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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDead Bombing Suspect: ‘I Don’t Have A Single American Friend’
The first suspect (seen right) in the Boston marathon bombing who was killed earlier Friday has been identified as 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the brother of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who still remains at large, according to NBC's Pete Williams. They have been living in the United States since 2002 or 2003.
See what appear to be Tamarlan's boxing photos here.
"I don't have a single American friend, I don't understand them," he says in one of the photos.
According to the captions, Tamarlan studied at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. After his family fled Chechnya because of the "conflict in the early 90s, they lived for years in Kazakhstan before getting to the United States as a refugee."
Another caption:
Tamerlan says he doesn't drink or smoke anymore: "God said no alcohol." A muslim, he says: "There are no values anymore," and worries that "people can't control themselves."
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http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/nbcs-pete-williams-other-suspect-identified-as-tamerlan?ref=fpb
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For what it's worth: IMHO, big brother was homesick and depressed about his life in the U.S. (probably never recovered from his culture shock of moving from Russia to the U.S.), turned to religion for help (not necessarily organized religion). Using his influence as "big bro," he convinced his little brother "the end is near" and dragged him into this entire scheme.
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)DonViejo
(60,536 posts)seabeyond
(110,159 posts)to create this. i see the older brother no different than the man that flew into austin irs building, mcveigh or the others.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2709978
DonViejo
(60,536 posts)get the red out
(13,468 posts)I think that's the most likely story.
Sounds like someone who wanted to blame something else for his own problems. If he was that religious you would think he would have cultivated some friendships at his Mosque? But no, better to blame, then attack, others for your problems...............................
DonViejo
(60,536 posts)was a "johnny come lately" to religion.
gateley
(62,683 posts)seemed shallow in a way?
closeupready
(29,503 posts)some American guy started a thread, 'how do I make friends?' This was just a typical midddle-aged American man who had a wife and children and a home but few, if any friends. Certainly not any friends of shorter standing than 10-20 years.
And it seems to be a common complaint. Frankly, I think it's pathetic that males of all ages are discouraged from making friends with other males, but it is a cultural fact of life in the US.
But more to the point, I think there is likely to be a lot more to this story than just being lonely.
Bicoastal
(12,645 posts)Males of all ages are discouraged from making friends with other males? Um, since when? By whom?
closeupready
(29,503 posts)Bicoastal
(12,645 posts)If that was truly how our culture worked, homophobes wouldn't let their sons join college fraternities or play sports or join the army, due to the high preponderance of male friends one would make. In fact, it seems like the opposite is true
You could make an argument about how CLOSE American men are allowed to be with their male friends; still, I don't think locking yourself away in your room for fear of accidentally befriending a gay man is a common thing.
closeupready
(29,503 posts)Peace.
Bicoastal
(12,645 posts)I'm curious. There are many reasons why some men have a hard time making friends--I'm somewhat introverted myself--but I've never heard of someone blaming American society as a whole for their social problems. Since there are plenty of other men (both open-minded and homophobes) who don't have this problem, it feels like a stretch to me.
PATRICK
(12,228 posts)has not been all that helpful in anything except the raw police work that seems to have the Boston cops acting pretty responsibly considering they are dealing with bombers, remote detonations, etc. A couple of precautionary arrests, no one else hurt(by police). Pretty skilled so far.
The perp profile could apply to millions of Americans who never are going to go on a rampage and resembles too much the rush job done on the poor kid still missing earlier last night.
No, what interests me is far far down the mainstream list which follows a script as hidebound as it is uninformative, with some good reason but mainly a lot of comfort room for the establishment.
Was there a security drill going on, possibly involving some of our beloved private contractors which actually provides a lot of cover for bolder thinkers? A lot of terrorism or killings in general have been prevented by what has become routine since 911. In some situations- ironically buried by 911 lack of accountability- they may actually aid terrorism. The question they never wanted asked of a living terrorist is whether they found such things coincidentally helpful, even an actual part of their plan.
These are kids though as they did very little to cover their tracks, were typically not so good with their ordinance, and seem pretty senseless. Suicide bombers in an occupied country does not match the profile, mental disease unknown. So while the nation is on high alert from roused violence on any front it is likely the information laden FBI are more likely to have all sorts of suspects on file that would potentially embarrass them in an aftermath. The news media typically has covered itself with inglory and has almost no use except for doing victim stories and funerals. I can understand the police playing up to that aspect so they can do the real job without too much bother.
The same day 27 people are blown up in Baghdad with zero fanfare or mourning in the US though logically that violence may be related. The news can't help but inspire monsters who love making victims for the media feast. That actually used to be discussed at the time of Richard Speck when the media cared about the living a bit more. The FBI, Senate bill or not, might want to make a note of residents from backgrounds of rabid brutality and bitter war procuring weapons even if strictly prohibited by a government that thrives more on fear than the lulling atmosphere of effective prevention.
As of now this is still puzzling as to the hidden motivation to such extreme acts.
DonViejo
(60,536 posts)our opinion/speculation
closeupready
(29,503 posts)When human misery crosses a threshold and becomes just another day at the office, we've got work to do. Sadly, I think the result of this is likely to be making some humans even MORE miserable.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)hfojvt
(37,573 posts)Zax2me
(2,515 posts)With ties to Islam.
You aren't going to be very popular.
closeupready
(29,503 posts)Your assumptions are faulty, clearly.
Orsino
(37,428 posts)HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)closeupready
(29,503 posts)HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)closeupready
(29,503 posts)HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)closeupready
(29,503 posts)Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)Brilliant people think things through and come to this conclusion?
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)sorry for the bad song parody, but check the link. It probably explains some things.
Lex
(34,108 posts)to be around.