Victimizing a Victim

When reporter Jill Caroll was released she made an initial statement while still dressing in the Islamic garb including head scarf that her captors had given her. Shortly afterwards a web site released a video made before her release where she said that the USA was in Iraq illegally and would lose the war.

What should we make of this? Nothing. The statements endorsing the terrorists were made under threat of death. The first interview after her release was made in the company of strangers who, for all she knew, would turn her back over to the kidnappers if she said the wrong thing.

This should have been obvious. Never the less, some on the right suggested that she was a terrorist sympathizer. There were even suggestions that the kidnapping was a hoax. In the meantime, some on the left applauded her courage in telling how the situation in Iraq really is.

Presumably these people feel kind of silly now that Caroll has retracted all statements made during and immediately after her captivity. Not everyone has reacted intelligently. A post at Huffington complaining about the Left's reaction drew this comment:

can you imagine the shit that would hit the fan if Carroll said that she meant every word?...she and her family would no longer be able to have a life in america...no option on this one but to backtrack and retract, beliefs be damned whether true or not...

Pity Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan who said similar things and were forced to move to France.

I will admit, I wondered by Caroll was still wearing the head scarf after being released but I waited to see what happened. Now I know - she was still scared. Too bad others were so quick to jump on her.