong82]

nm, misunderstood.

[Baculus]

Whining ****es,the notion ya can go in a foreign land and have the freedom we enjoy seems beyond them

Oh,and **** Thinkprogress and Glenn Beck too

Whiny ****es? My sister is a sound technician on a news crew (working for everyone, from CNN to Fox), and she works 15 hour days, standing out in all sorts of weather. She just spent the last few days snowed in D.C. as she was covering news events there. These people are not "whiny." I should know because I have worked as a production assistant with her on some of her jobs, and they ain't easy. You and the rest of your cretinous comrades are a bunch of know-nothings whose opinions on the matter are as valuable as spit in a bucket.

Journalists have been covering wars and conflicts for a long time and they bring the truth of light to places that need it. Sorry, but that isn't going to stop, not for you nor for all the thugs on the street hired by dictators.

And, counter to your vulgarity, I APPRECIATE ThinkProgress for having intelligent, informed articles. Yes, I know you hate that sort of stuff. It's better to have Palin and Spudnuts, right?

[Predicto]

I tell ya, making the media the enemy was the most brilliant marketing move ever by the right. If you can convince people that all news reports are lies (except the ones they already agree with) then you never have to deal with pesky things like new information or dangerous alternative opinions. You never have to question assumptions or mythology. You get to live in a happy land where you are always right, and everyone else is evil and wrong.

The people on FreeRepublic would cheer their brains out if Anderson Cooper got curbstomped by a Mubarak thug.

[Baculus]

I tell ya, making the media the enemy was the most brilliant marketing move ever by the right. If you can convince people that all news reports are lies (except the ones they already agree with) then you never have to deal with pesky things like new information or dangerous alternative opinions. You never have to question assumptions or mythology. You get to live in a happy land where you are always right, and everyone else is evil and wrong.

The people on FreeRepublic would cheer their brains out if Anderson Cooper got curbstomped by a Mubarak thug.

Too true, Predicto. Sad, but true.

[twa]

Big whoop,I have friends in news crews

But they don't whine,nor have unreasonable expectations....or at least they don't air them to me.

[Popeman38]

But perhaps comments from right-wing radio host Mike Gallagher win the most insensitive prize. Gallagher not only suggested that ABC’s Christiane Amanpour might join “Death to America” chants there, but — with clear homophobic undertones — attacked Cooper for getting beaten, even saying that he may have “enjoyed it a little bit”:

GALLAGHER: Maybe that isn’t where you ought to go wandering around Anderson, all, what are you about 5’7” – 5’8”? What do you go Anderson about 160? With your little perfectly quaffed grey hair and your little delicate features you might not want to go over to Egypt and walk around the middle of a crowd that’s screaming “death to America.” … I wonder if Christine [sic] Amanpour wasn’t right there with them. “Death to America! Down with America!” [...]

Hey Anderson, were you really punched 10 times in the head? Come on. It almost sounds like he enjoyed it a little bit. … “Oh I was punched 10 times in the head.” Well that’s what happens when you go into a bunch of rioters, dopey.

What he said about Amanpour was a bit out of bounds. She is a professional. However, I see no homophobic undertones in his comments on Cooper. The dude was trying to broadcast in the midst of riots. Common sense has to prevail in these situations. A little common sesnse would have told CNN/Cooper to broadcast from a roof, safe from all the activity on the street.

[Baculus]

Big whoop,I have friends in news crews

But they don't whine,nor have unreasonable expectations....or at least they don't air them to me.

Yeah, I am sure you do. Let me roll my eyes a few more times over your claim.

And "talking" about being physical assaulted is not "whining."

Spit in a bucket . . .

[Predicto]

What he said about Amanpour was a bit out of bounds. She is a professional. However, I see no homophobic undertones in his comments on Cooper. The dude was trying to broadcast in the midst of riots. Common sense has to prevail in these situations. A little common sesnse would have told CNN/Cooper to broadcast from a roof, safe from all the activity on the street.

"With your little perfectly quaffed grey hair and your little delicate features ... Hey Anderson, were you really punched 10 times in the head? Come on. It almost sounds like he enjoyed it a little bit." That sounds pretty homophobic to me. :whoknows:

[Baculus]

What he said about Amanpour was a bit out of bounds. She is a professional. However, I see no homophobic undertones in his comments on Cooper.

It was suggested that Anderson Cooper may have enjoyed his assault. So why do you think that would have been said, hmm?

The dude was trying to broadcast in the midst of riots. Common sense has to prevail in these situations. A little common sesnse would have told CNN/Cooper to broadcast from a roof, safe from all the activity on the street.

The situation on the ground is often fluid in those situations: what can be safe one second changes the next.

But this isn't just about Cooper, because dozens of reporters have been jailed, harassed, and assaulted. At least one crew from ABC has been detained, and I don't know if they have been released.

This is what puzzles me: I always hear the right-wing talking about "freedom" and "bring democracy" to the Middle East. But when a democratic, anti-authoritarian movement begins, they jump on the side of the authoritarian, cheering him and his thugs onward. It's bizarre, as if they don't have any sort of consistency in their beliefs.

[Burgold]

I think twa is being droll.

On the topic, it really is sad and frustrating. It takes a certain amount of courage to go into a riot, a hurricane, a warzone, etc. armed with only a microphone. Those who do this kind of reporting obviously do put themselves at risk... reporters have been beaten, killed, taken hostage, etc. They deserve our respect... not our derision. It's easy to sneer from the safety of a studio or a couch.

[Predicto]

Big whoop,I have friends in news crews

But they don't whine,nor have unreasonable expectations....or at least they don't air them to me.

twa: "Oh, quit whining! So what if you were dragged off by the secret police, beaten and had your life threatened. You know what I went through? Because of Obama and the envirowackos, the price of gasoline is up 7 cents a gallon, and I have to drive all the way to the WalMart in Deer Park today!"

[twa]

I coulda swore this was whining about the persecution and abuse from right wingers here?

well shucks I done forgot how to read....kindly explain the thread title

[Baculus]

I coulda swore this was whining about the persecution and abuse from right wingers here?

well shucks I done forgot how to read....kindly explain the thread title

Your usual knuckle-dragging responses are not surprising.

---------- Post added February-4th-2011 at 10:47 PM ----------

I think twa is being droll.

On the topic, it really is sad and frustrating. It takes a certain amount of courage to go into a riot, a hurricane, a warzone, etc. armed with only a microphone. Those who do this kind of reporting obviously do put themselves at risk... reporters have been beaten, killed, taken hostage, etc. deserve our respect... not our derision. It's easy to sneer from the safety of a studio or a couch.

They are a bunch of arm-chair chicken hawks. Worst are the right-wing pundits who piggy back onto the efforts of real reporters out in the field doing that work you just described.

They hate Al-Jazeera, but if it weren't for them, and all the reporters from the different news stations, both American and other-wise, what would we have? Egyptian state news.

[twa]

Oh,damn that left a mark

Help I'm being mocked and persecuted....but then I should expect it right?

[Baculus]

Oh,damn that left a mark

Help I'm being mocked and persecuted....but then I should expect it right?

It must have hurt enough that you felt that you had to respond. Seeing how you have nothing intelligible to say on this subject, don't you have a bridge somewhere to lurk under?

[Destino]

Big whoop,I have friends in news crews

But they don't whine,nor have unreasonable expectations....or at least they don't air them to me.

You know when I was working to send people out into the field for charity work and word got back to us that someone had been assaulted in the worst areas of the world... i don't remember anyone saying "well that is what you get for having unreasonable expectations". The potential for harm exists whenever you go to places in turmoil in any capacity... but how is that at all relevant? What difference does that make to not wanting, let alone cheering on, harm coming to these people?

Human decency isn't asking a whole hell of a lot.

[twa]

When I saw Thinkprogress I thought it was a joke thread ...my bad

Carry on Mr Beck

[JimboDaMan]

Yeah, I am sure you do. Let me roll my eyes a few more times over your claim.

And "talking" about being physical assaulted is not "whining."

Spit in a bucket . . .

Ignore the troll. It won't stop him, but you'll at least save your own breath.

[Larry]

Oh,damn that left a mark

Help I'm being mocked and persecuted....but then I should expect it right?

If I sent you some money, would you stop begging for it?

[twa]

I do accept paypal if ya make it worthwhile.

Wait.....Cooper and company are already getting paid

I demand sympathy and respect as well as cash

[GoSkins561]

I actually appreciate Coopers Bravery and his reporting, I thought he was awesome during the Earthquake in Haiti. Cooper doesn't deserve it, however he is certainly asking for it.

[Baculus]

I actually appreciate Coopers Bravery and his reporting, I thought he was awesome during the Earthquake in Haiti. Cooper doesn't deserve it, however he is certainly asking for it.

Reporters willingly take risks, but that doesn't mean they are "asking for it." Why is Cooper somehow guilty, but the people who attacked him (or the other journalists) aren't?

I always thought stooges beating on people was a bad thing. I guess not. So much for principles.

---------- Post added February-4th-2011 at 11:27 PM ----------

Ignore the troll. It won't stop him, but you'll at least save your own breath.

That's what I am doing. He isn't worthy my keyboard smashing.

---------- Post added February-4th-2011 at 11:29 PM ----------

Human decency isn't asking a whole hell of a lot.

Unfortunately, with some people, it is asking too much.

But they are the ones cheering on the authoritarian thugs, and if there is a right and a wrong side of the issue, I am pretty sure on which side I am on.

[Burgold]

I actually appreciate Coopers Bravery and his reporting, I thought he was awesome during the Earthquake in Haiti. Cooper doesn't deserve it, however he is certainly asking for it.

Blaming the victim? I thought the Right wing philosophy was that the guilty was the person who committed the act of violence? I hope you never say that a woman who was raped was asking for it because she dressed provocatively or went to a club where people were drinking.