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June 1, 2012

I knew there was a reason why I stopped watching the news (bis)

I’ve been wanting to write about this story for a few hours now but I’m still speechless. I mean tonight was the night. So much I can’t sleep.

If for whatever reason you cannot view the video or do not understand Arabic:

A woman was found dead in a waste disposal site. Her body was completely burnt but it appears she could be identified as a migrant worker. She was pregnant. Witnesses saw a man driving a car drop garbage and a large carpet and then leave. Minutes later they noticed a fire and went to examine the site and found the body.

Since the crime scene is within the premises of a Palestinian refugee camp, their authorities are handling the investigation and already have a man in custody. The report says he was that woman’s friend, allegedly.

Yet another horrific story involving a migrant worker in Lebanon. Since the victim was pregnant one can speculate her lover probably did not want to father the child or face the consequences of being publicly outed as the father.

Reasons aside, this story brings to light crimes and abuses against women in general and migrant workers in particular in a country that already has a bad history in protecting these two groups.

What is even more peculiar is that the Palestinian camp’s authorities are handling the investigation and will hand over their findings to the Lebanese side when they are done. This means that by the time the Lebanese authorities begin to investigate, they will have to rely almost solely on the findings handed to them as the crime scene would have most certainly been tampered with a million times by then. I know, I watch too much TV but still, anyone would agree forensics and evidence collection are not just applicable in CSI: Miami.

3:15am | URL: http://tmblr.co/Zx2zDwMW8Mcd

April 27, 2012

Watched my first Arabs Got Talent episode today…

I know it is the second season for the show and I know the current one’s been airing for a while now. But today, as I was flipping through the channels, I stopped on MBC4 and decided to watch the show for the first time.

All in all, it’s the same as the American and British versions we’ve already seen, both from the contestants and talents showcased to the judges’ humor.

But I was shocked at one comment uttered by Najwa Karam today. The only woman judge on the show. The one judge supposed to represent this group of the population.

When a young woman finished performing her rap song, Najwa said something along the lines of:

I said to myself, women rapping wasn’t going to work for me because rap requires taking a stand and [silence] .

So basically, Najwa wasn’t convinced when a woman presented herself to perform “rap” as to her, it requires “taking a stand”.

Implying what exactly?

That only men can take stands?

Considering she abruptly stopped and moved on to another compliment, I will give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she didn’t mean it that way and it just slipped.

But still, I am shocked at the fact that the producers and director did not edit it out; after all, it’s a pre-recorded show and slips can be easily patched.

Stereotypes should still be shocking and insulting, even if the one speaking them belongs to the group of people stereotyped.