Right Wingnuts Rolling Heads For Political Gain

Right wingnuts have been coming out of the woodwork to condemn the two Fox News journalists for converting to Islam under threat of death and making public statements while captive with guns to their heads. It seems that the extreme right would rather they be martyr'd. At RealClearPolitics, David Warren accused them of "Doing the Enemy's Work".

They were told to convert to Islam under implicit threat (blindfolded and hand-tied, they could not judge what threat), and agreed to make the propaganda broadcasts to guarantee their own safety. That much we can understand, as conventional cowardice. (Understand; not forgive.) But it is obvious from their later statements that they never thought twice; that they could see nothing wrong in serving the enemy, so long as it meant they'd be safe.

Majikthise is appropriately indignant noting that handling by Islamofacists, now the mother (Rightwing Fox fans) won't take them back. She appropriately points out the parallels between how Islamic extremists persecute women after rape.

In some societies, women are severely punished by their own communities if they get raped. Their very survival is considered proof of their debasement. It is assumed that a truly virtuous woman would have fought to the death to preserve her honor, and by extension, the honor of the community. The victim is often blamed for the attack itself. There will even be suspicion that she enjoyed it. When she tries to resume a normal life, she's dismissed as dirty, damaged goods...


[...]If they did an about-face in captivity because of overwhelming duress, it's despicable to deride injured men for political gain. The Stockholm allegation is an insurance policy for the right wing. It's a way to discount whatever the victims might have to say about their experiences, or about the Middle East at large.[...]Attacking these liberated journalists is the moral equivalent of spitting on veterans.

Jules Crittenden at BostonHerald.com notes also that Martyrs are wanted.

It’s a fascinating thing to observe, captivity. I remember seeing prisoners come out with their hands on their heads. The GIs made them lie down on the road. One of them sneered at us. I couldn’t believe someone who had just survived an artillery barrage to surrender in his underwear could have that much attitude. Most of them were silent and nervous. One knelt and kissed his Koran repeatedly. A couple of them were crying. The one with part of his foot blown off was going into shock. The one with a chunk of his ass missing wouldn’t stop screaming. A couple of them, not wounded at all, trembled uncontrollably. I’m guessing none of us know which one of them we’ll be until it happens.

Everyone is a victim in war. No one survives unscathed. The heroes happen to be in the right place at the right time to be witnessed by someone with a voice, often a voice with a propaganda message involved.