In case you just got back from Mars: Last week, a young man in Texas named Ahmed Mohamed brought to school a device he had “invented,” which consisted of the innards of an old Radio Shack alarm clock inside a pencil case. He was arrested and, because he’s a Muslim, the President of the United States took an interest. (All you non-Muslim kids who got in trouble for finger-guns and Pop Tart-guns and American flag t-shirts and so forth? You’re on your own.) So, young Ahmed has become the new face of Muslim victimhood. He’s being fêted all over the place. Everyone is very eager to show off how racist they’re not.
Now, some people will point out that you can “invent” your own clock in less time than it’s taken you to read this post so far:
Some people will point out that Ahmed’s dad is an Islamic activist who’s prone to strange publicity stunts, such as running for president of Sudan (without ever leaving Texas) and declaring himself the “defense attorney” for a Koran that a crazy preacher in Florida was going to burn.
Some people will point out that Obama invited Ahmed to the White House before he or anybody else had even seen this “clock.”
Some people will even point out that Ahmed’s hometown of Irving, TX is just on the other side of Dallas from Garland, where Islamic terrorists tried to kill people for drawing pictures of Mohammed, so the locals might be a bit skittish about that sort of thing.
Just because these things are true doesn’t mean they matter. What matters is that Ahmed Mohamed has been forever scarred by this experience. WFAA, Dallas-Ft. Worth:
The family of a 14-year-old Irving student arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school earlier this month has retained lawyers and is seeking to regain his science project from the Irving Police Department.
Ahmed Mohamed’s parents say they’ve un-enrolled their three children from the Irving School District “because of religious persecution” and have decided to home-school them…
“The family says that Ahmed has been severely traumatized.”
Look what you’ve done, America. This innocent boy hasn’t just been traumatized. He’s been severely traumatized.
Back in the old days, we’d just need to take the Mohamed family’s word for it. But thanks to the miracle of social media, we can watch in real time as this ordeal takes its toll on one brave youngster.
A couple of days after young Ahmed’s arrest, he started a Twitter account called @IStandWithAhmed. He did this all by himself, with no help from anyone else. It was his idea, and he wrote every word of these tweets under his name.
Thank you so much!! https://t.co/1YhTCmbfjb
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 16, 2015
Thank you for your support! I really didn’t think people would care about a muslim boy. #Thankyouforstandingwithme #IStandWithAhmed — Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 16, 2015
If you are press and want to be in touch, email istandwithahmed@gmail.com
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 16, 2015
That’s right, this 14-year-old boy isn’t just a brilliant inventor, he’s a PR pro!
Thank you fellow supporters. We can ban together to stop this racial inequality and prevent this from happening again pic.twitter.com/fBlmckoafU — Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 16, 2015
Look at the sadness and horror in those eyes.
Going to meet my lawyer. pic.twitter.com/YCxOOeOz3Z
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 16, 2015
Now, here’s where it gets really hard to watch. It’s terrible to see the abuse of a child, but we all need to bear witness to this young man’s trauma.
Thanks @Google for saving me a seat at #googlesciencefair. Amazing projects and people pic.twitter.com/kpjVmlRPHY
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 22, 2015
Got to spend my #Eid With @droz thanks for having me on the show! Check me out on tomorrow’s episode pic.twitter.com/IAilaPMJ5g
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 24, 2015
Must-See Late Night Clip: Larry Wilmore Interviews Ahmed Mohamed http://t.co/9E4ndrh0x0 (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/0QBF4oPnIq
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) September 24, 2015
Next up: the President of the United States. All because this kid brought a disassembled alarm clock in a pencil case to school, and his elders haplessly adhered to their own zero-tolerance rules. What did he ever do to deserve this?
Don’t let anyone tell you this is all a hoax. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re a rube and you got played. You’re a good person, and you like to read Twitter, and Islamophobia is bad, and Ahmed Mohamed is a downtrodden victim. That’s all you need to know. Anybody who says otherwise is a racist. Them’s the rules.
Just remember, everyone: If you see something, say nothing.
Now stop using Ahmed Mohamed for your own political purposes, you teabaggers. That’s his dad’s job!
P.S. If anything, the word “severely” understates the level of Ahmed’s trauma.
I’m enjoying New York!!!! It’s so awesome.
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 25, 2015
P.P.S. Looks like somebody needs to check her privilege. #smdh
Um, I can’t help but notice she’s WHITE. What, she didn’t take apart an alarm clock or anything? http://t.co/l3Uq5WULhu via @techinsider
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) September 25, 2015