Fresh Air A daughter's rebellion against a regime and her father
8 snips
Feb 17, 2026 
Lubna Mirai, Syrian photojournalist and activist who joined the Arab Spring and wrote Defiance. Arthi Shahani, former NPR tech reporter who conducts the interview. John Powers, film critic who reviews Crime 101. They discuss family abuse and political awakening in Syria. They cover joining protests, documenting war, and a movie review of a heist thriller.
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From Casual Curiosity To Frontline Danger
- Lubna Mirai recounts joining a protest thinking it would be a casual afternoon and getting pushed to the front where live bullets began to fly.
- She watched people get shot and realized the lies she'd been taught about the regime's protection.
Torn Between Education And Power
- Lubna describes growing up between a scholar grandfather who prized education and an abusive father involved in shady government work.
- Writing the memoir forced her to show nuance and love even toward people she despised.
The Moment Money Replaced Moral Judgment
- Lubna discovered her father was raping a 12-year-old and was handed money to silence her.
- She accepted the cash and felt the terrifying power dynamics that tied love to money.
