ABC Plugs Egyptian: U.S. Is a Dumb 'Jock' Becoming 'Useless Nation'

On Monday, ABC's World News with Charles Gibson highlighted and seemed to glorify anti-America comments made by a young Egyptian woman, whom the show interviewed as part of a regular series about young people in other countries, who compared the States to a dumb "jock" that in a few years will "die down and burn out, and what's left is a totally useless nation."

The young woman, named Ro'ya, charged: "In the past, if the States was a strong country, it was because it had thinkers, but right now, it's kind of like, it's kind of like a jock, okay -- very powerful, very athletic, in a couple of years, die down and burn out, and what's left is a totally useless nation." Without challenge, Weir added: "Ro'ya says she would only live in America if it would help Americans understand the Arab world. She'd much rather move to Italy..." (An online version of the story can be found at ABCNews.com.) (Transcript follows)

Anchor Gibson seemed to glorify her anti-America feelings as he repeatedly highlighted that aspect of the interview while plugging the segment, as he once said that "when it comes to America, she does not mince words," and later relayed that she "knows just what she wants in a man, and what she thinks of America."

Weir's report aired at the end of the show as part of a regular series called "21 and the World is Yours," each installment of which looks at the life of a 21-year-old who lives in another country. After recounting her social life that is relatively liberal for an Egyptian, though still conservative by American standards, Weir relayed the oppressive nature of Egypt's government, despite its image of being a democracy, before bringing up the many Egyptian Muslims who have turned to radical movements. When Weir asked Ro'ya what young Egyptians think of infamous al-Qaeda terrorists Mohammed Atta and Ayman al-Zawahiri, she defensively charged that "you get radicals in absolutely everywhere and absolutely every religion. ... I mean, come on, don't tell me, don't tell me you don't have, like, cults and radical thinkers in the States."

Without challenging her comparison of violent al-Qaeda terrorists to relatively less dangerous extremist groups in America that are not at war with anyone, Weir then queried about what Ro'ya and other young Egyptians think of America and played her critical comments without challenge.

RO'YA CLIP #1: It's a country that should practice what it preaches. If it's all for a democracy and freedom and all that, and I just, it doesn't do that with other countries, especially countries it gets into or invades. I mean, I'm sorry, but who do you think you are?

RO'YA CLIP #2: In the past, if the States was a strong country, it was because it had thinkers, but right now, it's kind of like, it's kind of like a jock, okay -- very powerful, very athletic, in a couple of years, die down and burn out, and what's left is a totally useless nation.

WEIR: Roya says she would only live in America if it would help Americans understand the Arab world. She'd much rather move to Italy, and she really hopes the world is hers, but only if the world accepts her as she is, veil and all. Bill Weir, ABC News, Cairo.

Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Monday April 14 World News with Charles Gibson on ABC:

CHARLES GIBSON, IN OPENING TEASER: And behind the veil, she parties but doesn't drink, likes boys but doesn't kiss, is Egyptian with strong views about America. Our series "21 and the World is Yours."
...

CHARLES GIBSON, BEFORE COMMERCIAL BREAK: And a young Muslim woman mixing fun, friends, and faith. And when it comes to America, she does not mince words. Our series, "21 and the World is Yours." We're back in 75 seconds.
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GIBSON, BEFORE COMMERCIAL BREAK: And next on this special broadcast of World News, Life at 21 in a Muslim country: A young woman who knows just what she wants in a man, and just what she thinks of America. We'll be back in just over a minute.
...

BILL WEIR: Political oppression and economic turmoil have driven millions of Ro'ya's peers to become more religious, some to the extreme. Islamist parties, like the Muslim Brotherhood, have grown stronger since the country gave rise to two of the biggest names in al-Qaeda.

WEIR: Ayman al-Zawahiri is an Egyptian. Mohammed Atta was an Egyptian. What do Egyptians your age think of those people?

RO'YA: They're just, they're not us. I mean, I mean, they're just, you get radicals in absolutely everywhere and absolutely every religion. I mean, I mean, come on, don't tell me, don't tell me you don't have, like, cults and radical thinkers in the States.

WEIR: What do you think, what do your friends think of America?

RO'YA: It's a country that should practice what it preaches. If it's all for a democracy and freedom and all that, and I just, it doesn't do that with other countries, especially countries it gets into or invades. I mean, I'm sorry, but who do you think you are?

RO'YA: In the past, if the States was a strong country, it was because it had thinkers, but right now, it's kind of like, it's kind of like a jock, okay -- very powerful, very athletic, in a couple of years, die down and burn out, and what's left is a totally useless nation.

WEIR: Ro'ya says she would only live in America if it would help Americans understand the Arab world. She'd much rather move to Italy, and she really hopes the world is hers, but only if the world accepts her as she is, veil and all. Bill Weir, ABC News, Cairo.