Even as I write the 7 POW’s are being received at FT. Bliss Texas by their families and the rest of the soldiers there. It’s a scene of joy and relief.
The thing that pisses me off is the voice overs done by various commentators like reporters on location, anchors, and(ugh)Larry King, in particular their questions and statements concerning the treatment of Shoshana Johnson, the only woman among the seven. They mention how an aunt hoped “she was treated like a lady” and then then say “and we all know what that means.” Jessica Lynch is mentioned, and then there are comments made about how it’s harder for women POW’s, because “you never know how you’ll be treated”. These pundits use coy euphemisms for what they want to ask.
Come on you assholes in the media, go all the way! Ask it! “Pvt. Lynch, Pvt. Johnson, were you raped? Gang raped maybe, hmmmm?”
You media bozos, allow those women their privacy. They don’t owe you squat in the way of details unless they chose to. Whatever did or didn’t happen is between them, their doctors, and possibly their superiors, if it comes down to war crimes trials. How would you feel if it was your wife, or mother, or daughter? And while your at it, shut up as well with the badgering of relatives for personal details. You know they are vuleranable just now, and that’s why you are pouncing on them, hoping they’ll say something juicy.
Grrrrrrr!:mad: This is a sucky, incoherent rant. I know what I meant to say, hope I didn’t screw it up.
Interesting- I saw an interview with a female POW from the first Gulf War and she basically said “Yes, I was assaulted- but if you think it’s only the women who are sexually assaulted, think again. It’s just not speculated about with the men or talked about”.
Why the media is so interested in this I’ll never understand. POW’s are likely tortured in many ways, some sexual.
I live near Fort Bliss (I once lived in it), and I am about ‘two degrees of separation’ from some of these people (I don’t know them, but I know people who know them). This speculation is very offensive. And Larry Kings coverage was so uninformed and idiotic I had to switch the channel to Chris Matthews of all people. Larry, stick to ‘interviewing’ Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck.
You know, I was thinking there was a “Tell us what they did to you?Tell us what they did to you?Did they do this? Tell! Spill already!” anticipation to the coverage, and it was very crass.
Oh man! My cousin and I cracked up watching Larry King’s coverage of the arrival at Ft. Bliss.
The plan lands. Larry, a reporter at the scene, and 3 guests (2 POWs from 1st Gulf War and a psychiatric specialist from the military) watch as several unidentified people climb up into plane.
Larry:(Who can’t just be quiet and let the moment speak for itself) Does anyone know who those people are who just went up into the plane?
Nobody answers.
Larry: POW #1, do you know who those people were?
POW #1: No sir, I don’t.
Larry: POW #2, do you know who they might have been?
POW #2: Like POW #1, I have no idea, Larry.
Larry:(He’s going to get an answer from somebody, goddammit) Psychiatric Specialist, do you have any idea who those people were?
Psy. Specialist: Sorry Larry, I don’t know.
Larry: CNN Reporter at the Scene, do you know?
Reporter at the Scene: I’m not sure who they are, Larry.
I also saw a female POW from the first Gulf War interviewed on an Australian show (possibly the same person, an army colonel). When asked about being raped and how much of an ordeal it is, she said it’s not nearly the ordeal that it might be in civilian life because you know the other options include various other forms of torture or death. All things are relative I guess.
It was also kind of funny when asked if the female POWs in this last war made her change her views about females in combat. She kindly pointed out that none of the female POWs were combat troops and the question was therefore irrelevant.
No. If I were a young woman and the military were an option I was considering, then I’d damn well want to know that sort of thing before making my decision. I find it hard to believe that, for example, simply having the military state publically, “Yes, at least one of the POWs was raped while in captivity,” really adds that much burden to what they already have to carry.
The more we hide the realities of war, the more stupid our decisions are going to be.
If you were a young woman, you’d already know that. They know sexual assault is a very real possiblility in peacetime. If they have brain cells, they know that the likelyhood increases if captured by an enemy.
Let’s be real. These journalists aren’t trying to educate…
