Diane Rehm censors Abeer

As reported in Friday's "Iraq snapshot," the Thursday conviction of Steven D. Green in a US federal court on all counts for his War Crimes involving the gang-rape and murder of Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi and the murder of her five-year-old sister and her parents was banned as an agenda topic on The Diane Rehm Show. Rehm didn't want to address the international incident even though Friday, as usual, found her gas bagging for an hour about 'international affairs' such as . . . well, swine flu.


E-mails came in suggesting the topic before the show began airing. E-mails came in during the broadcast. Rehm made a point to ignore all e-mails and, so worried was she that the topic might be brought up, she banned female callers to the second hour of her show. That was not only stupid, it only further exposed how few females she books. (The second hour's panel was made up of three journalists: all male. The first hour had two males and one female.)

Since Diane Rehm wouldn't read the e-mails on the air, we figured we'd note some of them here. (Thanks to ____ for passing them on to C.I.) We are withholding names from the e-mails. If you recognize an e-mail as your own and would like to be noted as the writer, e-mail us at thirdestatesundayreview@yahoo.com giving your permission for us to make your name public. And e-mail from the same account you e-mailed the show because that's how we'll know it was you.

We'll also note that after C.I. said, "This is going in the snapshot," The Diane Rehm Show went into overtime actually responding to some of the e-mails (____ told us that and noted that the auto reply is all anyone e-mailing the show ever gets "until you wrote that"). In the reply (which went out over five hours after the show aired, we are told, it was stressed that they really, really tried to get to the topic, really. Bull f**king s**t. What they really, really tried was to damage control.



As I listen to all the babble on this second hour and notice that NO female guest is on the panel, I have to wonder if that's why we're hearing nothing about Abeer Qassim Hamza.
Steven Dale Green was convicted yesterday afternoon.
Why aren't you talking about that?
And why doesn't Diane book female guests?
This is embarrassing, in 2009, that Diane's got 3 guests and everyone's a man.
A 14 y.o. girl was gang-raped and murdered. In Iraq. US soldiers. It's an international incident. And we can't hear it and I've got to hear three men drone on about the most dull topics in the world.
[name withheld]
Manchester, New Hampshire


As a Iraqi American whose family came here twenty years ago I am very concerend about the story of Abeer Qassim al Janabi who was only 14 when she was killed in her home along with other members of her family and she was killed after she had been raped. I have been most displeased to see no attention given to this especially since the man who is said to be the leader was convicted yesterday in court. I would hope you would find time for this topic.
Thank you,
[name withheld]


Dear Diane Rehm,
Looking forward to today's second hour because I always enjoy the lively international discussion.
Hope you will be addressing the conviction of Steven D. Green yesterday in the Kentucky federal court for his crimes in Iraq.
Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi was a 14 year old girl and he was stationed in her Iraq neighborhood at a checkpoint. He was supposed to protect the neighborhood. Instead, he plotted with other US soldiers on how to rape her. He (and other soldiers already convicted) raped her. He killed her parents, he killed her sister and he killed her.
Hope this will be addressed.
Thank you,
[name withheld]
[Note that the e-mailer attaches this CNN article on the verdict after his name.]



Good morning Miss Rehm,

Can you and your guests cover the trial of the US soldier who was convicted of raping and murdering an Iraqi girl yesterday? I have not heard this covered on any show and it's the topic I really count on you for deep explorations of.

Sincerely,

[name withheld]

Ann Arbor, MI




Yesterday in Kentucky, a federal court convicted Steven Green on 16 counts over the March 12, 2006 crimes in Iraq that he and other U.S. soldiers took part in.
Green specifically took part in the gang-rape of a 14 y.o. girl, he murdered her, he murdered her parents, he murdered her sister, and he was the ringleader.
This was an international incident.
This topic belongs on today's show and I'm very distressed that I'm having to write in to say, "Girlfriend, cover it!!!!!"
[name withheld]




This story [link to Democracy Now! headlines for Friday] about the soldier being convicted for raping the 14 year old girl is really tragic and I hope you and your guests plan to discuss it.

Also when do you plan to have Jerry Seib back on the show?

Yours truly,

[name withheld]

Boston





Why is today's show ignoring the verdict in United States versus Steven D. Green?
That is the big international story and there's been no mention of it. War crimes took place in Iraq. A verdict came down yesterday.
It needs to be addressed.
[name withheld]

listening on KERA in Dallas



Dear Ms. Diane Rehm,

As a survivor of rape, I know the horror involved and I know that we rarely get media attention on sexual assault cases. That is why National Public Radio is so important. It can cover these topics and do so without interrupting to broadcast commercials. Yesterday Stephen Green, a US Army man, was convicted in court of raping and murdering a 14 year-old girl while he was serving in Iraq. This is a very important story that I believe many of your listeners would be interested in hearing about. I know I would be. Please consider addressing it.

[name withheld]

New Haven, Conn.


We could go on and on. That's only a sampling. All but two of the above are from women. The bulk of the e-mails we have copies of were written by women.