History Repeats Itself......All The Time!
"Me no terrorist" is a famous Lebanese play. The play talks about "Em Hssein", the Lebanese lady that fulfills her dreams in going to America and becoming a US citizen before being put in jail after being accused of being a "terrorist". The play goes on showing how many people started to arrange campaigns and support groups to support the just cause of "Em Hssein". Eventually, "Em Hussein" becomes a "profitable project" that finances many people, but only as long as "Em Hussein" remains in jail! Irony of life, we all support "Em Hssein", but we need her to stay in jail to remain getting the benefit out of her "just cause"!
Same thing happens nowadays, yet in different form. Feras Hatoum, the famous New TV reporter, has recently become the new "Em Hssein"! New TV started a 24-hour campaign talking about the "heroic" characteristics of Hatoum, and how he set an example of all reporters around the world, and how New TV is always the leading sourec for truth in Liban. Hatoum's documentary about Zuheir El- Seddek gained the best advertisement that any TV program can even dream of. And of course, with the political tension in the country, almost all parties started using the new "Em Hssein" card in the political conflict; demonstrations here and there, live talk shows hosting all kinds of politicians demanding freedom for "Em Hssein" as Lebanon was and always be the land of free media! And recently, Al-Akhbar newspaper has used "Em Hssein" in its continuous attacks on the government. Even the government's ministers started to use "Em Hssein" as a proof of its integrity and transparency. All this going on, and NO ONE knows what happened to the investigation with Hatoum, or should I say, no body CARES, as long as Hatoum is in jail, the "Em Hssein" card can be used EFFECTIVELY!
No one seems to be interested in discussion the issue from a legal point of view. Feras has ALL THE RIGHT in the world to search for truth. In fact, it is his DUTY to search for this truth. However, he (or anyone else, for that matter) has NO RIGHT WHAT SO EVER in breaking the law. And it is his CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to have a fair and just investigation and even trial to decide if he broke the law or not. This is what we should be discussing. It annoys me to see people defending him and making a hero out of him, regardless of whether he broke the law or not.
Unfortunately, Hatoum has become the new "Em Hssein", and while almost every one is supporting him, and making all kinds of demonstrations and support groups to demand his freedom, no one seems to be interested in getting him out of jail, or at least in him getting a fair investigation. His case has become a "golden card" that must be used till the end......
Posted by
FaiLaSooF
4 comments:
Well what to expect?
The bi-polarity made him a national hero (or hero to the "opposition", just as any activism against the WTO would be tagged 8th of March because it opposes Seniora's plan in specific
if what he did was credible, that would be different. from what i have read, not only did he break into the apartment, but tampered with evidence (or what could be used as evidence). that is not journalism, but rather at best, tabloid crap. he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and the burden of proof is on him and not the prosecution side.
not crying tears over him.
p.s....saw em hussein a few years ago in one of the other plays, very funny character.
MFL,
very true, can't agree more
anonymous,
maybe you are right, and so he must have a fair investigation and trial to decide whether he is guilty or not.
I couldn't agree with you more about the whole making him a hero while even though they are pretending that he was being a good journalist, but he is a citizen before all and should abide by his country's law! So he messed up!
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