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HEY EVERYBODY. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. ON ASSIGNMENT IS BACK AND I'M IMRAN SIDDIQUI.
AND I'M ALEX VILLARREAL. WE'RE COMING TO YOU FROM VOA HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, WHERE
THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CERTAINLY CHANGED BUSINESS AS USUAL. OUR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT
JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SUCH CLOSINGS.
ALSO ON THE SHOW, HOW SKYPE IS HELPING DOCTORS IN THE U.S. AID SURGERIES IN SYRIA...
THE U.S. AND THAILAND GET TOGETHER TO CONFRONT ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING...
AND WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE A WOMAN IN A SOCIETY THAT SEPARATES YOU? TWO NEW FILMS EXPLORE
THAT VERY QUESTION.
IT'S ALL COMING YOUR WAY... ON ASSIGNMENT.
THE WAR IN SYRIA HAS KILLED MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE. THE CONFLICT HAS ALSO INFLICTED A
HEAVY TOLL ON MEDICAL FACILITIES. A GROUP OF SURGEONS HERE IN THE U.S., THROUGH THE
UNION OF SYRIAN MEDICAL RELIEF AND THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN MEDICAL SOCIETY IS ASSISTING WITH THE INCREASING
MEDICAL NEEDS -- WITHOUT EVER ENTERING AN OPERATING ROOM IN SYRIA.
NOW HOW DO THEY DO IT? VOA'S CAROLYN PRESUTTI DID EXCLUSIVE REPORTING ON THE VIRTUAL SURGERIES
AND SHE TOLD ME HOW THEY WORK. BUT WE SHOULD WARN YOU, THIS STORY CONTAINS SOME GRAPHIC
IMAGES THAT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO WATCH.
CAROLYN, TAKE US THROUGH THIS. HOW IS IT THAT A DOCTOR IN THE UNITED STATES IS ABLE TO HELP
WITH A SURGERY GOING ON HALF WAY ACROSS THE WORLD IN SYRIA?
OK, SAY YOU ARE THE DOCTOR. YOU ARE TOTALLY WIRED; YOU'RE CARRYING YOUR LAPTOP WITH YOU,
YOU'RE CARRYING YOUR SMART PHONE WITH YOU. SUDDENLY YOU GET A CALL ON YOUR SMART PHONE,
YOU GET MAYBE A MESSAGE THROUGH THE FACEBOOK, MAYBE TWITTER AND YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE
NEEDED IN SURGERY IN SYRIA. SO YOU GET SET UP WITH YOUR SKYPE, WITH YOUR WEBCAM AND THAT'S
EXACTLY HOW CONNECTION IS MADE. THEY BRIEF YOU, THEY TELL YOU ABOUT THE PATIENT... THEY
BEING THE SURGEONS IN SYRIA.
THIS PATIENT WILL NEVER KNOW THAT HIS DESTINY LIES IN THE EXPERTISE OF A MAN 9,400 KILOMETERS
AWAY. THE 19-YEAR-OLD TOOK A BULLET TO THE LEG.
"HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO WALK SINCE."
NEITHER THE SURGEON NOR A VISITING BRITISH DOCTOR IN SYRIA HAS EXPERTISE IN PERIPHERAL
NERVE DAMAGE. SO IN THE MIDST OF WAR, THEY ARE CONSULTING VIA SKYPE WITH DR. ABDALMAJID
KATRANJI, A HAND SURGEON IN MICHIGAN.
NOW WHEN YOU HAVE SURGEONS WHO ARE ACTIVE IN SYRIA, WHY IS THIS KIND OF HELP FROM ABROAD
NECESSARY?
WHEN A CONFLICT OCCURS IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE A BASE OF DOCTORS THAT ARE WELL VERSED IN
SHRAPNEL WOUNDS, IN COMBAT TYPE TRAUMA, IN BULLET WOUNDS. SO THAT WAS THE FIRST PROBLEM.
THEY JUST WEREN'T TRAINED WITH THOSE METHODS. THEY ARE WONDERFUL DOCTORS OVER THERE IN SYRIA,
BUT THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF EXPERTISE. SO THAT'S ONE REASON, THAT'S HOW THE DOCTORS
FROM THIS COUNTRY THROUGH THE SAMS SOCIETY - THE SYRIAN AMERICAN MEDICAL SOCIETY - AND
THROUGH UOSSM - THE UNION FOR SYRIAN MEDICAL RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS. THEY GOT TOGETHER AND
DECIDED THAT DOCTORS IN THIS COUNTRY WERE GOING TO HELP THESE SYRIAN DOCTORS. SO SECOND
REASON THAT THE NEED IS THERE IS BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPERTISE. IF YOU ARE IN
A SMALL FIELD HOSPITAL IN THE HILLS, YOU MAY HAVE AN INJURY THAT YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE,
THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO TREAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT YOUR SPECIALTY...WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE THE
EXPERIENCE OF THE WHOLE WORLD AT YOUR HANDS, PHYSICIANS FROM ALL OVER THE WHOLE WORLD,
OF COURSE YOU WANT TO PULL FROM THAT EXPERTISE AND YOU WANT TO ASK THEM THEIR ADVICE.
SO I IMAGINE THERE HAS TO BE SOME DIFFICULTY INVOLVED. EVEN WHEN WE DO SKYPE INTERVIEW
HERE AND WE'RE TALKING TO SOMEONE ABROAD, WE HAVE CONNECTION ISSUES. HOW DO THEY...DO
THEY HAVE CONNECTION ISSUES AND HOW DO THEY WORK AROUND THAT?
ABSOLUTELY THEY DO. IN FACT WHEN WE WERE TAPING THE SEGMENT OF THE TEN MONTH OLD BABY THAT
HAD A SHRAPNEL WOUNDS, THE CONNECTION WENT DOWN SEVERAL TIMES. SO LUCKILY YOU STILL HAVE
SURGEONS ON THAT END WHO CAN DO OTHER THINGS WHILE THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE CONNECTION
COME THROUGH AGAIN OR THEY CAN SIMPLY RECONNECT WITH ANOTHER DOCTOR IN THIS COUNTRY WHO HAS
THE EXPERTISE.
WHAT IS THAT LIKE FOR YOU? WHAT KIND OF FEELINGS DOES THAT BRING OUT FOR YOU COVERING SOMETHING
LIKE THAT?
LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TEN MONTH OLD BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONE THAT TOUCHED
MY HEART. THE TEN MONTH OLD WAS BROUGHT IN THE SAME DAY AS THE CHEMICAL ATTACKS. SHE
WASN'T AFFECTED BY THE CHEMICALS, BUT SHE WAS IN A FAMILY CAR... THEY WERE FLEEING THE
AREA BECAUSE THERE WAS SHELLING AFTER THE CHEMICAL ATTACK. SO THEY WERE TRYING TO GET
AWAY FROM THE SHELLING, RIGHT, HER CAR GETS BOMBED AND HER ENTIRE FAMILY IS GONE. SHE
HAS NO LIVING RELATIVE, SHE'S BROUGHT INTO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY ARE OUT OF COTTON, THEY
ARE OUT OF ANY SPLINTS SO THEY BREAK OFF A METAL LEG TO A HOSPITAL BED AND THEY USED
THAT AS A SPLINT FOR HER BROKEN ARM.
"AS PEOPLE HEAR ALL THE POLITICAL NOISE, THEY REALLY HAVE TO ELIMINATE IT AND START LOOKING
AT THE HUMAN EQUATION HERE. YOU JUST HEARD A DOCTOR SAY HE DOESN'T LOOK AT PEOPLE'S ID
BADGES. HE JUST NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER CARE AND DELIVER CARE SAFELY."
WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS STORY?
I THINK... YOU KNOW YOU LOOK AT THE STORY AND IT MAKES YOU FEEL INSIGNIFICANT IN THIS
WORLD. THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON... AND EVEN TAKE APART, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS SYRIA,
RIGHT, BUT IN THE WHOLE WORLD IN GENERAL THERE ARE SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO AND NOW THAT WE
HAVE TECHNOLOGY TO DO IT EACH ONE OF US CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THERE IS REALLY
NO EXCUSE FOR US NOT TO. I MEAN THIS IS... SOMEBODY THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THIS, SOMEBODY
SAID WE HAVE SKYPE, WE CAN DO THIS WITH THE WEBCAM AND THEY DID IT AND THEY DO IT ON A
REGULAR BASIS NOW. IT'S JUST IF YOU HAVE ONE THOUGHT, YOU CAN CARRY THAT ON TO DO GREAT
THINGS AND CERTAINLY THESE DOCTORS ARE DOING THAT. AND THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T LOOK AT
THE IDENTIFICATION TAGS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO THEIR HOSPITAL... THEY DON'T
CARE WHOSE SIDE THAT INJURED PERSON IS. THEY STILL GIVE THEM TREATMENT. I THINK THAT SAYS
A LOT ABOUT MANKIND, ABOUT HUMANITY.
VOA'S CAROLYN PRESUTTI. WE SHOULD MENTION THAT THE DOCTORS OF SAMS, THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN
MEDICAL SOCIETY, ARE ALL WORKING FOR THESE PATIENTS FOR FREE.
WE'RE TAKING A BREAK. ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SHUT ITSELF DOWN THIS YEAR
- BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT'S HAPPENED. YOU'RE WATCHING ON ASSIGNMENT.
AFTER THE U.S. CONGRESS COULD NOT AGREE ON A BUDGET DEAL TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT PAST
OCTOBER 1ST, MANY FEDERAL FUNCTIONS CAME TO A GRINDING HALT. THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
EVEN AFFECTED OPERATIONS HERE AT THE VOICE OF AMERICA, INCLUDING OUR OWN SHOW. BUT 2013
WAS CERTAINLY NOT THE FIRST TIME THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN. VOA NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT
JIM MALONE IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. JIM, YOU CAN REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST,
HOW DO YOU COMPARE THE 2013 SHUTDOWN TO THE ONES IN THE PAST?
YOU KNOW THEY'RE PRETTY DIFFERENT, I MEAN, IN THE LAST SHUTDOWN ABOUT 17 YEARS AGO, THE
PRESIDENT WAS BILL CLINTON, THE HOUSE SPEAKER, REPUBLICAN NEWT GINGRICH, THEY ACTUALLY WERE
TALKING THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE SHUTDOWN PERIOD. IT LASTED ABOUT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, EVENTUALLY
PEOPLE CAME BACK, THE DISAGREEMENTS WERE OVER THE BUDGET, NOT THAT DISSIMILAR FROM WHAT
IT IS NOW, BUT I THINK THE POLITICS OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IN THE COUNTRY IS A LOT DIFFERENT,
BOTH SIDES NOW ARE MUCH MORE DUG IN THAN THEY WERE 17 YEARS AGO.
DO YOU THINK THIS WAS A LONG TIME COMING?
I DO. I THINK THIS PARTISANSHIP; THIS POLARIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN BUILDING FOR
DECADES, REALLY SINCE THE 1980S. AND WITH THE ADVENT OF THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT, A FEW
YEARS AGO, WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA CAME INTO OFFICE, ALL BETS ARE OFF NOW AND I'M GOING
TO TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE THE TEA PARTY CAME IN WITH A SIMPLE PLEDGE, NO MORE BUSINESS
AS USUAL, NO MORE COMPROMISE. AND PARTICULARLY THIS WAS DIRECTED AT REPBULICANS IN CONGRESS,
WHOM THEY FELT UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH WERE TOO WILLING TO COMPROMISE. SO THE WHOLE BACKLASH
HERE IS WE DON'T LIKE THE DEBT, WE DON'T LIKE TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT SPENDING, WE DON'T LIKE
TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT. IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE GOVERNMENT. THAT'S WHY THE HEALTH CARE LAW, OBAMACARE
IS AT THE CENTER OF THIS, BUT THIS TEA PARTY GROUP IN CONGRESS HAS SHOWN TIME AND TIME
AGAIN, THAT COMPROMISE IS NOT SOMETHING THEY'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN, THEY KIND OF WANT TO
FORCE THEIR VIEWS ON AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT LEADS TO THESE POLITICAL SORT OF
CRISES THAT WE'VE SEEN.
HOW DOES THE U.S. GOVERNMENT LOOK IN THE FACE OF A SHUTDOWN, WE'RE TALKING GLOBAL AUDIENCE?
YOU KNOW I'VE BEEN INTERVIEWING SOME EXPERTS HERE IN WASHINGTON WHO KEEP TABS ON THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY, AND HOW WE LOOK, AND IT'S NOT GREAT. WE'RE LOOKING AS THOUGH WE SIMPLY CANNOT PAY
OUR OWN BILLS, WE CAN'T GET OUR HOUSE IN ORDER, AND YET AS WE KNOW, TRADITIONALLY THE UNITED
STATES HAS NO PROBLEM GOING AROUND THE WORLD SORT OF SUGGESTING TO OTHER COUNTRIES HOW
THEY MIGHT WANT TO DO BUSINESS. SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GREAT FOR OUR WORLDWIDE REPUTATION.
IT'S ALSO NOT GREAT FOR OUR ECONOMY. WORLD BANKS, OTHER GOVERNMENTS ARE GOING TO LOOK
AT OUR ECONOMY MAYBE AND WONDER IF IT'S AS STABLE AS IT USED TO BE IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT
AND OTHER ISSUES LIKE THAT. SO IT COULD HAVE FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS PARTICULARLY SINCE
I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO END ANY TIME SOON. I THINK THIS POLITICAL SORT OF CONFRONTATION
IS GOING TO COME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN. THE LEVERAGE REPUBLICANS HAVE IS ON THE BUDGET AND ON THE
DEBT CEILING, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT GO.
BUT JIM, IT'S A PRETTY SCARY THING THAT YOU JUST SAID, THAT YOU KNOW THIS IS NOT ENDING.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
LOOK, THE COUNTRY IS SEPARATE, IT'S POLARIZED, THE REPUBLICANS COME FROM SAFE CONGRESSIONAL
SEATS, SO DO THE DEMOCRATS, SO THE MIDDLE, THAT COMPROMISE GROUND THAT THE COUNTRY USED
TO BE ABLE TO APPEAL TO BOTH PARTIES TO COME TOGETHER ON, IT'S JUST NOT THERE AS MUCH AS
IT USED TO BE, AND I'M AFRAID THIS POLARIZED POLITICS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE MOVING
FORWARD.
OK, LET'S SEE HOW THAT GOES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, VOA NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT
JIM MALONE. WE'RE TAKING ANOTHER BREAK. WHEN WE RETURN, FIGHTING THE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE.
YOU'RE WATCHING ON ASSIGNMENT.
THAI AND AMERICAN OFFICIALS HAVE REPORTED PROGRESS IN THEIR EFFORT TO CURB ILLEGAL WILDLIFE
TRAFFICKING. BUT THEY SAY THE PROBLEM IS GROWING BECAUSE OF INCREASED DEMAND FOR ENDANGERED
ANIMALS AND THEIR MONEY-MAKING PARTS.
THAI AUTHORITIES SAY THAILAND IS BEING USED AS A TRANS-SHIPMENT POINT, ESPECIALLY FOR
IVORY. I SPOKE WITH VOA CORRESPONDENT IN BANGKOK STEVE HERMAN AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THAILAND'S
ROLE IN THIS GLOBAL TRADE.
THAILAND NOT ONLY HAS A NUMBER OF DESIRABLE ANIMALS FOR TRAFFICKERS IT IS ALSO A MAJOR
TRANSSHIPMENT POINT. WE HEAR CASES ALL THE TIME OF BEING BUSTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT IN BANGKOK
THESE ENDANGERED ANIMALS, SEIZED BY AUTHORITIES IN THAILAND, WERE TAKEN FROM THEIR NATURAL
HABITATS AND ENSNARED IN WHAT HAS BECOME A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR ILLICIT BUSINESS.
SO STUFF IS NOT ONLY ORIGINATING FROM THAILAND BUT ALSO COMING THROUGH THAILAND, NOT ONLY
LIVE ANIMALS BUT ALSO THINGS SUCH AS ELEPHANT TUSKS. AND A SINGLE ELEPHANT TUSK CAN BE WORTH
MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE IVORY OBVIOUSLY.
NOW STEVE, THE US OFFICIAL YOU INTERVIEWED WAS VERY CLEAR IN HIS STATEMENT THAT WILDLIFE
TRAFFICKERS ARE CRIMINALS THAT NEED TO BE PROSECUTED.
"I INVESTIGATE, ARREST, PROSECUTE AND INCARCERATE THOSE WHO COMMIT CRIMES. AND ILLEGAL WILDLIFE
TRAFFICKERS ARE DEFINITELY CRIMINALS."
IS THAT HAPPENING?
YES IT IS TO SOME DEGREE. THIS IS NOT JUST SOME SMALL TIME SMUGGLING OPERATION GOING
ON. IT IS CONSIDERED ORGANIZED CRIME.
BUT EVEN PURSUING A REGIONAL SOLUTION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA IS PROVING TO BE A BIG CHALLENGE. THE
KINGPINS OF THE TRAFFICKING HAVE PROVEN TO BE UNTOUCHABLE, SO FAR. HONEST OFFICERS SAY
THEY ARE STYMIED BY CORRUPT COUNTERPARTS AND A LACK OF SHARING OF INTELLIGENCE, AMONG DIFFERENT
AGENCIES, LET ALONE ACROSS BORDERS.
AND BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH MONEY INVOLVED IT'S VERY LUCRATIVE THERE ARE ALSO LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS, THE SAME OFFICERS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ARRESTING THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CAHOOTS
SOMETIMES IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES WITH THE CRIMINALS. AND IT IS A VERY BIG BUSINESS WITH AN INCREASE
IN DEMAND, IN PART, FROM WEALTHY CUSTOMERS IN ASIA AND MOST NOTABLY CHINA.
STEVE, TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHO IS ACTUALLY GETTING THESE ANIMALS, WHERE THEY'RE
GOING, WHAT IS SORT OF THEIR TRAJECTORY. WHERE DO THEY COME FROM, AND WHAT'S THEIR ENDPOINT?
ENDANGERED ANIMALS ARE TRAFFICKED TO SATISFY A NUMBER OF MARKETS. A BIG ONE OF COURSE IS
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE, SUCH AS CHINESE MEDICINE, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT LIKE THE EAT THE FLESH
OF ENDANGERED ANIMALS. AND, OF COURSE, SOME OF THESE ARE SOLD AS EXOTIC PETS SUCH AS REPTILES
AND BIRDS. AND THERE IS ALSO THE SALE OF EXOTIC ANIMALS IN THAILAND FOR USE IN THE TOURISM
INDUSTRY.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE ANIMALS ONCE THEY'RE RESCUED?
WELL, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, A LOT OF THEM ARE BEING KEPT IN CAPTIVITY BECAUSE THEY MAY BE
EVIDENCE IN A COURT CASE. AND SOME OF THEM MAY EVENTUALLY END UP IN ZOOS, BUT ZOOS, OF
COURSE, CAN BE ANOTHER PROBLEM IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHETHER THERE'S
AN ADOPTION SYSTEM BECAUSE THESE ARE ENDANGERED SPECIES AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE HAVING THEM ESPECIALLY AS PETS.
AND OUR THANKS AGAIN VOA'S STEVE HERMAN ... STEVE SAYS, BY THE WAY, THAT THAI AUTHORITIES PROJECT
THAT THEY WILL SEIZE SOME 20 THOUSAND ILLEGALLY TRADED ANIMALS THIS YEAR.
MOVING ON TO FILMS ... TWO NEW INDEPENDENT FILMS, ONE BY AN AFGHAN WOMAN DIRECTOR AND
THE OTHER BY SAUDI ARABIA'S FIRST FEMALE FILMMAKER, LOOK AT GENDER RELATIONS IN TRADITIONAL SOCIETIES.
THOUGH VERY DIFFERENT IN STYLE, BOTH FILMS EXAMINE WOMEN'S LIVES IN GENDER SEGREGATED
COMMUNITIES. VOA ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER PENELOPE POULOU TALKED ABOUT THE FILMS AND THEIR FOCUS
WITH ON ASSIGNMENT'S REBECCA WARD.
I WAS TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. WHAT IS GET THAT CREATES AN UNEQUAL RELATIONSHIP,
PUTS WOMEN IN SECOND PLACE.
THE YOUNG WOMAN IN ATIQ RAHIMI'S FILM THE PATIENCE STONE POURS OUT HER HEART TO HER
COMATOSE HUSBAND ABOUT YEARS OF EMOTIONAL NEGLECT AND ABUSE.
"CAN YOU HEAR ME? NO, NOTHING."
AFGHAN ACTIVIST HOSSAI WARDAK SAYS RAHIMI PAINTS AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE TYPICAL
AFGHAN LOVELESS MARRIAGE -- AND FAMILY RELATIONS IN MALE-DOMINATED SOCIETIES LIKE AFGHANISTAN.
"MARRIAGE TENDS TO BE A RELATION WHERE IT'S MORE OF BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE BABIES AND EXPAND
FAMILIES ."
HOSSAI WARDAK, WHO IS AN AFGHAN, ACTUALLY MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE NOT MANY WOMEN WHO
LEARN THE KORAN OR WHO ARE ALLOWED TO INTERPRET THE KORAN INDEPENDENTLY. AND THE INTERPRETATION
OF THE HOLY BOOK FOR THEM COMES FROM MEN. SO THE TRADITIONALISM IS PERPETUATED. THAT'S
THE COMMON THREAD YOU SEE IN BOTH FILMS.
ANOTHER COMMON THREAD THAT YOU FIND IN BOTH WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING IS THE WAY WOMEN
THEMSELVES PERPETUATE SOMETIMES THESE TRADITIONALISTS.
DO YOU THINK THAT THE FILMMAKERS OF BOTH THESE FILMS BELIEVE THAT FILMS LIKE THIS CAN EVENTUALLY
CHANGE THE SOCIETIES THAT THESE FILMS ARE BASED ON?
I DON'T THINK ANY FILMMAKER WILL TELL YOU THAT HE OR SHE STARTED A FILM SINGLE-MINDEDLY
BY PLANNING TO CHANGE A SOCIETY. BUT I THINK THERE IS HARDLY ANY IMPORTANT AND SERIOUS
FILM THAT ADDRESSES CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES THAT DOESN'T.
I TRIED TO MAKE A FILM THAT IS ABOUT LIFE, THE LOVE OF LIFE, NOT GIVING UP. IT'S ABOUT
PERSISTENCE AND THE POWER OF DREAMING. AND I THINK THAT IN THE MIDDLE EAST WE NEED FILMS
LIKE THIS.
THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT WADJDA WILL NOT SHOW IN SAUDI ARABIA AT THIS POINT BECAUSE
THERE ARE NO MOVIE THEATERS THERE YET. THIS IS HOW PIONEERING HAIFA MANSOUR IS IN HER
SKILL. HOWEVER THEY WILL SHOW ON YOU TUBE.
NOW THE AFGHAN FILM -- WILL IT BE SHOWN IN AFGHANISTAN?
THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
BUT IT IS, IT IS NOT IN ENGLISH?
NO IT'S IN DARI.
HOW WAS THE BOOK RECEIVED?
IT IS CONSIDERED A CONTROVERSIAL BOOK BECAUSE IT CONTAINS SOME THINGS THAT EVEN ATTACKS
SOME PREMISES OF THE KORAN, THE ISLAMIC RELIGION OR HOW IT IS PERCEIVED. SO IT IS NOT A BOOK
THAT THE AFGHAN ESTABLISHMENT WOULD HAVE APPROVED OF.
AS A WOMAN, YOUR IMPRESSION OF THESE FILMS? I MEAN HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU SAW EACH
ONE OF THEM?
OH MY GOD, PAIN, A LOT OF PAIN. THE FIRST ONE HURT ME ON THE LEVEL OF HUMANITY AND MADE
ME INDIGNANT. THE SECOND ONE HURT ME BECAUSE IT REMINDED ME OF MY CHILDHOOD. I REMEMBER
HOW A BIKE FOR ME WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF MY LIFE. I WAS ON THE BIKE ALL THE TIME. AND
TO SEE THIS 10-YEAR-OLD WHO REMINDED ME SO MUCH OF MYSELF STRUGGLING TO GET SOMETHING
THAT SHOULD BE GIVEN... I HAVE TO ADMIT I CRIED ALL THE WAY, ALL THE WAY.
AND THANKS AGAIN TO PENELOPE, NOW GENDER RELATIONS AND EQUALITY... OBVIOUSLY, A MAJOR TOPIC IN
MANY AREAS OF THE WORLD, IMRAN. AND IT'S INTERESTING IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS, FOR EXAMPLE, MEN AND
WOMEN DO SOMETIMES COMPETE TOGETHER, BUT ALMOST NEVER IN RUGGED AMERICAN-STYLE FOOTBALL. OF
COURSE I DID SAY ALMOST NEVER, BECAUSE AT ONE U.S. HIGH SCHOOL THREE GIRLS HAVE JOINED
THE TYPICALLY MALE-DOMINATED SPORT.
AND VOA'S TALA HADAVI, HERSELF NO STRANGER TO TOUGH SPORTS, WENT TO THE SUBURBAN WASHINGTON
SCHOOL TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE GIRLS AND THEIR UNUSUAL PURSUIT.
IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR. AMERICAN FOOTBALL SEASON IS IN FULL SWING. BUT TC WILLIAMS HIGH
SCHOOL'S FOOTBALL TEAM IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, IS A BIT DIFFERENT THAN MOST. THEY HAVE BRIANNA,
TIFFANY AND JOSIE ON THE TEAM. COACH DENNIS RANDOLPH SAYS HE DID NOT OBJECT WHEN THE UNUSUAL
REQUEST CAME HIS WAY.
"ABOUT 25 GIRLS HAVE SAID THEY WANT TO PLAY FOOTBALL, AND I SAY, 'WELL COME ON OUT.' BUT
THEY DON'T SHOW UP BECAUSE THIS IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY. IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO COME
OUT HERE AND PLAY FOOTBALL. BRIANNA, TIFFANY AND JOSIE ARE ATYPICAL."
BRIANNA, WHO'S A KICKER, IS ABOUT TO START HER THIRD YEAR ON THE TEAM. SHE USED TO PLAY
SOCCER BUT WHEN HER FATHER ASKED HER TO TRY FOOTBALL, SHE HAD HER DOUBTS.
"I HONESTLY ASK MYSELF EVERY DAY, WHY DID I DECIDE TO PLAY A GUYS' SPORT? IT KIND OF
JUST GREW ON ME. AFTER I MADE THAT FIRST FIELD GOAL, I JUST KNEW THAT IT WAS MY SPORT. I
FELL IN LOVE."
TODAY IS JUST A PRE-SEASON GAME AGAINST A LOCAL VIRGINIA TEAM. AND ALTHOUGH BRIANNA
IS A BACK-UP TO HER MALE TEAMMATE, ON THIS DAY SHE GETS SEVERAL CHANCES TO SHOW HOW SHE'S
IMPROVED OVER THE SUMMER. AT HALF-TIME THE GIRLS ARE A PART OF THE LOCKER-ROOM CAMARADERIE.
"WE DON'T TREAT THEM ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN IF THEY WERE JUST A GUY. SO WHEN I FOUND OUT
I WAS LIKE, 'WHOA, A GIRL CAN PLAY FOOTBALL?' BUT YOU JUST ADAPT, AND IT'S NOT REALLY A
BIG DEAL."
BRIANNA'S FATHER IS A FOOTBALL COACH FOR A LOCAL COLLEGE TEAM AND MAKES SURE TO BE ON
THE SIDELINES TO GIVE HIS DAUGHTER POINTERS THROUGHOUT THE GAMES. HE SAYS HER AUDACITY
INSPIRES OTHERS.
"MALES AND FEMALES SEE A LOT IN HER BECAUSE SHE WILL BE ABLE TO SAY TO THEM, 'HEY, IF
I'M A FEMALE AND I CAN PLAY FOOTBALL, ANYTHING YOU CHOOSE IN LIFE YOU CAN DO IT TOO. YOU
JUST HAVE TO BE COMMITTED, WORK HARD AND BE DISCIPLINED.'"
"BUT FOR A GIRL MY AGE, IN HIGH SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO BE A ROLE-MODEL, IT'S JUST AN AMAZING
FEELING. WHEN I'M OLDER, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT 'YEAH, I DID THAT.' SOMETHING THAT MOST GIRLS
WOULDN'T DO. IT'S REALLY COOL."
BRIANNA'S DREAM IS TO PLAY FOOTBALL IN COLLEGE. SHE HAS THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO ATTRACT COLLEGE
COACHES' ATTENTION. FOR NOW, THOUGH, IT'S ALL ABOUT TC WILLIAMS. WINNING AND GETTING
A CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE
YOU KNOW, IMRAN, THOSE ARE SOME PRETTY IMPRESSIVE GIRLS, PLAYING FOR THEIR SCHOOL'S FOOTBALL
TEAM ... AND IT'S NOT IN A POWDERPUFF GAME, WHICH IS WHAT THEY TYPICALLY CALL GAMES WHEN
GIRLS PLAY A TRADITIONALLY BOYS' SPORT.
POWDERPUFF. IT'S LIKE POWER PUFF GIRLS, BUT...
I DON'T LIKE POWDERPUFF... I THINK THAT'S...
I THINK THAT THE GIRLS ARE TOUGH, YOU KNOW...
YES, EXACTLY,
DO YOU WANT TO DEMONSTRATE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT RIGHT NOW...
YES, WELL YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING YOU KNOW WE COULD TAKE IT UP A LITTLE NOTCH OURSELVES
AND WE COULD... I COULD CHALLENGE YOU, AS A FEMALE MYSELF...
TO A WRESTLING MATCH...
...TO AN ARM-WRESTLING MATCH...
COME ON, LETS DO A REAL WRESTLING MATCH...
COME ON, BRING IT IN.
O.K. YOU BE THE JUDGE, AUDIENCE...
ELBOW DOWN, YOU CAN'T HAVE THIS ELBOW...
YOU'RE CHEATING...
NO, NO THIS IS GOOD...I'M JUST GETTING STABLE...
One, two, YOU WIN! ALL RIGHT, GIRL POWER!
THAT'S NOT A SURPRISE. ALL RIGHT, WELL, WITH THAT WE'VE COME TO THE END OF OUR SHOW. BE
SURE TO FOLLOW ON ASSIGNMENT, ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON VOANEWS.COM, AS WELL AS FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. HOPE TO CATCH YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR WATCHING ON ASSIGNMENT.