Report: Hitchens beaten by pro-Syrian thugs in Beirut? Update: “I was on the ground and getting it in the head”
posted at 4:54 pm on February 18, 2009 by Allahpundit
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Look on the bright side: This’ll make for one hell of a Slate column once he gets back.
I can only assume they didn’t recognize him, as the opportunity to scalp one of the world’s foremost atheists surely would have been irresistible.
I dont know if you find this as news worthy or not, but Christopher Hitchens is currently in Beirut sponsored by the same group that owns that crap NOW Lebanon. He got in a few nights ago and surprisingly went out drinking. On his way out of the bar he saw an SSNP poster and wrote on it “Fuck the SSNP”. There just happened to be some SSNP thugs near by–most likely asking people for their ID, and most likely to no avail–and saw him write on the poster and kicked his ass. He is still walking with a limp.
Abu Muqawama says he’s confirmed the story. The SSNP is, of course, a Hezbollah ally that advocates a Syrian anschluss of Lebanon (and Israel, natch). Consider Hitch a minor martyr to the cause of the Cedar Revolution here. Exit question one: More or less unpleasant than being waterboarded? Exit question two: Er, isn’t Ace there with him? Has anyone heard from Ace recently?
Update: Belated exit question three: Is it time for me to organize a mighty atheist army and lead it on a march to Damascus for justice? Yes.
Update: Forbes says Totten was in the mix.
But later that night, three of our “scoop” brigade–Jonathan Foreman, Michael Totten and Christopher Hitchens–got involved in a street brawl with some thugs of a Syria-loving skinhead party called the SNPN after Hitchens rather gallantly insulted their swastika flag. On our way to a meeting with Minister of State Nissib Lahoud, Hitchens showed me the gashed knuckles and bruises suffered during the punch up. The attackers had apparently come out of nowhere on posh Hamda Street, where they had gone to buy shoes. “I was on the ground,” Hitchens said, “and getting it in the head.” It was a miracle they didn’t pull Kalashnikovs.
Note: I changed the headline to reflect that the attackers were pro-Syrian, but not necessarily Syrian in origin.
Update: Ace sets the record straight.
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I would have thought getting his nads waxed was worse than waterboarding.
DUDE.
MadisonConservative on February 18, 2009 at 4:56 PM
These guys picke the wroooooooooooooooong dude.
RadioFreeUSA on February 18, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Yes, Ace is there. I haven’t seen a post from him today, though.
Bugler on February 18, 2009 at 4:57 PM
“Please God, don’t let them kill me”, was one of the last things said before he fell to the ground…
right2bright on February 18, 2009 at 4:57 PM
No offense but defacing a fascist group’s poster is kinda asking to get hte crap kicked out of you
Defector01 on February 18, 2009 at 4:58 PM
If they kicked Hitchens ass, (and they only did because he was outnumbered) than I’d like to see the guy who mixed it up with Ace. He’s gotta be in a wheel chair.
portlandon on February 18, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Ummm, is this when I start crying for him?
OmahaConservative on February 18, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Oh, no he dint.
genso on February 18, 2009 at 4:58 PM
whoa!
Emeka on February 18, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Yeah Ace is there too. Crap. Hope he is OK.
rockmom on February 18, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Uhm, 99.999996 percent of Americans wouldn’t recognize him.
Marcus on February 18, 2009 at 4:59 PM
“Please God, don’t let them kill me”, was one of the last things said before he fell to the ground…
right2bright on February 18, 2009 at 4:57 PM LOL!
DCJeff on February 18, 2009 at 5:00 PM
its too bad, he actually recognizes these regimes for what they are.
rob verdi on February 18, 2009 at 5:00 PM
That was my thought too.
Not to blame the victim in any way. It was their decision to beat him up and they hold full responsibility for it and it definitely was not a valid response to what he did.
That said, he’s lucky he’s just limping.
JadeNYU on February 18, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Was he moaning, “Oh dear nobody, oh dear nobody” after he got his ass kicked?
/sarc
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on February 18, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Couldn’t of happened to a nicer guy….
DL13 on February 18, 2009 at 5:02 PM
I’m torn between “Whoa! Way to stand up to the man!” and “You stupid idjet, what were you thinking?!”
Skywise on February 18, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Needless to say he’s going to have an interesting next column.
As opposed to what, siding with the islamofascist thugs who beat him or being indifferent?
ebrawer on February 18, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Heart-Ache
What? Do we have do this for Allah, now?
Jaibones on February 18, 2009 at 5:03 PM
I don’t blame the victim, I’m wondering if he thought they’d do the same thing that Republicans do when their stuff is defaced (namely nothing).
Defector01 on February 18, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Better not have died on me, I’m waiting to see him get his ass handed to him in a debate a few weeks from now…
John_Locke on February 18, 2009 at 5:04 PM
What a guy. Hitch, an atheist, goes to an islam country, drinks booze, gets drunk, then defaces a political poster of a hardline group, in English. Was he wearing a Bush/Cheney T-shirt too?
keep the change on February 18, 2009 at 5:04 PM
I spent months near where this happened. For him to write that on a poster was asking for it. They just killed someone at a political rally recently.
TTheoLogan on February 18, 2009 at 5:04 PM
You are sick, way sick.
Mr. Hitchens is lucky to be alive. He sure has cojones to write that.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Yeah, they better watch out or Hitchens might write an angry article about them!
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:05 PM
That’s an assumption. Hezbollah has FPM allies who are not muslim.
TTheoLogan on February 18, 2009 at 5:05 PM
This guy is an “intellectual”? Sounds about as smart as the 8 year old down the street from me throwing rocks at a hornet’s nest.
Beo on February 18, 2009 at 5:06 PM
I wonder if he was praying that he would survive the beating?
Vashta.Nerada on February 18, 2009 at 5:06 PM
That sounds great to me. Islamofascists vs fasceist? I find it difficult to give a damn.
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:06 PM
Still, he escaped with his head and didn’t disappear, I’d say that’s an improvement over what can happen to you in Beirut..
Bishop on February 18, 2009 at 5:06 PM
Why can some HA commenters not hold more than one thought in their head? How about opposing him on beliefs and still being against attacking people, physically?
Disgusting.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 5:07 PM
They recognized him by those nasty brit choppers. When he smiles, it looks like an oyster bed at low tide.
marklmail on February 18, 2009 at 5:07 PM
They don’t behead there, they just use car bombs.
TTheoLogan on February 18, 2009 at 5:07 PM
He still may not believe in God, but I bet he now believes in karma.
James on February 18, 2009 at 5:08 PM
After he was beaten did he raise his hands to his face and say “Useless, Useless”?
dantana@charter.net on February 18, 2009 at 5:08 PM
If there were no God, there would be no Atheists to get their asses kicked in Lebanese bars.–GK Chesterton
GoodSamaritan on February 18, 2009 at 5:08 PM
In my case, it’s because Hitchens would kill me if he could get away with it for my opposition to abortion. Why the hell should I give a damn about his physical well being?
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:08 PM
No…he probably thought of a pithy quote from
Nietzsche
RadioFreeUSA on February 18, 2009 at 5:09 PM
They’re just showing their “love” for atheists.
Allahpundit on February 18, 2009 at 5:09 PM
He kinda’ asked for it by defacing the poster. His balls are bigger than mine
OmahaConservative on February 18, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Va stiu cu mult mai inteligent decit acest comentariu.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 5:10 PM
John Wilkes Booth FTW!
carbon_footprint on February 18, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Let’s see. Getting drunk off your ass in Beirut, stumbling home late at night, tagging a gang poster while the gang bangers are watching…
Gee, what could possibly go wrong?
wccawa on February 18, 2009 at 5:10 PM
I don’t think that Hitch smokes anymore, AP. Time to update the file photo.
piraticalbob on February 18, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Really? Would Hirsi Ali get this reaction? Ditch the pathetic self-pity, it has nothing to do with his atheism. He’s a dirtbag commie who happens to be right on one issue (for the wrong reasons). Just because you worship at his feet doesn’t make him worthy of respect.
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
O Lord, kumbaya
WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 5:11 PM
I wonder what his opinion of water boarding is now that he’s had something against which to measure it.
Y-not on February 18, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Go for it, AP…but stay out of foxholes.
Patrick S on February 18, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Proof positive that Hitchens has stronger stones drunk, than those sissies who beat him, and the ones commenting nonsense here.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 5:13 PM
You’ve been pretty active recently, and a good deal more combative… I disagree with you but I like the engaged Allahpundit, Christians need to be called on the crap we give you for no reason.
John_Locke on February 18, 2009 at 5:13 PM
He must have left that giant intellect at the bar.
Most sane people would understand that a measure of restraint is a good idea when in a foreign land.
Even if the “crime” didn’t warrant a beating, it was to be expected.
MrScribbler on February 18, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Something is just to ironic about this.
christene on February 18, 2009 at 5:14 PM
You, and everyone with the same sentiments as you, are scum.
You’re wishing physical harm on a man because he holds different religious beliefs than you, and nothing else. you’re applauding the beating of a proud American by jihadist filth.
All of you are twisted, feeble excuses for Americans.
MadisonConservative on February 18, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Nui vina mea ca Hitchens chiar e un extremist:
http://www.radaronline.com/features/2007/04/christopher_hitchens_god_is_not_great_2.php
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:14 PM
BTW, Allah, I don’t see where Hitchens’s atheism had anything to do with this. Only his total lack of sense.
MrScribbler on February 18, 2009 at 5:15 PM
lol
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Nothing warrants wishing a non-terrorist or -other criminal any harm.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Uh, and I guess Hitchens dancing on the grave of Jerry Fawell is the way atheists show their “love”?
terryannonline on February 18, 2009 at 5:17 PM
Proof positive that Hitchens has stronger stones drunk, than those sissies who beat him, and the ones commenting nonsense here.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Less an issue of more stones than less brains. Let’s substitute the name “Christopher Hitchens” with “Joe Blow” and substitute “Lebanon” with “East L.A.” and substitute “SSNP” with “Crips.” Now let’s read that whole story again – would you admire Joe Blow’s stones? Or would you call him a stupid moron who was begging for a beating?
Enough of the Hitchens-humping love that so many on this site seem to suffer from.
Beo on February 18, 2009 at 5:17 PM
Ixnay on the Atinlay, allyay. (I hate not knowing!!)
Patrick S on February 18, 2009 at 5:17 PM
I’m just thrilled to see people in this thread taking the “he was asking for it” line in defense of Hezbollah sympathizers beating the hell out of a guy who champions both free speech and the Iraq war. And we all know why.
Allahpundit on February 18, 2009 at 5:17 PM
This represents a gross ignorance of lebanese politics. The idea that these are “jihadist filth” is ridiculous. Syria, for one, is very secular, and the FPM is not even muslim but supports and works with hezbollah.
TTheoLogan on February 18, 2009 at 5:17 PM
A friend of mine is setting up a debate with Hitchens, and he’s had to interact with him quite a bit. He’s a pretty interesting character. Yeah, screwing with a hostile political party isn’t a bright idea, but he seems to go looking for opportunities like that, he sees himself as some sort of tragic genius. I like him though, he’s sarcastic and he has a quirky sense of his own integrity.
John_Locke on February 18, 2009 at 5:17 PM
That goes double for you. You worship a man who told you to “love one another”, and you take pleasure in his being assaulted by thugs. Hypocrite.
MadisonConservative on February 18, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Yeah. What he said. The snarkyness here is getting terrible. Almost like that feeling you get after wandering through DailyKos or Huffington comments.
portlandon on February 18, 2009 at 5:18 PM
I don’t see anybody wishing him harm. I see:
people not caring
people making jokes about it
people saying he’s an idiot
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:18 PM
“I dont know if you find this as news worthy or not”
Just another drunken wanker.
getalife on February 18, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Upon reflection, he apparently has balls of steel compared to me. But then, were I to be in Beirut in the middle of the night, scribbling graffiti on political posters would be WAAAAY down at the bottom of my list of “things to do.” So would getting plastered.
Well, of course, that is a true statement, and an excellent point.
wccawa on February 18, 2009 at 5:19 PM
While I don’t always agree with Hitch (being a Christian myself), I do get a kick out of the fact that he had the stones to write this…unfortunately it sounds like he took a couple of shots there…
He will have a very interesting take when he writes his next column!
sabbott on February 18, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Oh, it is ON.
Allahpundit on February 18, 2009 at 5:19 PM
I didn’t take pleasure in anything, you lying sack of crap. I laughed at you because of the ridiculous atheist self-pity bulls**t in your comment. My comment to allah at 5:11 applies to you as well. Get a brain.
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:19 PM
So does CAIR. They are jihadist filth as well, they just use media exposure and lawsuits instead of explosives.
MadisonConservative on February 18, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Can you respond to my 5:11 comment please.
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:20 PM
I’m not an atheist, you hypocritical cretin, I’m an agnostic. Take your foot out of your mouth before you continue typing.
MadisonConservative on February 18, 2009 at 5:20 PM
They don’t behead there, they just use car bombs.
TTheoLogan on February 18, 2009 at 5:07 PM
Hitchen’s trip isn’t over yet, he better regain a few smarts and save any comments until he’s out of country.
Bishop on February 18, 2009 at 5:20 PM
I’m assuming you’re a believer (I may be wrong). As Christians, we shouldn’t be surprised when people who are non believers do this. In fact we’re supposed to expect it and rejoice because that’s a pretty good indication that we’re doing the right thing. Just because he might act like a jerk doesn’t mean we should treat him worse.
John_Locke on February 18, 2009 at 5:20 PM
Chill out. There is nothing heroic (or, defensible, in my opinion) about getting drunk and acting out in public, particularly when you are traveling in a foreign country. It reflects badly on all of us when an American figure (is he a citizen? I don’t know) can’t behave with some decorum overseas.
The real heroes are the American soldiers who risk their lives and behave honorably, which includes not getting drunk off their a**es in public and picking fights.
I fail to see what is worth defending about Hitchens’ behavior.
Y-not on February 18, 2009 at 5:20 PM
CAIR is not in any way secular and is very much muslim.
TTheoLogan on February 18, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Damn, missed the Darwin Awards “By that much”
Guest1.1 on February 18, 2009 at 5:22 PM
OK, I’ll bite. As tragic and/or entertaining as this story is, how was he NOT asking for it?
wccawa on February 18, 2009 at 5:22 PM
I said that I knew DE to be more intelligent than that comment. He said “It’s not my fault that Hitchens is an “extremist”.
I stand by my comments and I find the attitude of some here execrable, in fact, similar to the one of rats often found at DU, DPos and the HuffPoo. For shame.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 5:22 PM
I am a bit confused why Hitchens continues to be a darling of the right. He voted for Obama, after all, despite his apparent intellect.
TTheoLogan on February 18, 2009 at 5:22 PM
DO IT.
jimmy the notable on February 18, 2009 at 5:22 PM
It seems that, for atheists, blood is thicker than water. Hitchens is also a self-admitted Marxist, but that they forgive because his atheism makes him gold. You don’t have to be a vindictive Christian to laugh at this story. You have to a patriotic capitalist right winger with a sense of humor.
keep the change on February 18, 2009 at 5:23 PM
And they’re working towards the same outcome.
MadisonConservative on February 18, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Just a question, but are we positive this wasn’t a Morton Downey Jr incident,
MDWNJ on February 18, 2009 at 5:23 PM
100% correct. How can some of the same people in the “atheist ass” thread argue for religion and come over here and condone Hitchens getting beat because he was “asking for it” (wink wink) is sickening. If this is what the everyday agnostic/atheist has to see as an example….you disgust me.
portlandon on February 18, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Of course not — because she’s a woman. Would Dawkins get this reaction? You’d better believe it.
Allahpundit on February 18, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Proof positive that Hitchens has stronger stones drunk, than those sissies who beat him, and the ones commenting nonsense here.
I used to think that too, until I realized that liquid courage was putting my life at risk for the stupidest of reasons.
Now, if Hitchy did what he did stone cold sober, in the middle of the day, with witnesses crowding around and no bodyguards, that would be some seeds.
Bishop on February 18, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Getting your @ss beat because you are an American should have been what this was about… not the fact of any religous indifference.
I.E. He got his butt handed to him. Let’s hope Ace didn’t get his handed to him as well.
upinak on February 18, 2009 at 5:24 PM
A colleague rode the train from the Brussels airport to the hotel. He was accosted and would have been beaten to a pulp, were he not a former Marine. He gave them a good lesson. He didn’t know not to ride trains at midnight, in strange cities. Was he asking for it?
wccawa, you know way better.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 5:24 PM
What gave you the impression he’s a darling of the right? We just like him for smacking Islamofascism once in a while, in addition to some random smatterings where he gets mad at other libs. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, but the clock isn’t as awesomely sarcastic.
John_Locke on February 18, 2009 at 5:24 PM
I kind of see this as the pony-tailed warden (under DUDE post)who held the lion’s testicles in his hands. Hitch: if you grab ‘em, the lion may maul you.
carbon_footprint on February 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM
As a Christian I disagree w/ much of Hitchen’s writings, but I sincerely hope he fully recovers – and soon.
Few people are as good at clarifying the dangers of Islamic fundamentalism and the hypocricy/stupidity of the West as Hitchens.
ksm on February 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM
If he were in a country where freedom of speech was a tenet, their reaction might be justified, but they’d still be prosecuted for beating a guy up for defacing a poster. In a country like Syria, this is their typical reaction to “westoxification”.
MadisonConservative on February 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Lol. Awesome. I’d bet the members spent most of their time arguing among themselves.
Hope Ace is okay, he said he had an interesting story he’d relay about Hitch when he got back, but I hope this isn’t it.
Spirit of 1776 on February 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM
What are you talking about? The secular parties of Syria and FPM are working toward either syrian domination of lebanon or anti-american interests. CAIR wants to convert everyone to sharia law.
You’re trying to group things that are just not there. You said Jihadist, so what you’re saying now is that we can call liberals jihadists because they are in a way enabling muslim fanatics.
TTheoLogan on February 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Of course, you right. I just responding to Allah’s “woe is me, I’m an atheist” remark not Hitchens getting hurt.
terryannonline on February 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM
That’s what bothers you? That I called you an atheist? Assuming I believed you were agnostic (I don’t, I automatically assume all agnostics are atheists until they prove their neutrality, a policy I have found very useful over the years), it is absolutely immaterial to the chain lightning of idiocy you’ve posted so far. First, your claim that I “took pleasure” in Hitchens getting the crap beaten out of him, something you cannot substantiate because you’re lying filth. Second, your claim that I’m a “hypocrite” derived from a lie and based on your utterly ignorant knowledge of scripture. Third, and most importantly, your retarded claim that people are piling on Hitchens because he’s an atheist. I asked you to respond to my 5:11 comment. You did not because you can’t. You know you’re wrong but like a spoiled child you can’t admit it so you just go on a brainless tirade on how eternally offended you are that I called you an atheist. Get a brain.
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Three things:
Vandalism isn’t free speech in any country.
Lebanon doesn’t support free speech anyway.
Insults and antagonism will get you a beating in Texas, too – not just Beirut.
If you think I’m defending Hezbollah sympathizers, then KMA. If you think I’m attacking him because his name is Hitchens or because he’s an athiest, then KMA again. I’d have the same things to say about a U.S. serviceman or my own brother if he had acted so stupidly.
Beo on February 18, 2009 at 5:26 PM
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