Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
73 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Well The Islamaphobes Cant Blame It On (Original Post) rsmith6621 Apr 2013 OP
Yet over in FReeperland SoCalNative Apr 2013 #1
Islamists like this? pinboy3niner Apr 2013 #14
Like this? Paul E Ester Apr 2013 #39
that picture always tears me up madokie Apr 2013 #43
I'd be more than a little surprised if he was an Islamist as the term is usually interpreted. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2013 #59
Anybody calling for bombing runs on Iran and/or Syria yet? Proud Liberal Dem Apr 2013 #72
Obviously they're wearing holographic cloaks. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2013 #2
White Hat definitely appears to be Caucasian. Tommy_Carcetti Apr 2013 #3
This message was self-deleted by its author avaistheone1 Apr 2013 #62
Dunno, the schnoz on the guy in the white cap Warpy Apr 2013 #4
I know many Italians with that nose! adigal Apr 2013 #19
Ray Romano - nt OldHippieChick Apr 2013 #28
Me too... pipi_k Apr 2013 #52
So do I. My dad would get pulled aside at airports all the time (he's Italian). I turned out smirkymonkey Apr 2013 #56
Italian? Could be. sabrina 1 Apr 2013 #41
Italian, Spanish, Moroccan, Egyptian, Tunisian, Libyan, Warpy Apr 2013 #45
Or just plain American. We have quite a few American mass killers these days. sabrina 1 Apr 2013 #54
He was born under a bad sign... pinboy3niner Apr 2013 #50
Oh, just you wait... bbernardini Apr 2013 #5
There is already a HUGE CT floating around re that Saudi national DevonRex Apr 2013 #6
Fun fact: Arabs, Iranians and (Asian) Indians are "Caucasian". Spider Jerusalem Apr 2013 #7
great quote! warrprayer Apr 2013 #23
Really? frazzled Apr 2013 #40
interesting warrprayer Apr 2013 #42
oops, didn't see this when I wrote the same thing down-thread OKNancy Apr 2013 #27
Neither you nor the freepers have any idea who they are RZM Apr 2013 #8
The OP seemed so sure. jessie04 Apr 2013 #64
Can't tell 100% on that davidn3600 Apr 2013 #9
Angry white men Paul E Ester Apr 2013 #35
I tend to agree with you Marrah_G Apr 2013 #10
My husband is serbian and has been pulled aside for secondary checks when we travel overseas Windy Apr 2013 #21
You're right wryter2000 Apr 2013 #32
I don't see how anyone can deem them clearly anything except not cali Apr 2013 #11
Black hat could be Arab or Persian - hard to tell hugo_from_TN Apr 2013 #12
Umm, probably not Lex Apr 2013 #15
I think they meant the person wearing it n/t RZM Apr 2013 #18
Oh, I see. His name is Black Hat. Lex Apr 2013 #20
Thanks. I was wondering what the logo was on the black cap. nt femmocrat Apr 2013 #34
it is a Bridgeston B330 UncleYoder Apr 2013 #49
Clothes aren't critical, really Floyd_Gondolli Apr 2013 #47
Honestly, they look Mediterranean, which could be any number of nationalities Blaukraut Apr 2013 #13
Both look like they could pass for any sufrommich Apr 2013 #16
It's very difficult to tell from these photos. Blue_In_AK Apr 2013 #17
My gut is that they're not T McV types -- that they have no political agenda. gateley Apr 2013 #22
that is my wild guess too.. but honestly I really don't know.. perhaps time will tell Douglas Carpenter Apr 2013 #57
Why are we not include the Greek possible connection here? Sheepshank Apr 2013 #24
Arabs, Persians, Indians( from india) are Caucasian actually OKNancy Apr 2013 #25
Albanian, Lebanese, Algerians.... Baclava Apr 2013 #30
Caucasians can't be Muslims? jberryhill Apr 2013 #26
Caucasians not only can't be muslims, but they can easily be assumed to be RW anti-gov types. JVS Apr 2013 #31
They look really, really Mormon, though, lol jberryhill Apr 2013 #37
Wow... really? cthulu2016 Apr 2013 #29
Jesus was clearly Caucasian, and thus not Muslim jberryhill Apr 2013 #33
Apparently, Brad Pitt died for our sins pinboy3niner Apr 2013 #46
Maybe Chuck Norris will jberryhill Apr 2013 #58
Chuck Norris dies for our sins every *day* Cal Carpenter Apr 2013 #70
I have seen that one on a Jehovah's Witness brochure. Quantess Apr 2013 #60
Almost everyone knows that Jesus was most likely a Hobbit. npk Apr 2013 #61
I'm leaning toward Persian blood Redford Apr 2013 #36
Wow. Sure these guys aren't from the Middle East? Zax2me Apr 2013 #38
And some random photos for you: Spider Jerusalem Apr 2013 #44
I can't tell from those photos that either or both of those men are not Middle Eastern slackmaster Apr 2013 #48
You mean they can't tell from their accents? Buns_of_Fire Apr 2013 #51
1. We DON'T know if those in the photo had anything to do with the bombing. 2. We don't know what Douglas Carpenter Apr 2013 #53
What would their John2 Apr 2013 #55
Good pick up. jessie04 Apr 2013 #63
They're 'Caucasian' alright ....from Chechnya! reformist2 Apr 2013 #65
Lots of crazy wackjobs in Chechnya. bklyncowgirl Apr 2013 #66
There has been some unpleasantness Bosonic Apr 2013 #67
Also the school attack Yo_Mama Apr 2013 #73
Most Chechnyans are Muslim... a number have also worked with Al Quaeda over the years... JCMach1 Apr 2013 #69
May I ask a question? Recovered Repug Apr 2013 #68
Uh - YEA. How does that crow taste? Zax2me Apr 2013 #71

madokie

(51,076 posts)
43. that picture always tears me up
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:27 PM
Apr 2013

It hurts to see this young girl grieving for her husband who was a causality of the bush/cheney war crimes.

Donald Ian Rankin

(13,598 posts)
59. I'd be more than a little surprised if he was an Islamist as the term is usually interpreted.
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 03:57 AM
Apr 2013

It's a controversial term - my understanding is that it's usually used as a criticism, not as a self-identification - but it's usually used (or at least, the people who use it claim they're using it, which admittedly isn't quite the same thing) to mean "someone who believes in the construction of a society dominated by Islam", not just "a Muslim".

And, while I haven't heard of Cpr Khan, I'd be surprised if many people holding that belief served in the US army.

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,085 posts)
3. White Hat definitely appears to be Caucasian.
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:01 PM
Apr 2013

Black Hat is a little more unclear. He has darker skin than White Hat, but that might just be because of shadowing.

The bottom line is it is still way to early to assign a motive here.

Response to Tommy_Carcetti (Reply #3)

Warpy

(110,913 posts)
4. Dunno, the schnoz on the guy in the white cap
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:02 PM
Apr 2013

looks pretty Mediterranean to me.

What struck me about these losers was that the t shirts were blank, as were the jackets and white cap. They stayed completely away from logos in a town where most t shirts have pictures and writing on them.

That alone should have made them stand out.

pipi_k

(21,020 posts)
52. Me too...
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:49 PM
Apr 2013

I was good friends with an Italian guy who actually looked pretty similar to suspect #2.

And my dad...French Canadian...had a rather prominent nose as well

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
56. So do I. My dad would get pulled aside at airports all the time (he's Italian). I turned out
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 07:33 PM
Apr 2013

to be a blue eyed, light skinned blonde like my mother, but he could pass for any Mediterranean nationality. Especially when he is tan, which he is most of the time now that he is retired.

Warpy

(110,913 posts)
45. Italian, Spanish, Moroccan, Egyptian, Tunisian, Libyan,
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:30 PM
Apr 2013

Israeli, Lebanese, Greek, Turkish...

It's a regional characteristic which might have something to do with it and it might not.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
54. Or just plain American. We have quite a few American mass killers these days.
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 07:11 PM
Apr 2013

It's getting to where I am more nervous of Americans than anyone else, considering the statistics.

bbernardini

(9,934 posts)
5. Oh, just you wait...
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:02 PM
Apr 2013

I'd be willing to bet almost anything that one of them will claim that the suspects had their skin lightened.

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)
6. There is already a HUGE CT floating around re that Saudi national
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:02 PM
Apr 2013

that was the original "person of interest" the other night. He is being deported. Beck and Hannity et all have cooked up a dandy with Kerry, a Saudi Prince and Obama all in on it.

frazzled

(18,402 posts)
40. Really?
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:24 PM
Apr 2013

H. L. Mencken shouldn't really be praised here. He was the granddaddy of libertarianism, and is responsible for Ayn Rand having her first novel published. He was an admirer of Nietszche, did not subscribe to representative democracy (thought that "superior" people were being told what to do by inferiors), etc. A complex man who had a brilliant mind, for sure, but it ran hot and cold, and was often controversial in its time.

He hated Franklin Roosevelt.

 

RZM

(8,556 posts)
8. Neither you nor the freepers have any idea who they are
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:03 PM
Apr 2013

As far as speculation goes, we are still where we were before the photos were released.

 

davidn3600

(6,342 posts)
9. Can't tell 100% on that
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:03 PM
Apr 2013

It's not conclusive enough to identify race or nationality right now...

I've met mid-easterns that look pretty white-skinned.

Look at Ahmadinejad for example.

[img][/img]

Marrah_G

(28,581 posts)
10. I tend to agree with you
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:04 PM
Apr 2013

BUT... we all need to be careful about rushing to judgment. I was guilty of immediately thinking it was a RW asshole. But after some sleep I realize none of us knows. They could be muslims who look white (think serbia) or RW nuts or angry kids... we just don't know.

We won't know why they did it or who they are until they are caught.

Windy

(5,944 posts)
21. My husband is serbian and has been pulled aside for secondary checks when we travel overseas
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:10 PM
Apr 2013

And yes, people from the middle east are caucasian just as italian, serbians, etc are.

wryter2000

(46,016 posts)
32. You're right
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:17 PM
Apr 2013

They could be a lot of different ethnicities, and they could have had lots of different motives. I hope they catch these creeps soon.

 

Floyd_Gondolli

(1,277 posts)
47. Clothes aren't critical, really
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:34 PM
Apr 2013

Exhibit A: Muhammad Atta on 9/11/2001. He's dressed in slacks and a button up dress shirt. Very western looking clothes.

Blaukraut

(5,689 posts)
13. Honestly, they look Mediterranean, which could be any number of nationalities
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:05 PM
Apr 2013

And all of them are well-represented in the Boston area.

sufrommich

(22,871 posts)
16. Both look like they could pass for any
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:07 PM
Apr 2013

of my male Italian American cousins. We aren't going to know if they're foreign or domestic terrorists until they're caught.

Blue_In_AK

(46,436 posts)
17. It's very difficult to tell from these photos.
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:07 PM
Apr 2013

I'm going to withhold judgment. Doesn't Al Qaeda usually try to take credit if they're responsible for something like this?

gateley

(62,683 posts)
22. My gut is that they're not T McV types -- that they have no political agenda.
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:10 PM
Apr 2013

Just asshole guys thinking it would be a hoot to do something like this.

 

Sheepshank

(12,504 posts)
24. Why are we not include the Greek possible connection here?
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:11 PM
Apr 2013

seriously, half the cast on My Big Fat Greek Wedding could have similar features...as well as the Greek Orthodox "father" across the street and any of his sons.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
26. Caucasians can't be Muslims?
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:12 PM
Apr 2013

Unless someone is dressed as a buddhist monk, nun, or other cleric, I am fascinated by how one arrives at an identification of a person's religion by their skin color or other physical features.

I had no idea that Islam had an effect on skin tone.

JVS

(61,935 posts)
31. Caucasians not only can't be muslims, but they can easily be assumed to be RW anti-gov types.
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:16 PM
Apr 2013

Stereotyping is only wrong when done to people of color.

Quantess

(27,630 posts)
60. I have seen that one on a Jehovah's Witness brochure.
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 04:00 AM
Apr 2013

The pretty haircut and the fair complexion caught my eye, too.

 

Zax2me

(2,515 posts)
38. Wow. Sure these guys aren't from the Middle East?
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:21 PM
Apr 2013

Maybe so.
Just don't see how you are so certain.

 

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)
44. And some random photos for you:
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:29 PM
Apr 2013

This is the former Iranian justice minister:



And this is the chairman of the Iranian parliament:



This is an Afghan child at a refugee camp:



And another Afghan:




So...really, we can't actually determine anything from those images apart from "they're not black and not Asian", as noted above.

 

slackmaster

(60,567 posts)
48. I can't tell from those photos that either or both of those men are not Middle Eastern
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:38 PM
Apr 2013

Or Italian, or Greek, or Spanish, or from any of a hundred places. There are no obvious clues as to their religion, if they have one.

They're not Germanic, but they could be just about anything else under the general umbrella of Caucasian.

Franky at this point with nobody claiming responsibility, I'm beginning to suspect that the perpetrators, whoever they are, are just anarchists.

Douglas Carpenter

(20,226 posts)
53. 1. We DON'T know if those in the photo had anything to do with the bombing. 2. We don't know what
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:50 PM
Apr 2013

ethnicity those two in the photo are. I certainly hope and pray it is not someone of Middle Eastern, Arabic or Muslim background - because every single one of us - every single one of us without exception - knows perfectly well how that will play out - if it is.

 

John2

(2,730 posts)
55. What would their
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 07:13 PM
Apr 2013

motive be at this point, to bomb the Boston Marathon? If you wanted to start a War, it seems you would have a better motive. I would not rule out home grown rightwing extremists or even someone wants to influence Foreign Policy for any other group's advantage. I think they have stronger motives than a Jihadist at this point. I think there are people hoping that is not the case either. So that can't be ruled out. Those two just seem to have a michievious arrogance about them to me. That is just my first impression.

bklyncowgirl

(7,960 posts)
66. Lots of crazy wackjobs in Chechnya.
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 06:52 AM
Apr 2013

If I'm not mistaken aren't the Chechnian separatiststhat have been blowing up stuff in Russia, Muslim?

Yo_Mama

(8,303 posts)
73. Also the school attack
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 08:59 AM
Apr 2013

which was one of the most vicious such incidents ever.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beslan_school_hostage_crisis

It's pretty hard to assume that this has nothing to do with violent Islamic ideology right now. They know the brothers were Muslims.

 

Zax2me

(2,515 posts)
71. Uh - YEA. How does that crow taste?
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 08:51 AM
Apr 2013

What bothers me is why anyone would bet that is was NOT Islamic terrorism.
Boy did you ever jump out too quick on this.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Well The Islamaphobes Can...