We have previously discussed the disconnect in some individuals, particularly ISIS recruits, who live relatively normal lives in the West only to become suddenly radicalized and violent as Islamic extremists. Chattanooga gunman Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez could be such a case, though police are still trying to confirm the motivation for the attacks. The attack has been labeled “domestic terrorism.” Abdulazeez, 24, murdered four Marines and wounded a police officer on Thursday in shootings at two military recruiting and training centers in Chattanooga, Tennessee. What is now known is that he posted a couple posts shortly before the attack discussing how Muslims should act in this short life and how they had to resist the corrupting influence of life around them in proving their faith.
Abdulazeez was born in Kuwait and comes from a deeply religious Muslim family. However, he appeared well-integrated into society in high school and, judging from his DUI arrest, engaged in non-Muslim practices. Notably, his arrest of DUI occurred recently on April 21, 2015. He was not on any watch list though his father was investigated once for suspicious international ties.
Abdulazeez was in many respects a successful member of our society. He attended Red Bank High School in Tennessee and is described by a former coach as “an All American kid.” While he would stop practicing in sports to pray each day, he also was known to like beer and socialize. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, his high school yearbook quote contained a joke that now has a more menacing meaning: “My name causes national security alerts. What does yours do?”
He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga with a degree in electrical engineering. He worked from April 2009 to April 2010 as an intern with the Tennessee Valley Authority and had internships at Mohawk Industries and Global Trade Express.
While his fellow students describe his as deeply religious, they describe him as nice and funny in relations with other people. In high school, he was a wrestler and later trained as a mixed martial arts fighter. One such fight was videotaped.
He has been described as a “Jordanian citizen” who seemed to have a change in behavior after returning from a trip to the Middle East two years ago. There may have been multiple recent trips. We have seen other cases where relatively short exposure to radical Islamic centers or figures has pushed some young Muslims to extremism. He reportedly had become more devout in the last couple months. In this case, a relatively short period is being cited for the change of a person once described as the “All American kid” to a murderous fanatic.
Particular attention is likely to be given to two recent blog posts from July 13, 2015.
The first is entitled “A Prison Called Dunya” where he talks about how short life is and how it is “nothing more than a test of our faith and patience”:
I would imagine that any sane person would devote their time to mastering the information on the study guide and stay patient with their studies, only giving time for the other things around to keep themselves focused on passing the exam. They would do this because they know and have been told that they will be rewarded with pleasures that they have never seen.
. . .
It was designed to separate the inhabitants of Paradise from the inhabitants of Hellfire, and to rank amongst them the best of the best and worst of the worst. Don’t let the society we live in deviate you from the task at hand. Take your study guide, the Quran and Sunnah, with strength and faith, and be firm as you live your short life in this prison called Dunya. Allah (SWT) says live for this life and the hereafter according to their length. Rasulullah says the life on this world compared to the hereafter is like a drop compared to an ocean.
Brothers and sisters don’t be fooled by your desires, this life is short and bitter and the opportunity to submit to allah may pass you by. Take his word as your light and code and do not let other prisoners, whether they are so called “Scholars” or even your family members, divert you from the truth. If you make the intention to follow allahs way 100 % and put your desires to the side, allah will guide you to what is right.
The second post was entitled “Understanding Islam: The Story of the Three Blind Men” and he discussed how may of leading Islamic leaders were generals and political leaders who sought to convert the world as the Prophet’s Sahaba, or companions:
We often talk about the Sahaba (RA) and their Ibada. We talk about their worshiping at night, making thikr, reading quran, fasting, sala. But did you ever notice that in one certain period towards the end of the lives of the Sahaba (RA), almost every one of the Sahaba (RA) was a political leader or an army general? Every one of them fought Jihad for the sake of Allah.
So this picture that you have in your mind that the Sahaba (RA) were people being like priests living in monasteries is not true. All of them towards the end of the lives were either a mayor of a town, governor of a state, or leader of an army at the frontlines. The Sahaba (RA) were very involved in establishing Islam in the world. Their mission was to establish Islam and live it. …
We ask Allah to make us follow their path. To give us a complete understanding of the message of Islam, and the strength the live by this knowledge, and to know what role we need to play to establish Islam in the world.
What is currently known presents a chilling picture of a young man who appeared to have succeeded in society in going to college and pursuing his athletic and religious interests within a pluralistic environment. I expect many will be exploring what triggered this violent outburst with a particular interest in the trip back to the Middle East as well as the influences that he found in the United States. We have seen other cases of successful or seemingly well-adjusted individuals who turned into Islamic extremists and murderers. There remains a belief that exposure to the freedoms of the West is the greatest counter to extremism and for most it is. However, we have seen cases where exposure to Islamic extremism can also overwhelm some individuals and push them to violence.
Abdulazeez’s at a minimum show someone who appears torn between or at least a participant in two cultures. In the days to come, we will hopefully learn more about what specifically triggered this murderous rampage.
Lest we focus on Abdulazeez and his twisted view of morality, below are the Marines that he murdered in cold blood in Tennessee. They are Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan of Springfield, Mass.; Lance Cpl. Skip ‘Squire’ Wells, of Marietta, Ga.; Sgt. Carson Holmquist, of Grantsburg, Wisc.; and Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, of Chattanooga:
To forgotwhoiam,
“The United States have already………”
Referring to the United States in the pleural,
Most excellent
Part hipster, part unfunny sad clown, part pedantic Islamist rageboy.
Ladies and gentlemen, the combination platter of loser.
Dave,
“Whereas we non-theists recognize that it’s this life that’s most important: because it’s likely the only chance we have to exist. And the only evidence showing otherwise are the petty, ignorant, clearly manmade myths, no shellfish!, which are a dime a dozen.”
Without religion there would be no moral backbone in people. Look at our society today; no moral backbone.
You’re so worried about not using condoms in order to not catch HIV, how about learning to abstain from illicit sex. How about liking a person for something else other than sex. As I said, no moral backbone.
I have no problem with people practicing their religion as long as they don’t hurt anyone else–and neither should you.
All your base are belong to us! You be telled.
“IN TIMES OF GREAT PUBLIC DANGER THERE IS ALWAYS A NUMEROUS BODY OF MEN, OF WHOM
THERE MAY BE JUST GROUNDS OF DISTRUST; THE SUSPICION ALONE WEAKENS THE STRENGTH
OF THE NATION, BUT THEIR FORCE MAY BE ACTUALLY EMPLOYED IN ASSISTING AND INVADER.”
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“The United States have already felt the evils of incorporating a large number of foreigners into their national mass;
it has served very much to divide the community and to distract our councils,
by promoting in different classes different predilections in favor of particular foreign nations, and antipathies against others. It has been often likely to compromit the interests of our own country in favor of another.
In times of great public danger there is always a numerous body of men, of whom there may be just grounds of distrust;
the suspicion alone weakens the strength of the nation, but their force may be actually employed in assisting an invader.”
Lucius Crassus.
(Alexander Hamilton)
Founders Online
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-25-02-0282
“The influx of foreigners must, therefore, tend to produce a heterogeneous compound; to change and corrupt the national spirit; to complicate and confound public opinion; to introduce foreign propensities. In the composition of society,
the harmony of the ingredients is all-important, and whatever tends to a discordant intermixture must have an injurious tendency.”
Alexander Hamilton (Lucius Crassus), “Examination of Jefferson’s Message to Congress of December 7, 1801,” viii,
“To admit foreigners indiscriminately to the rights of citizens, the moment they put foot in our country, as recommended in the message,
would be nothing less than to admit the Grecian horse into the citadel of our liberty and sovereignty.”
Alexander Hamilton (Lucius Crassus), “Examination of Jefferson’s Message to Congress of December 7, 1801,” viii.
Mo favors this guy a lot, the Aurora shooter:
http://a5.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,g_face,h_300,q_80,w_300/MTE5NTU2MzE2NTU3NTc1Njkx.jpg
https://jonathanturley.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/2a98ae1d00000578-3164129-smirking_muhammad_abdulazeez_24_pictured_has_been_identified_as_-a-5_1437092333393.jpg
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Which language is used on the inscription on the Statue of Liberty? Was the Statue of Liberty meant to be read by the English-speaking residents of the United Kingdom and Europe?
I am confused about geography on this planet. What is the difference between Ellis Island and Rikkers Island?
Who was the nitwit who said: “Give me your tired, your poor and your huddled masses.” ?? Was it some Mayor of New York?
His mother named him Mohammed? Born here? Kuwait or some place? The face in the photo looks wacko.
This case was obvious. Immigration control is the first measure of security. The American Founders intended for controlled immigration.
“…the harmony of the ingredients is all-important, and whatever tends to a discordant intermixture must have an injurious tendency.” – Alexander Hamilton
Sudden mass “immigration” of freed slaves, asylum seekers and “illegal aliens” voided the Founders’ original intent. Self-segregation, welfare entitlements (affirmative action), government assistance and balkanization are the results.
The American Founders believed in deliberate, paced immigration of similar, congruous and familiar people who would assimilate with facility. Using France as an example, Thomas Jefferson disagreed with Lincoln’s, Mexico’s and Vietnam’s
“…20 millions (of foreigners)…thrown all of a sudden into (America)…, what would be the condition of that kingdom?”
**********
“Suppose 20 millions of republican Americans thrown all of a sudden into France, what would be the condition of that kingdom?” “If it would be more turbulent, less happy, less strong, we may believe that the addition of half a million of foreigners to our present numbers would produce a similar effect here.”
– Thomas Jefferson
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“Are there no inconveniences to be thrown into the scale against the advantage expected by a multiplication of numbers by the importation of foreigners?”
– Thomas Jefferson
**********
“Prudence requires us to trace the history further and ask what has become of the nations of savages who exercised this policy, and who now occupies the territory which they then inhabited? Perhaps a lesson is here taught which ought not to be despised.”
– Alexander Hamilton
**********
“The influx of foreigners must, therefore, tend to produce a heterogeneous compound; to change and corrupt the national spirit; to complicate and confound public opinion; to introduce foreign propensities. In the composition of society, the harmony of the ingredients is all-important, and whatever tends to a discordant intermixture must have an injurious tendency.”
– Alexander Hamilton
**********
“…except of useful mechanics and some particular descriptions of men or professions.”
“The policy or advantage of its taking place in a body (I mean the settling of them in a body) may be much questioned; for by so doing, they retain the language, habits, and principles (good or bad) which they bring with them.”
– George Washington (Adams letter, 1794)
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Rufus King wrote in 1798 that Scottish emigrants brought with them certificates from
“the religious societies to which they belonged”
and proposed that something similar be required of all those wishing to settle here.
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“…whatever tends to a discordant intermixture must have an injurious tendency.” Alexander Hamilton
Multiculturalism as “a discordant intermixture must have an injurious tendency.” Multiculturalism is a contradiction in terms. In America, “multiculturalism” is simply the politically correct term for the point of transition of control of government. The old “culture” will be removed and the new “culture” will assume control. Multiculturalism is how collectivists describe the takeover of America.
“We will bury you.” – Nikita Khrushchev
Forgotwhoiam
Have you ever heard of The Free State Project? Because what you posted is the America-haters version.
@PaulCS
I hope the darn things work, and turn themselves off. The only place I can see any real use for them is maybe between North and South Korea, and around an army or air force base that is in enemy territory or subject to eminent attack.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky – the idea is for them to be used as a defense against an enemy or to warn of an enemy. There are various kinds. Almost all work on pressure.