Does anyone else think it's weird...

[migirl]

that in all of the stories (at least the ones that I've read) about the recent terror plots in London there seems to be a lot of emphasis on the fact that the alleged terrorists were all doctors? I don't get it. :huh:

[DCJenn]

Well, I think the common assumption is that terrorists are uneducated young people (usually men) who due to economic circumtances have been manipulated into pawns of the larger terror organization.

A bunch of doctors blows that assumption out of the water.

(To say nothing of the hippocratic oath!!)

Jenn

[SuzySunshine]

I think the concern is that up to this point they don't think anyone that has been involved with the terror plots were very educated. I think what concerns people is that people with that much education are getting involved in something like this.

I know it doesn't make much sense, but that is the feeling I'm getting from all the talking heads.

ETA: Cross posted with Jenn

[Ravenclaw]

I think it's surprising since they were highly educated. From what I've read/heard, usually these terrorist groups target disillusioned, disenfranchised youth to brainwash. It's pretty freaky that people who've gone through all that training to take care of people could be behind plot to hurt & kill people. Talk about twisted.

[Momo]

I can't speak for all those that they have rounded up, but I did hear about the Jordanian( a Palestinian by birth) and the Iraqi doctor.

I view it more as "2 doctors go postal (w/the help of extremism)!"

They went postal or felt driven to these acts because they each, come form a people that has been more or less occupied by the west or major western allies. We all know by now that the Palestinians, and the Iraqis have suffered beyond even what we have been allowed to see/read.

Don't get me wrong, I won't be surprised if it turns out that they have been in touch w/ or inspired by radicalized lunatics, that "helped" them to come, to the awful decisions to attempt said acts of terrorism.

It all goes back to the reason they attacked us...it's not that they hate us for our freedom...it's because they are demoralized & extremely angry by being or seeing their people being killed, dehumanized, occupied & downtrodden.

oh & BTW
I,as an American Muslim abhor these acts and categorically acknowledge they are wrong!(God forbid, if I did not speak out against this publicly, I might be labeled a sympathizer/terrorist supporter ! )

[rainbabies]

God forbid, if I did not speak out against this publicly, I might be labeled a sympathizer/terrorist supporter ! )

no, never. at least not by us.

[Momo]

God forbid, if I did not speak out against this publicly, I might be labeled a sympathizer/terrorist supporter ! )

no, never. at least not by us.

I'm just over this obsession, w/ some in the media, that claim so many of us main steam Muslims are supporters, if we don't make public statements against
terrorism .

[DCJenn]

That's like having to announce your sexuality one way or the other, in public.

I assume everyone is anti-terror until they demonstrate differently.

and Suzanne, you know we got your back and if you need the bus, we'll be right there. We can wreak havoc on asshats regardless of whether they're married to us or just the generic variety.

Jenn

Docs and Terror

I think the issue with the docs involved in this is that the US and UK train lots of docs from other countries. It's a fairly easy way to get a visa. Of course, it's not so easy to become a doc, but still...

Yes, the studies of suicide bombers make it clear that these are not "losers" generally speaking - many are highly educated and had good prospects for the future. In a way, that makes it even more terrifying.

[GrayMatterWife]

I,as an American Muslim abhor these acts and categorically acknowledge they are wrong!(God forbid, if I did not speak out against this publicly, I might be labeled a sympathizer/terrorist supporter ! )

People can be idiots. To assume that as a Muslim you advocate terrorism is like assuming that I advocate the bombing of abortion clinics because I am a Christian...

But then, most Americans (not here on this site, I don't mean to imply that) don't know:

1. that the term "Arab" isn't a religious category, but an ethnic one;
2. that the language is not "Arab" or "Arabian"--it's "Arabic";
3. that people from Iran are not Arab but Persian, and they don't speak Arabic as their first language, but Farsi;
4. there is such a thing as a Christian Arab;
5. that the largest Muslim country in the world is NOT in the Middle East;
6. that Iran, which was formerly Zoroastrian, offered sanctuary and safe haven to thousands of Jews during WWII--and that there used to be a thriving Jewish community there;
7. what the major differences are between the Sunni and Shi'ia sects . . .and why it matters and how it affects alliances...

People can't name the President of Pakistan, despite the fact that he is the leader of a nuclear power! They can't find the Arabian pennisula on a map. They don't know that many of the weapons now available in the Middle East were actually given to the Taliban by the CIA during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan--and why that was done. My rant seems kind of random, I know, but it's just that general level of ignorance is so profound that one doesn't know where to start...

I'm sorry...I was a Middle Eastern studies major in undergrad, and I get really discouraged by it all ..I am not saying everyone should be obsessed with Middle East politics. But geez... a basic working knowledge would help reduce a lot of prejudice, I think. Seriously, The Economist's weekly "Middle East" section should be required reading in high school.

OK, I'm done.

[Mrs. McPads]

This "rant" is something very familiar to me.

My sister was a religious studies undergrad and went to grad school in Middle Eastern studies. She is now fluent in Arabic, and shocks the crap out of just about everyone because, quite frankly, a 29 yr. old girl next door from Indiana is white as white gets. She wanted to work as a foreign media analyst to help work towards understanding instead of the current state of things.

But it seems that even the girl next door can't pass a background check because she did drugs in undergrad. Who didn't? So, to summarize why I am ranting now, in order to get actual rational interpretation and reading of the media overseas, in order to do away with this ridiculous fear-driven view of everything Arab and/or Middle Eastern, we need people with education. But not people who ever inhaled or are gay (did you see the translator who was thrown out because of his sexuality?). Because they are simply unable to help.

Gah! Sorry. I apologize. But I can understand why no one else in the world is that big of a fan of us these days.

Eileen

[Rapunzel]

For me the shock about all of these individuals being physicians comes from my experience with those in the medical profession. Overwhelmingly those I've known going into medicine or finished with training have done so with the underlying idea that they want to end suffering and bring about good things in other peoples' lives. Some of these people have done so for selfish reasons (ie ego-boosting and such) - but even those people have been motivated to do wonderful things for humanity via medicine.

The shock comes from the notion that someone could go through all the many, many years of medical training and service to his/her fellow man and then turn around and make it a mission to kill as many as possible - or maim in a horrific manner. It is, for lack of a more appropriate term, evil. I don't think it matters much if these individuals entered into the medical profession already intent on producing so much harm and suffering or if they made that decision after their medical training. The fact that they could come to this decision to harm so many innocents (and, kill them if possible) is horrific. Their decision to pursue what has been considered a humanitarian field throughout history doubles the horror.

There have been evil physicians before. I think the attention here comes from what appears to be a group of physicians who collectively decided upon a plan whereby they might wreak death and destruction upon others - as opposed to a single individual acting alone. This was premeditated by a number of physicians. And, that is stunning.

This also hits home on a personal level for me. This is the public portion of the website so I cannot go into much detail here, however, dh and I have experience with an individual who showed shocking signs of similar behavior (and, thankfully, was removed from his U.S. residency). It was incredible to all around at the time - and I think anyone with a shred of humanity finds such behavior (ie a physician - a person who has supposedly dedicated his/her life to helping relieve suffering plotting to maim and murder large masses of innocents indiscriminately) shockingly revolting. There simply are no excuses. Absolutely none.

[Rapunzel]

Re: Docs and Terror

I think the issue with the docs involved in this is that the US and UK train lots of docs from other countries. It's a fairly easy way to get a visa. Of course, it's not so easy to become a doc, but still...

Yes, the studies of suicide bombers make it clear that these are not "losers" generally speaking - many are highly educated and had good prospects for the future. In a way, that makes it even more terrifying.

Aside from the professional aspect (ie that doctors could plan and carry out such a plot) this is the other aspect that is garnering so much attention.

It has been pc in the past to ascribe such behavior to poor ignorants duped into this by those in a position of power and/or acting out of sheer desperation. This flies in the face of that assumption (which has been shown to be incorrect factually as well by research). These are educated, intelligent individuals - many of whom come from hard-working sometimes affluent backgrounds. These aren't the beggars in the street rising up, iow.

In this instance these are doctors - the people who train to help other people - not maim and kill them.