Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Wednesday, July 16, 2025
    961
    Instagram Facebook LinkedIn TikTok
    • Breaking News
    • Guides
    • Food & Drink
    • Listicles
    • Join the Team
    • Whatsapp
      • 961
      • 961 News
    Advertise with Us Get the App
    961
    Home»Magazine»Lifestyle»Internet Finds
    Reuters/Stephanie Keith | Reuters/Hannah McKay
    1 Min Read

    Reporters Comparing U.S. Riots To The Middle East Sparked Harsh Criticism

    By Souad LazkaniJanuary 8, 2021Updated:May 13, 2021
    Facebook WhatsApp Copy Link

    As chaos ensued at the U.S. Capitol Hill building on Wednesday, the media was inspired to compare the riot to what one might expect to see happening in the streets of the Middle East.

    One such ill-thought remark came from American commentator Van Jones who compared the scenes to be reminiscent of Syria, where, if one must be reminded, thousands of innocents were killed with chemical bombs…

    This stuff isn't just infuriating, it also reinforces historical illiteracy in America. We've had political violence, voter suppression, demagogues in power and, you know, an actual civil war. No need to look beyond our own history for an antecedent https://t.co/MckUP7OuFZ

    — Gregg Carlstrom (@glcarlstrom) January 7, 2021

    Other media outlets and politicians compared the sights to what they think could only be expected in “third world countries” like Baghdad, Kabul, and Benghazi… instead of just accepting that it’s America.

    What is happening at the Capitol is nothing like Benghazi. It is nothing like Iraq. It is nothing like “a third world country.” I am hearing so many of these comparisons on cable news. This is politics in America — the richest, most powerful country on Earth. Americans own it.

    — Liam Stack (@liamstack) January 6, 2021

    What you're watching is American through and through. Don't compare this to the Middle East. This is your mess.

    — Rowaida Abdelaziz (@Rowaida_Abdel) January 6, 2021

    Additionally, on a previous occasion, American media compared earlier U.S. riots to Beirut, where peaceful Lebanese are participating in a revolution to bring down a corrupt government.

    No, yesterday DC was not like a third world country. In a third world country like #Lebanon we hear the threatening sounds of enemy aircraft violating our airspace every day and it’s become so “normal” UN officials don’t condemn it publicly.

    — Halim Shebaya (حليم شبيعة) (@halimshebaya) January 7, 2021

    This continued comparison sparked a backlash from the online community, including foreign reporters based in the Middle East as well as reporters based in the West, who deemed the rhetoric highly offensive, orientalist, and ignorant.

    JOURNOS: Understand that you are doing a great disservice when you liken these scenes to the "middle east". Not only is it orientalist, it further prevents Americans from understanding their own country's long & deep history of political violence that is far more relevant.

    — Yousef Munayyer (@YousefMunayyer) January 6, 2021

    It's been frustrating to watch US journalists and politicians describe what's happening in their country like this. Ordinary people in Baghdad and Kabul have shown far more resilience and strength in far more adverse circumstances. American exceptionalism dulls the mind. https://t.co/Qh2RcP9EIT

    — Ishaan Tharoor (@ishaantharoor) January 7, 2021
    Syria
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email

    For You

    adroee

    There’s An Avichay Lookalike In Lebanon, And People Are Freaking Out

    lebanese teta with Alzheimer's 961

    Watch This 94-Year-Old Lebanese Teta With Alzheimer’s Remembering Fairuz Songs

    Claude Leshaa Al-Khoury 961

    Claude Leshaa Al-Khoury Was Just Freed After 40 Years of Captivity by the Syrian Regime

    Ethiopian Wedding

    This Ethiopian Wedding in Lebanon Is Going Viral & It’s Absolutely Adorable

    Miss Lebanon 2024

    35+ Hilarious Tweets About Miss Lebanon 2024 That’ll Literally Make You LOL

    Foreign content creators have effectively brought Lebanon's beauty and charm to life through their travels. Each of these international explorers has uniquely captured distinct aspects of the nation through their cameras, emphasizing Lebanon's friendliness, resiliency, and cultural diversity.

    14 Foreign Content Creators Making Us Fall In Love With Lebanon Over And Over Again

    shark tank Lebanon

    Shark Tank Is Officially Coming To Lebanon – Here’s How You Can Get A Chance To Pitch Your Idea

    lebanon jounieh cyprus by ferry 961

    You’ll Soon Be Able To Travel Between Lebanon & Cyprus By Ferry

    June 8, 2025

    20 Celebrities You Probably Didn’t Know Had Lebanese Roots

    April 22, 2019
    whish pay lebanon 961

    You Can Now Use Whish Pay At Shopify Stores

    June 13, 2025

    Lebanon’s Shawarma Is Going Viral in The Philippines

    April 21, 2019

    How Mia Khalifa Became One Of The Most Outspoken Advocates For Lebanon

    August 13, 2020
    Lebanese boutiques

    25 Boutiques In Lebanon To Find Your Dream Evening Dress This Wedding Season

    June 9, 2024

    20 Typical Lebanese Slang Expressions

    April 21, 2020
    caracalla one thousand and one nights

    Caracalla Just Added More Dates For “One Thousand and One Nights” & You Def Don’t Want To Miss It!

    July 5, 2025
    Low-Cost Lebanese Airline 961

    We Might Finally Be Getting A Low-Cost Lebanese Airline – Here’s What We Know

    June 18, 2025
    961 Logo
    Facebook WhatsApp TikTok Instagram

    Popular Topics

    • Guides
    • Eat & Drink
    • Listicles
    • Lebanon News
    • Diaspora
    • Explained

    961

    • About
    • WhatsApp Channel
    • News WhatsApp Channel
    • Corrections Policy
    • Ownership & Funding

    Services

    • Advertise
    • Careers
    • App Waitlist
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter
    961™ | All Rights Reserved ©2025
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.