In truth, the timing could not have been better on my end to find myself in an almost I-Net Dead Zone because I could not cease watching the Boston coverage and would have been writing incorrect information à la several news outlets with their We've Got The Scoop First frenzy.
Way to go Modern "Journalism" – fill that air time with no substantiated facts, and print false whispers. With regard to "false whispers" and the mounting Conspiracy Angles to the Boston Tragedy, I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read what The Daily Kos wrote regarding the way in which various pundits/fools said and/or wrote about the mess. I think you may enjoy it RIGHT HERE.
For now I am not at all on a Conspiracy Bandwagon. I am, however, curious about the reports of a shoot-out between the Young Brother Hiding In A Boat and the police. Hints from authorities suggest we may never receive the full picture (in any way) concerning what that was all about other than my own "speculation" that the police fired on the guy first "just in case" he was preparing to throw more explosives in their direction. But did he have weapons on him in the little boat hideout? If so, no one is saying anything.
My question is not to be confused with having sympathy for the younger brother should he have been heavily influenced by his apparently Islamic-leaning radical older brother (who could barely get along with members of a local Mosque, by the way), as it is clear that loss of life meant nothing to him as he sauntered through the crowded sidewalks, passing by his future victims. I simply want to know what all of the "shooting" was about before he was captured because we have been told he was already bleeding heavily from an earlier wound. Period.
The deepest concern I have at the moment in a serious vein is the unfortunately expected Backlash against Islam. The inevitable stereotyping is Back In Biz against Muslims and men with dark hair and a swarthy "look." Beyond what I am reading and hearing, I had a personal experience with such narrow thinking while on the train on my way back to L.A. Sitting literally behind the Conductor's Work Table as his radio buzzed, crackled, and sent him off in many different directions every other minute (not an easy job), we had time here and there to discuss the Boston situation.
His first remark was against Muslims. His second was that when he first saw the pictures of the brothers he said "They look just like Terrorists!" He also chortled that everyone who wanted to place the blame on White Supremacist's were WRONG – because, in his world, it just HAD to be a Muslim and that all Muslims are violent and "bad." (Excuse me: Timothy McVeigh, anyone?)
I had to hold my own personal prejudice inside my head as I looked at his Lily-White Fat Face and saw him as a stereotype of people who would think the way he does. I breathed deeply, recognized what I was also doing, and let him spout off his generalized hatred and fear of those "not like us." Well, sir, just because I'm White Like You doesn't mean I will agree with you. Just as peaceful Muslims who may have darker skin than mine find embarrassment in what their extremist brothers and sisters believe and do to others in the name of Allah.
It's too easy to stereotype others, isn't it?
I'm working on my bias and stereotyping on/about Crazed Bigoted White Religious Zealots.
I hope others will attempt to do the same with Muslims.
Why? Why not, for the love of God/Allah/Krishna/Buddha/Elvis!
Until next time…
Image via: http://nurse-ratcheds.blogspot.com
ELVIS!!!!!!!! LOL!
ReplyDeleteNailed it, baby doll.
Anon - Thanks!
ReplyDelete