Nerding while Muslim

[Recursion]

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/northwest-dallas-county/headlines/20150915-irving-9th-grader-arrested-after-taking-homemade-clock-to-school-so-you-tried-to-make-a-bomb.ece

Ahmed Mohamed — who makes his own radios and repairs his own go-kart — hoped to impress his teachers when he brought a homemade clock to MacArthur High on Monday.

Instead, the school phoned police about Ahmed’s circuit-stuffed pencil case.

So the 14-year-old missed the student council meeting and took a trip in handcuffs to juvenile detention. His clock now sits in an evidence room. Police say they may yet charge him with making a hoax bomb — though they acknowledge he told everyone who would listen that it’s a clock.

In the meantime, Ahmed’s been suspended, his father is upset and the Council on American-Islamic Relations is once again eyeing claims of Islamophobia in Irving.

As a proud member of the Maker community and former resident of Irving, this is making me see fucking red...

[Matariki]

1. oh man

so stupid.

[csziggy]

2. No wonder the US has so few engineers in training - we're arresting them!

I watched the video about this young man's case hoping to see his clock. Of course, the police still have it I guess so they can prove it was a bomb or something.

This young man has so much potential. I hope they don't shut him out of the classes that will let him explore it. I think back to my Dad's story of growing up and building things. While he never built a clock from scratch, when he was about ten he found a broken clock in a trash heap and repaired it, both the works and the case. That clock still sits on his mantle and when wound keeps not only the time but month and date including leap years over eighty years after he rescued it from the garbage. That clock outlasted Dad.

Dad's ability to work with devices led him to a long and prosperous career as an engineer. Ahmed deserves that chance since he seems to have a knack for inventing his own devices.

[TexasTowelie]

3. I also lived in Irving for about 11 years.

There is an anti-Muslim backlash occurring because there was a Sharia law religious council started there to adjudicate claims made by Muslims (primarily divorce and business disagreements). The council does not have any legal power and both sides can take their claims to civil court. The school is definitely over-reacting and profiling because he is Muslim, but unfortunately it is understandable considering the shootings that occurred in Garland (about 20 miles away) earlier this year.

[csziggy]

5. I don't think it should be "understandable" to harass the kid

For the idiocy of the teachers.

He never made any claim it was a bomb, told everyone it was a clock. The ignorant teachers, school officials and police see a timing device and think "BOMB!" and the poor kid is penalized for their stupidity.

As for the Sharia religious council there are a number of systems in this country that adjudicate claims outside the government legal system. More and more companies require mediation rather that allow customers to take them to court. I don't know the name for it but Jewish groups have their own religious councils.

Just because some religious fanatics have succeeded in turning "Sharia" into a scary word does not make the system a bad one for the people who voluntarily use it to maintain peace inside their own community.

And do we know that the child is Muslim? Just because his name is traditionally Muslim and his father is active in fighting anti-Islamic politics does not mean that Ahmed follows the Islamic faith. Blind assumptions can lead to very incorrect perceptions.

[TexasTowelie]

12. By "understandable" I mean that the tensions in the area are high

because of events that occurred in the DFW area recently. I lived about 1.5 miles away from MacArthur High School when I was in Irving and was aware of the ethnic tensions in that area since my old neighborhood was about 25% Muslim so I probably have a better idea of what is running through the minds of the people living near that area than you do.

If you read through the article the police spokesman says, “It could reasonably be mistaken as a device if left in a bathroom or under a car. The concern was, what was this thing built for? Do we take him into custody?” That also makes it "understandable" doubt that a teacher or an average citizen would be able to know the difference between the clock and a bomb. Then the clock was also concealed inside a back pack which can also raise suspicion--that's why people are asked if they have left their luggage unattended when they board airplanes. If it was actually a bomb it might only require some minor mechanical tasks like hooking up some wires to turn it into an IED, particularly if the other component was somewhere else on the campus like in his locker or in a vehicle.

Do you have the actual knowledge to make the determination of whether something is or is not a bomb? I don't and I have 30 hours of chemistry and 8 hours of physics, yet I wouldn't know the difference since they don't actually teach undergraduate students how to make a bomb in the college classroom. Do you expect that teachers or school administrators have that knowledge and would you want them to? So putting fault on the school officials seems completely unreasonable in my opinion.

If anything, the engineering teacher probably should have contacted the student's parents to ask them to come pick up the clock or at least tell him to leave it in his classroom since it was reasonable that it could be misidentified as a bomb. I can't fault the other school officials or police though since it is unlikely that any of them had the technical knowledge to ascertain whether or not it was an IED.

Finally, putting aside the profiling issues would you believe someone who claims that a device it is not a bomb? The color of someone's skin or their religious preference would make no difference to me. I would be equally suspicious not knowing whether I was dealing with a white supremacist terrorist, an Islamic terrorist, or any other background. The school officials behaved reasonably based upon their knowledge and they have a duty to provide a safe learning environment for everyone at that school. If they had not acted and an explosion occurred then it would have provided the exact ingredients that religious zealots would need to fuel the media cycle for months.

Hopefully that provides some further context as to my use of the word "understandable". I regret that the student was harassed and arrested, but what would have been stupid is for those people involved not to react

[Recursion]

18. Sorry, but that's absurd

Can you tell the difference between any kid's backpack and a bomb? No? Then what are we talking about?

[TexasTowelie]

25. We have the good fortune to read a newspaper article that is edited to sympathize

with the student and emphasize the over-reaction of the school officials and police. The people at the scene did not have the luxury of extra time to deliberate over the situation. The updated newspaper article says that the device was "certainly suspicious in nature". If there were some changes to the device and an explosion occurred then there would be questions about why the people that saw the device did not intervene.

The good news is that the student is not being charged and hopefully he will be provided the opportunity to make up any missed schoolwork. However, I don't believe that the reactions by those at the scene can be classified as absurd. Yes, it was humiliating to be handcuffed and lead out of the school, but guaranteeing the safety of the people at the school is more important. If anything it is a lesson for everyone that there is a difference between perception and reality so that these type of mistakes don't happen in the future.

[Statistical]

26. Come on that is weak.

Everytime a cop shoots someone holding a cellphone it was "suspicious", every false arrest is "suspicious". That is standard cop cover up language.

The photos of the device are public. It looks like a circuit board. If anyone thought that it was "suspicious" and they honestly weren't racist then they should be tested for mental disability and removed from the police force and school system for gross incompetence.

So take your pick:
gross incompetence or overt racism

Honestly American has an equal number of both in law enforcement and school system so it could be either but I am leaning towards overt racism.

[TexasTowelie]

37. So you believe that every English teacher, school official or a police officer

has the ability to distinguish between a circuit board or a bomb and that they are incompetent if they cannot do so? Newsflash: Playing with electronics equipment is not a hobby for most people so to declare them incompetent or having a mental disability is a judgment call based on your own personal experiences.

There is also the factor of the young man starting his first year of high school and that he might not be accepted by his peers since he could be considered a geek. In Texas all school teachers and administrators are required to take courses to be aware of possible psychological issues among students, but very few teachers have any technical training. I have the experience of having a science background and also taking courses such as adolescent psychology to receive a teacher's certificate as my guide, so does that make me incompetent?

Yes, there probably is some racism involved, but it a student that had the appearance of belonging to a neo-Nazi group had brought a device to school it would be equally alarming. MacArthur high school has an extremely diverse mixture of students (whites, Hispanics, Middle Eastern, Asians, Polynesian and blacks) and I once read that there are 78 different languages spoken in the homes among the students that attend Irving ISD. It is easy to conceive that problems could arise among different groups of students.

As I said previously, the components for making a bomb and the materials could be stored nearby (including a strip mall across the street from campus) to complete the assembly of a weapon. While the student was naive to bring the clock to school it is equally naive to believe that there are not people who are crazy enough to participate in a terrible event.

[Recursion]

41. Yes, incompetent or mentally disabled

It's a fucking circuit board.

[TexasTowelie]

43. Really?

So everyone that doesn't know details about electronics and circuit boards are either incompetent or mentally disabled? I suppose that means you have very little respect for a lot of DUers.

[jberryhill]

31. Why was the device taken to the police station and no bomb squad involved?

[TexasTowelie]

40. I don't have all the answers.

I do know that the closest open area to MacArthur High School to detonate a device is the golf course at the Four Seasons hotel. I doubt that any of the golfers would have appreciated having their tee times cancelled though.

It seems like there were a lot of mistakes made from the father telling the student to take the clock to school, the father and son not thinking how the clock might be perceived as something more dangerous, the engineering teacher could have advised the student to leave the clock in his classroom until the end of the day so as to not arouse suspicion, the actions of the other school officials, placing the student under arrest, or interrogating the student without his parents or legal counsel.

The problem is that humans are fallible and what is perceived as a possible danger increases the possibility that mistakes are made and compounded.

If you have not watched it, here is the video of the press conference today held by the Irving ISD and with a spokeswoman from the school district.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Irving-Student-Says-Hes-Falsely-Accused-of-Making-a-Hoax-Bomb-327794401.html

[Recursion]

42. Everyone knew the entire time it was not a bomb

Every single person involved was certain that it was not a bomb, the entire time. They have all said so.

[TexasTowelie]

44. Really?

There were three different teachers that made complaints which is why the student was taken into the office.

I watched the press conference today and it was made abundantly clear that a lot of people have not made any comments because it would violate the privacy rights of the student, so how could every single person involved be certain?

So how can you claim that every single person involved was certain that it was not a bomb, and for the entire time? Your claim is not consistent with the facts.

[Recursion]

45. Yes, really. The school was not evacuated

So it is beyond obvious that they should be taken at their word that nobody at any point thought it was a bomb.

[csziggy]

22. I guess I am just not paranoid enough to believe a random device is a bomb

Especially when the kid in question showed it to various people at school and identified it as a clock. He apparently made no effort to conceal it or to leave "in a bathroom or under a car." He carried it with him, showed it to a few people and was completely open about it.

Maybe it's because I was a nerdy kid in school - more in the biological sciences than in chemistry or engineering - and I got into trouble for things that to me were completely safe. One teacher gave me the only "F" I ever got after she found a spider in my purse - I was taking it to show to my biology teacher to get her help in identifying the species. It was safely enclosed in a jar with no openings at all but the teacher's arachnophobia had her send me to the principal's office and she resented me from that day until the end of the school year.

I guess if I were growing up today I might be in the same situation as Ahmed - but for one very major difference. I'm a white female so I automatically get a certain level of deference. It might be unwarranted deference but my white privilege kept me out of trouble in circumstances that today get young people without that privilege in trouble.

[jberryhill]

30. The thing is - they didn't treat it as a bomb, either

Did they evacuate the school? No.

Was the police bomb squad called upon to deal with the device? No, they just took it to the station.

And, yes, identifying what is, or is not, a bomb, does not require tremendous technical sophistication. A circuit board, an LED display and a power supply do not have any explosive material, nor any place to put any kind of explosive material.

They treated it as a "hoax bomb" from the get-go. If they had any doubt whether it was a bomb, they would have treated it as a bomb. They did not treat it as a bomb. They knew full well it was not a bomb.

The boy's father is prominent in the Irving Muslim community. He was, in fact, a candidate for the presidency of Sudan, and had, oddly enough, participated in crazy Pastor Terry Jones' "trial" of the Koran (as the defense).

That is why the police knew who the kid was in the first place. This was precisely about the boy's father and a vendetta the local government has had over an entirely private Islamic dispute arbitration board.

[Barky Bark]

13. Beit Din is the Jewish rabbincal court n/t

[csziggy]

21. Thank you - I only know of it from a novel I read decades ago

And the name of the court was not prominent in the book.

[6chars]

32. here is a picture

[csziggy]

34. The electric cord and plug are part of his clock?

So I guess a bomb maker will hope there is a convenient outlet near to whatever he wants to blow up?

[6chars]

35. Got this from Washington Post

You can draw your own conclusions about veracity.

This article


http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/16/they-thought-it-was-a-bomb-ahmed-mohamed-texas-9th-grader-arrested-after-bringing-a-home-built-clock-to-school/

includes this link

"This is a pic of the device Irving police say they found on the student. @CBSDFW pic.twitter.com/WNKMew783W

— Jennifer Lindgren (@JLindgrenCBS11) September 16, 2015"

I was assuming they vetted the story, but who knows.

[csziggy]

36. The other pictures I've seen just showed a circuit board and a LED

The circuit board had what looked like three USB ports on on end so presumably the cord could plug into one of those to provide power.

I also read that he had purchased a small case to put his clock in - I guess that is what is shown in the picture you found.

I just can't get past the concept that a bomber would need to plug in his bomb...

[6chars]

38. Can't tell if this is the same w/more junk around it

I could imagine such a bomber on a Saturday Night Live skit.

[Humanist_Activist]

4. I do hope he get's a free financial ride to MIT because of this, oh, and I hope the teacher and...

Principal are fired and personally sued for this bullshit. Oh and the city sued for false arrest, etc.

This is intolerable, combine racism, Islamophobia and good old fashioned school zero tolerance and you have the perfect shitstorm of liability, I just hope he doesn't become too jaded.

We have a lot of Muslims where I live, he's welcome to bring his skills here, we have plenty of companies that can use his electronics acumen. Once he's ready of course. Just get out of that Irving shithole.

[Recursion]

7. That's what I keep asking. Did no teacher stop and think

"Man, the liability we're opening ourselves up to exceeds the district's budget for the next four years"?

Meanwhile, when a kid with the last name Harris actually got caught with a physical bomb the cops just told him to blow it up with his dad in the woods.

[Barky Bark]

14. Dylan Harris?

Columbine, 1999.

[Recursion]

15. Eric, Dylan Klebold was his friend. (nt)

[Barky Bark]

16. D'oh!

Thanks for the correction. I appreciate it.

[Recursion]

17. I mix them up too; I happened to have read a book on them recently

Sad story, and not at all what filtered out into public consciousness.

[jtuck004]

9. Most likely there will be parents congratulating them, and lots of excuses about how we can't

be too careful.

By people who have no idea that they are the real threat.

[mainer]

29. Totally disagree.

He should go to Cal Tech.

[jtuck004]

6. "And what did you learn in school today dear?" n/t

[Recursion]

8. "White people are still scared of Muslim scientific knowledge"

Hasn't changed much since Averroes and Aquinas.

[Statistical]

27. Doing science while black in Texas can be dangerous ...

The NASA t-shirt and glasses probably saved his life. Had he been a little more "urban" or "angry" my guess is he would have gotten shot 38 times while reaching for a "suspicious device" which turned out to be his cellphone.

[jtuck004]

33. "The NASA t-shirt and glasses probably saved his life." < That's likely true. 'Course, this

may not be over.

Instead of the school, much less the police, showing him the ideals we strive for, they put a memory of being kidnapped, bullied, harmed deep in his spirit. And in front of every building where they held him was an American, not Confederate, flag. Flying high.

Now instead of a bright kid with initiative whose biggest nightmare is the college entrance exams, he has legitimate reason to wake up sweating, for no good reason, with nightmares full of the people who he has to please in order to be thought of as "jumping through the hoops". People in authority, mostly white western europeans or people with their values and culture, some with badges and guns, many teachers, principles, others we are taught to trust. Lol.

And perhaps a bail bondsman.

Obama invites him to the WH. That is cool.

But I bet KKK and other recruiters, both religious and political, are tripping over each other to buy him a cup of coffee when he gets to college. Heck, one of these might look just like the teachers and advisors who took part in his jailing. One might become a friend. A contact later.

This is how it begins, not how it ends.

[betsuni]

10. Now HERE'S a suspicious clock:

[Adrahil]

11. This is just fucking embrassing....

.... Humiliaiting a kid who had nothing but good will and enthusiasm.

I'd love to be really rich and be able to tell this kid right now that I am going to cover his college tuition for enegineering school wherever he can get accepted.

I hope his family sues and gets a seven figure payout to stone for this fucking stupidity.

[uponit7771]

19. +1

[Recursion]

20. Right?

Suppose they just dissuaded a kid from becoming an electrical engineer. What's the cost of that to the GDP?

[HuckleB]

23. Recommended. And Link to the Help Ahmed Make campaign:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ws7e8WyQvrsLfhSFvdGot3n9NWKfY3XLPBgbHaZDy3k/viewform?c=0&w=1

[HuckleB]

24. Geek Dad: We Stand With Ahmed – An Open Letter to Ahmed Mohamed

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027174103

[Aerows]

28. This is ridiculous!

<-- Also a proud member of the Maker community

[longship]

39. Homer Hickam announced a scholarship to Space Camp!

Homer Hickam @HomerHickam
@SpaceCampUSA My co-creators at rocketboysthemusical.com have offered Ahmed a scholarship at Space Camp just as we did for Keira Wilmot.

And several prominent Tech CEOs have chimed in as well. Oh, and President Obama invited him to the White House, with his clock.

So, Ahmed will likely be able to credibly give the Irving ISD folks the raspberries. They, and the Irving PD are going to be oh so sued.

[oberliner]

46. This will actually end up being the greatest thing that ever happened to this kid

People are starting fundraising campaigns for him and he is being invited to visit The White House and MIT.