For Omer, this transition is sharper and more surprising than for most conscientious objectors: she is the daughter of the outgoing deputy head of Mossad, the man who very nearly became head of the organisation.
Via Friday’s Lunch Club and Richard Silverstein’s Tikun Olam.
lovely…
angry arab did not feel the need to post her picture. do you think this item would make the news were it not for her appearance? good to see you toeing the line.
As I already said, she’s too cute.
Anon,
Yes, I think it would have been a story absent her appearance — the mossad daughter angle makes it a story. Or so I think.
In my defense, the ‘pedestal’ reference refers to a conversation we have already had on this blog concerning the ‘objectification’ of women in politics. And I am sure you could find some posts here on the ’sexual fixation’ of the Left.
I deliberately posted this post with the Putin-doing-judo to suggest how ’sexualized’ we have become in our political messaging. To my mind, understandably so. I could go on, but won’t.
My apologies for any offense, and please know my toes appreciate your attention.
Hello D’s toes:
It is definitely a solid story. I doubt it’s even necessary to explain away your reference/decision to post the pic, particularly as the physical appearance of the subject is always important in any profile story. It just so happens that Omer is stunningly beautiful.
The lede of the article could have been stronger, though, particularly as it does not relate to the nut graf. The Mossad detail is, after all, more relevant to the core of the piece than Omer’s looks, which could have appropriately been mentioned in the fifth or sixth paragraph.
Unless you’re like the frivolous M., who was clearly distracted/detracted from the weighty content of the piece as he was so fixated on the photo, there’s no harm in noting the looks.
And I think you should take my analysis seriously, since I am a female.
In other news, Lonely Planet says Beirut is one of the world’s ten “most interesting” cities. Antwerp and Glasgow are on the list, too. How reliable is the judgment?
Z. I am disappointed in you. We agreed that you were going to tell D. that you are the fan I had mentioned to him.
D., meet Z.
z.,
i think the author wanted to frame the story as ‘daddy’s little girl has ideas of her own.’ hence the lede, which I agree is kinda weak, but then again who reads first post: probably people that like hearing stories about daddy’s little girl.
And as per M.’s introduction, nice to meet you and glad ta hear you enjoy the blog … d
i’ll join in on the debate between initials…. but have two questions first. what’s ‘lede’? what’s ‘nut graf’? can you translate from journo lingo into english, Z, just out of curiosity? to come back to the issue… having worked with and met a number of conscientous objectors in israel (mostly male), i cannot help but cringe at the description of the pretty omer ‘thin as a model’ spending cash on therapy for several months in order to prepare for the incarceration experience. all very well, but who reported the cases of all those objectors who are not thin and pretty like models, and who went before omer? and who don’t have the cash for therapy? i can see this question leads us nowhere, but wanted to pose it anyway. it just seems a tad bit injust, that’s all. but i agree that the mossad angle is what makes this story too and would have probably worked if omer were chubby and had acne. waaah. i hate.
This is a confession. I recently met an Israeli guy who spent a fair amount of time serving in Lebanon and the West Bank until he’d decided that he’d had enough. Now about once a year, he goes to prison for refusing to do his reserve duty. He told me about a time when someone anonymously donated dozens of copies of Khoury’s Gate of the Sun for those who were in prison for refusal to do their military service or reserve duty.
Now here comes the confession. This guy was a wonderfully interesting guy and a great guy, but if I had to choose between meeting him and meeting Omer, it wouldn’t have even been close. And to boot, my new Israeli friend would have smacked me upside the head if he even thought for a second that I’d choose him over this beautiful young woman.
This might just make me shallow.
Nah sean. It just makes you a guy
In defense of my gender and in view of Sean’s comment, let me say that a couple of years ago a group of Israeli refuseniks passed through DC on a pr tour of Capitol Hill. One of the guys, an IAF pilot, came to my law school for a talk and left several of my female classmates — Jewish and not — in a complete and total swoon.
Sales, people, sales. It is all about sales; and not sex as some would have you believe.
cringe.
Anon are you z. as well? Your anonymity is safe with this blog, but I like to keep straight in my head which of my imaginary friends is which.
e.,
Perhaps you are being facetious, but a lede is the first sentence in an article. Nut graf refers to a story that does not follow the traditional pyramid style of news writing in that the first sentence does not explain what the story is about. The nut graf explains the newsiness and is deeper in the story. It is common/necessary in stories about multiple subjects, feature type pieces or where the reporter wishes she was a novelist.
As to your other questions, are you saying the world is not fair?
Will get something on US aid to Lebanon and the coming elections … d
oh, thanks d. no i wasn’t being facetious, perhaps it’s because i’m not a native speaker (i had to look up facetious, too).
re fairness: yup, i could see this was going nowhere!