Thai opinion: You have the right to be paranoid

[webfact]

STOPPAGE TIME
You have the right to be paranoid
Tulsathit Taptim
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Honestly speaking, I would have easily beaten Usain Bolt's 100-metre world record had a certain teenager named Ahmed Mohamed come anywhere near me with that "clock" of his. The point is, I don't have the training to tell the difference between a home-made timing device and a bomb. More importantly, the fact that I would run like hell makes me appreciate why so many others did the same.

You must know the story. For those who don't, here's how it went: Fourteen-year-old Texan Ahmed Mohamed came to school a few days ago proudly carrying the digital clock he had built. All hell broke loose (understandable perhaps given America's tragic experiences), leading to his arrest and, later, red faces for police officers. Government spin doctors immediately arranged for him to meet with Barack Obama, while Facebook and Google executives rolled out the welcome mat for the boy. But by then, another significant piece of evidence of American "hypocrisy" had already been firmly imprinted on the global consciousness.

Imagine a Thai anti-government student protester being put in handcuffs for possessing a circuit board required for a school project. Whether or not he was released afterwards wouldn't matter. John Kerry would have his scriptwriters working overtime on a message of condemnation. "This is what happens under dictatorship", he would almost certainly declare. The student would probably be invited to the White House, too, but stern looks among Thailand's political leadership would be enough to light fires here in the Kingdom.

Ahmed Mohamed is not even anti-government. In the news photos and clips, he looks like a shy nerd. He's not the stereotypical nerd we see in Hollywood movies, though. As you can tell from his name, he's a Muslim. Did that have anything to do with his ordeal? You tell me.

America is paranoid, and understandably so. Terrorist attacks and school shootings by psychopaths give citizens every right to be wary of suspicious-looking items. While a lot of fun has been poked at the "Ahmed clock" incident, the bottom line is "Run first, think later" would be my policy, too. On police handcuffing the boy, I'm less curious about the rough treatment than I am about the reaction from local human rights advocates - or rather the lack of it.

The problem with America is that while it has the right to run, others don't. It upholds the right to go all out in "pre-empting" bad things from happening, but it will shove "human rights" or "freedom" down others' throats if they do the same. Ahmed's clock didn't mock America's paranoia, it underscored the superpower's elitist self-entitlement, which has become increasingly apparent.

And no one can argue that Ahmed Mohamed was an exception and not the rule. Innocent Americans have suffered far worse ordeals stemming from racial bias or the need to protect "national security". An American whistleblower who revealed the scope of state surveillance of citizens has had to flee abroad. Unarmed black men and women have been killed by police for simply walking the streets at the wrong time. If one Walter Scott had been Thai and shot in cold blood in Thailand by a law enforcement officer, John Kerry would never let us hear the end of it.

Hypocrites tend either to be ignorant of their status or simply uncaring as long as the double-standard serves their interests. Either way, they put their reputation, friendship, integrity, honour and all other valuable attributes in jeopardy.

This is not to say that Ahmed Mohamed would be any better off elsewhere. In another country he might have been locked up with the key thrown away, instead of being invited to the highest seat of power. There are places where the authorities would have kept him behind bars just to avoid losing face. To identify those places, however, you can't resort to stereotyping. This is the biggest lesson American politicians can learn from Ahmed and his clock.

Sounding noble is one thing, acting nobly is another. And on many counts, American authorities have failed to walk the talk. More proof of that arrived last week, ticking harmlessly and contemptuously at the same time.

The kid's invention was meant merely to tell the time, but it has told a heck of a lot more. One key message is that stereotyping leads to prejudice, and prejudice led to Ahmed Mohamed being wrongfully arrested and handcuffed. Prejudice is also the reason why so many unarmed innocent citizens have been shot on the streets of what is supposed to be the freest land in the world.

Most important of all, the clock - in being mistaken for a bomb - helps reveal to American authorities why real bombs have been exploding all around them.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/You-have-the-right-to-be-paranoid-30269324.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-23

[daoyai]

Well that was a rambeling bit of unfocused thought attempting to bolster self esteem by impotently bashing the U.S....

[noitom]

Another preposterous diatribe and disjointed piece of tripe by this Thai writer rambling his or her way around.

[BigBadGeordie]

Well that was a rambeling bit of unfocused thought attempting to bolster self esteem by impotently bashing the U.S....

Another preposterous diatribe and disjointed piece of tripe by this Thai writer rambling his or her way around.

Come on be honest, it's not even that good!!!!

[EnzoRippo]

TheNation back to TheNation! Stupid and reactionnary.

The writer should know that, nowadays, a bomb this is a simple bag and a mobile phone, NOT A CLOCK!

[NOC]

Another preposterous diatribe and disjointed piece of tripe by this Thai writer rambling his or her way around.

He has a right to be stupid...

[ggold]

I thought he describes American paranoia rather well. But I guess Americans wouldn't see or admit it!

[Seastallion]

I thought he describes American paranoia rather well. But I guess Americans wouldn't see or admit it!

And American hypocrisy, ditto.

The thing he got wrong was that he missed completely the angle that if they REALLY thought it was a bomb, the teacher, firstly, would have been running and evacuating the building, and the so too the principal, and the cops would have called the bomb squad. But they didn't, so it was a beat-up on the Muslim boy, an excuse.

[Credo]

I wish someone would have been a little paranoid about the guy who left the bag at the Erawan Shrine.

Paranoia doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

Ahmed, however, is a reasonably sharp kid and I hope he has a bright future. The choice as to the direction his life takes will depend on a lot of things, but I hope with encouragement the path he chooses is the positive one.

[Orac]

Why 'imagine' a Thai student being handcuffed for having a circuit board and the reaction to it when you already have the examples of Thai students being arrested for possessing sandwiches?

[JakeSully]

Thai logic and reasoning make my head spin so much my IQ drops by 150.

[BuaBS]

Some confusion in this story. For one : he did not invent anything , second : was it a clock of which he had the circuitry removed and put in a briefcase or a self made one ?

Bright future ?...because he made a digital clock?

For a 14 year old with a hobby in electronics , it is easy to make an simple electronic clock, from scratch or from prefab parts (kits) if it was only a science project.

[micmichd]

You don't need a clock or any other tool to make people paranoid. Just go to Europe, let people know you come from Thailand, and tell them something about HIV. They will take it as evidence that you're going to contaminate them with a deadly disease.

Just my experience.

[micmichd]

Now please, Farangs, apply the paranoia approach and your justifications to Thailand.

"Here comes the Farang. Most probably he's after our land and our women. Better get rid of him. Kill him first, ask later."

Would it be oK for you?

P.S. The old Farang might also bring AIDS into Thailand. I heard many old Farangs say "AIDS? I don't care, I could live with it another 20 years, the rest is not important" - Maybe not important for the old fart, but maybe important for the young ladies he's after.

Edited September 23, 2015 by micmichd

[micmichd]

Someone paranoid about the possibility of "dual use" of technical devices?

I got locked up once when a friend of mine brought me my laptop, and they immediately ran mad when I wanted to use it.

[ggold]

Now please, Farangs, apply the paranoia approach and your justifications to Thailand.

"Here comes the Farang. Most probably he's after our land and our women. Better get rid of him. Kill him first, ask later."

Would it be oK for you?

P.S. The old Farang might also bring AIDS into Thailand. I heard many old Farangs say "AIDS? I don't care, I could live with it another 20 years, the rest is not important" - Maybe not important for the old fart, but maybe important for the young ladies he's after.

trying to deflect are we. I'm sure there is more Aids in the US than Thailand. larger population! I have also met a few American ladies who admit to being with older guys because they have better security, medical insurance etc, Must be home away from home for you?

[FangFerang]

This article is pointless, gibberish, rubbish, rambling, disjointed, self-effacing, foolish and a fine example of psuedo stream-of-consciousness.......

It's not worth the pixels it was temporarily imprinted upon.

[BigBadGeordie]

This article is pointless, gibberish, rubbish, rambling, disjointed, self-effacing, foolish and a fine example of psuedo stream-of-consciousness.......

It's not worth the pixels it was temporarily imprinted upon.

A fair and reasonable rview of the OP.

[Balance]

It is worse than stated. The police chief admitted that the police on-site knew very early on that it was a clock and not a bomb and no one called the bomb squad. So why was the boy arrested, handcuffed and interrogated?

We are waiting for an answer.

[Briggsy]

Note how they have skilfully switched "a small group of poorly-trained police officers from the backwoods of Texas" for "America".

What a load of ridiculous deflection.

They are getting their criticism of the U.S. in just before the PM goes there.

[elgordo38]

It is worse than stated. The police chief admitted that the police on-site knew very early on that it was a clock and not a bomb and no one called the bomb squad. So why was the boy arrested, handcuffed and interrogated?

We are waiting for an answer.

The word paranoia explains it all. Its the newest latest weapon in the political arsenal to control you and your vote.

[Scott]

A post with a racial slur has been removed.

[bazza40]

Thai logic and reasoning make my head spin so much my IQ drops by 150.

Are you -300 now?

[CMNightRider]

It is worse than stated. The police chief admitted that the police on-site knew very early on that it was a clock and not a bomb and no one called the bomb squad. So why was the boy arrested, handcuffed and interrogated?

We are waiting for an answer.

The word paranoia explains it all. Its the newest latest weapon in the political arsenal to control you and your vote.

Who do you think is trying to control you?

[micmichd]

Do I have a duty to be paranoid?

[chilli42]

Agree the writing is crap and it's a mystery why the journalist has a job writing for an English language paper. That said, the point remains that Americans are paranoid (justly so) and racism in all its forms is alive and kicking. To its credit, America is the most willing of countries to own up to its failings and mistakes. That requires personal confidence and courage ... something badly lacking many countries.

[ggold]

Do I have a duty to be paranoid?

You obviously are the way you lash out any one you don't agree with. were you institutionalised by any chance?

[chuckd]

I found this information in an article a couple of days ago. US haters will not believe one word of it as it doesn't fit their agenda.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

1. There was no "school project" or science assignment.

2. Just three weeks into his freshman year, Mohamed was no "science whiz well-known by high school teachers for tinkering."

3. The "clock" wasn't made from scratch but just the guts of a mass-manufactured digital clock.

4. With its exposed wires and lack of a face, the gutted clock looked like a bomb. The alarm was set to go off during English class; the beeping startled the teacher who called police.

5. When police questioned Mohamed, he wasn't cooperative and was described as "disrespectful."

6. The police chief said the device was "...a hoax bomb."

7. Mohamed's Sudanese father reportedly asked the cops to re-handcuff his son — so his daughter could take the photo that went viral.

8. Mohamed tweeted: "Thank you fellow supporters. We can ban together to stop this racial inequality."

9. The family's spokesperson is the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/092215-772291-did-muslim-clock-boy-perpetrate-hoax.htm#ixzz3mY24aG5k

[micmichd]

I found this information in an article a couple of days ago. US haters will not believe one word of it as it doesn't fit their agenda.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

1. There was no "school project" or science assignment.

2. Just three weeks into his freshman year, Mohamed was no "science whiz well-known by high school teachers for tinkering."

3. The "clock" wasn't made from scratch but just the guts of a mass-manufactured digital clock.

4. With its exposed wires and lack of a face, the gutted clock looked like a bomb. The alarm was set to go off during English class; the beeping startled the teacher who called police.

5. When police questioned Mohamed, he wasn't cooperative and was described as "disrespectful."

6. The police chief said the device was "...a hoax bomb."

7. Mohamed's Sudanese father reportedly asked the cops to re-handcuff his son so his daughter could take the photo that went viral.

8. Mohamed tweeted: "Thank you fellow supporters. We can ban together to stop this racial inequality."

9. The family's spokesperson is the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/092215-772291-did-muslim-clock-boy-perpetrate-hoax.htm#ixzz3mY24aG5k

So, what?

You need a justification for your common mental disease called paranoia?

Why should a boy cooperate with someone who is obviously mentally sick?

Pray tell.

[metisdead]

A post containing offensive comments has been removed as well as the quoted replies.