So do this two count as "white guys" since they are quite literally Caucasian?

[davepc]

Or are they put in the Islamic box because of their assume religious affiliations?

[elleng]

1. MSNBC/NBC's been describing them as 'light skinned/white.'

[Heather MC]

8. ha ha What the hell is a light skinned white person?

I also heard they were dark skinned white people.
Color don't matter they batshit crazy no matter their shade.


Glad they are Russian, America definitely doesn't want a fire fight with Russia. You know, someone their own size so to speak

[elleng]

9. that's my recollection of the description,

caucasian anyway, no 'dark skinned' mentioned by nbc.

Russian and Krgystan and Chechnya, a mess, for example Fergana Valley of Krgystan a tinderbox for violence: http://www.rferl.org/content/Why_Is_The_Ferghana_Valley_A_Tinderbox_For_Violence/2074849.html

Family sought assylum here.

[Heather MC]

15. Sorry Ellen

I didn't mean to come off as combative towards you. I just find all these new description for Caucasian really funny.

The "dark-skin" white person. Was something I read last night. not affiliated
with NBC

[elleng]

16. Thanks, Heather.

[Bolo Boffin]

2. Well, if fundy Islamic terrorist wanna-bes are anything at all

they are right wing extremists.

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Yep. 'Caucasian' in the most literal sense of the word

This morning, right here on DU, I have seen attempts to place them in the Islamic box. How long until they're classified as 'communist Rooskies' as well?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. DU is becoming more like Freeperville as the days go by. It's amazing to me.

[vi5]

13. It's nuts here this morning...

The number of people insisting and/or gloating that these guys possibly come from a largely Islamic country is off the charts ridiculous.

I agree there was probably a lot more "This smells like Tea Party/White Power/Nationalist/whatever" in the hours following the bombing, but still the amount of stretching and premature chest thumping over even the outside chance that these guys may be Muslims is crazy for a "liberal" site.

[cali]

14. Could you link to even one of those ridiculous number of gloating comments?

I haven't seen any.

[vi5]

18. Sorry. "Gloating" was admittedly hyperbole"

It's early and I'm tired. I should know better than to post on DU under those circumstances.

This was the first one that came to mind. Although to be fair not really gloating about the Islamic possibility as much as it not being white male Americans.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022707813

The rest were more comments in various threads on the subject pointing out the Islamic connection. Again, not gloating just not sure why so many seem eager to point it out. If it were definitely known or even extremely likely (let's say they were Saudi's or Iranian or Yemeni or whatever) I would still think it premature, but at least it wouldn't be as much of a stretch to make that connection as it seems to be in this case.

In any event.....point taken.

[FSogol]

17. Yup. Bring back the unrec!

We need it more than ever.

[Honeycombe8]

4. They look Middle Eastern to me. Darkish olive skin. Chechnya was Turkish/Persian...

many years ago, before Russia got it.

They look ....Iranian, maybe? Isn't Iran Persian? They get upset if you call them Arab or whatever. They distinguish Persian from other Middle Eastern cultures.

[GTurck]

19. Probably because....

Most of the area speaks an Indo-European language related to English, French, Italian, and Russian. Chechnya is in or near the Caucasus Mountains from which the Caucasian (white) tribes migrated in Neolithic times.
It is the mind and heart not the language, culture or religion that determines murderous radicalism. We never can understand either until we begin to see everyone as part of ourselves and that we are just as capable of mayhem but choose not to behave that way. It is the choosing that makes the difference.

[onehandle]

6. The have more in common with your average American gun nut...

...than with your average Muslim.

[baldguy]

7. This must be causing the Islamophobes to have seizures.

They killed a bunch of people, which means they're "bad"...

But they're white guys, which means they're "good"....

But they're Islamic, which means they're "bad"....

But they hate Russia, which means they're "good"....

Poor Freepers!

[Jennicut]

12. Too much nuance for many people.

They did bad things to innocent people. That is obvious.

[On the Road]

10. If They are Literally Caucasian

does that mean they are from the Caucasus Mountains? That would fit in with the Russian angle.

[AnalystInParadise]

11. If Chechen

then closely related to Azeri's of Azerbaijan and Persians of Iran. They don't fall into the Indo-Iranian language family but ethnically they are close. If these men are Kyrgyz then they are Turkic, but here is the problem with that Uighurs of China are Turkic, the people of Turkey obviously are Turkic, some Mongolians are a Turkic/Sino amalgamation, and then there are the Yakuts of far northern Russia to consider. Turkic's can be classified as Caucasian or Asian. Kyrgyz being so closely related genetically and phonetically to the Uighurs of China would most likely be classified as Asian. At least that is how we would classify them normally.