On The Front Lines

Tom McKiver/The Mirror

While at the surface Lara Logan exemplifies the paragon of femininity, underneath she possesses a quiet confidence, indomitable spirit, and unparalleled human understanding that has, without a doubt, enabled her to become so successful as a news correspondent.

Last Monday night in the Quick Center, as part of the Open VISIONS Forum’s Sixth Annual Students’ Forum, Logan gave a lecture concerning her time as a foreign news correspondent as well as the current state of affairs in the Middle East, before fielding questions from a panel of students, followed by questions from the audience.

Logan began her career as a journalist in her hometown of Durban, South Africa before becoming a freelance journalist, covering such international stories as the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombing in Nairobi, the conflict in Northern Ireland, and the Kosovo war. In 2002 she was offered a correspondent position with CBS News after which she spent time reporting from war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2006, Logan was promoted to CBS Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and has also been the recipient of many awards in journalism.

The lecture took form in a series of stories from her times as a correspondent, most of which were about her travels in Iraq and Afghanistan. From spending time with U.S. armed forces in Iraq, befriending Afghan soldiers, to having a drinking session with Afghani generals, Logan’s stories brought forward issues of being a woman in the world of journalism, women’s rights in the Middle East, and the importance of cultivating relationships and conveying the human element when reporting a story.

She expounded on the fact tha not just being a female journalist but a “feminine” journalist was difficult at times.

“It was frowned upon to be a feminine woman,” said Logan. “You could be a woman if you acted like the guys. I remember being told that no one with my hair will ever be taken seriously on television.” She added, “I’ve never apologized for being a woman in my business.”

Keeping with the theme of women’s equality, one of the student panelists asked Logan about the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia. She replied,  “I’ve had people lecture me and tell me that Saudi women may not be able to drive but they actually own most of the businesses in Saudi Arabia, and they’re economically empowered… And I have to say at the end of the day, my truly honest opinion is that I don’t care how you dress it up… I think it’s a pretty bleak outlook for women in the Middle East.”

The Mirror was able to have a brief interview with Logan at the conclusion of the lecture and asked how she is able to bring out the human element in the story. The advice given transcended its usefulness in reporting and gave insight to becoming a better human being in general.

“I don’t separate the job from the person… the story is never more important to me than my own values. I have to live with myself long before I have to have a story. Sometimes all you can offer people is that you’re prepared to listen. You know, that you’re really listening, that you’re not just pretending to listen.”

The Open VISIONS Forum continues to have recognized guest lecturers for the remainder of the academic year; the next set to take place Wednesday, October 19^th at 8 p.m.