We're Not So Sure It's Stockholm Syndrome
We're very glad that the Fox News reporters got out with their lives ("no matter what one’s politics, all Americans are held hostage when one of us falls into the hands of these thugs" - quite so). We're less glad that the Hamas government has decided against pursuing the kidnappers. But since we kind of suspect that Hamas and this "previously unknown group" of total clowns were working together, we're not really surprised (come on - this was the most amateurish operation ever... forced conversions... seriously?)
It would also have significantly brightened our day if the freed hostages hadn't gone out of their way to celebrate the people who had been trying to kill them:
During the brief press conference held almost immediately after their release, both men preferred to focus on the plight of the kind and benevolent denizens of Gaza. Momentarily acknowledging the coercive nature of their "conversion", Centanni admitted off camera, "We were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint". But he felt compelled to add this bizarre disclaimer, "Don't get me wrong here. I have the highest respect for Islam, and I learned a lot of good things about it", before concluding candidly "... it was something we felt we had to do because they had the guns, and we didn't know what the hell was going on." Centanni expressed his primary concern to the reporters gathered at the Gaza City Beach Hotel press conference as follows: "I hope that this never scares a single journalist away from coming to Gaza to cover the story because the Palestinian people are very beautiful and kind-hearted... The world needs to know more about them. Don't be discouraged." Wiig reiterated these sentiments: "My biggest concern really is that as a result of what happened to us foreign journalists will be discouraged from coming to tell the story and that would be a great tragedy for the people of Palestine... You guys need us on the streets, and you need people to be aware of the story." And Wiig’s wife thanked unnamed "Palestinian women" from Gaza for their "solidarity".
Here's the thing: we don't think that this is Stockholm Syndrome. These are phrases that are practiced, vaguely echoing communities that are not exactly right-wing ("very beautiful and kind-hearted" is hackneyed, but thanking people for their solidarity is not generally a hallmark of the right). We could be totally wrong about this - and we fervently hope that we are - but isn't it more likely that this is a Jill Carroll situation? Sympathetic Westerners visit the homes of terrorists and discover that apologizing for terrorism has done nothing to decrease their status as "target". We don't know if anyone's done the work on this yet, but surely there's evidence one way or another what these reporters thought of Hamas, et al before their kidnapping.
Either way, now that everyone's more or less safe and sound, can we go back to openly belittling anyone who would be dumb enough to suggest that Americans will like the Palestinians more if they learn what people in Gaza really think about the West? "You need people to be aware of the story" - for crying out loud.
It would also have significantly brightened our day if the freed hostages hadn't gone out of their way to celebrate the people who had been trying to kill them:
During the brief press conference held almost immediately after their release, both men preferred to focus on the plight of the kind and benevolent denizens of Gaza. Momentarily acknowledging the coercive nature of their "conversion", Centanni admitted off camera, "We were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint". But he felt compelled to add this bizarre disclaimer, "Don't get me wrong here. I have the highest respect for Islam, and I learned a lot of good things about it", before concluding candidly "... it was something we felt we had to do because they had the guns, and we didn't know what the hell was going on." Centanni expressed his primary concern to the reporters gathered at the Gaza City Beach Hotel press conference as follows: "I hope that this never scares a single journalist away from coming to Gaza to cover the story because the Palestinian people are very beautiful and kind-hearted... The world needs to know more about them. Don't be discouraged." Wiig reiterated these sentiments: "My biggest concern really is that as a result of what happened to us foreign journalists will be discouraged from coming to tell the story and that would be a great tragedy for the people of Palestine... You guys need us on the streets, and you need people to be aware of the story." And Wiig’s wife thanked unnamed "Palestinian women" from Gaza for their "solidarity".
Here's the thing: we don't think that this is Stockholm Syndrome. These are phrases that are practiced, vaguely echoing communities that are not exactly right-wing ("very beautiful and kind-hearted" is hackneyed, but thanking people for their solidarity is not generally a hallmark of the right). We could be totally wrong about this - and we fervently hope that we are - but isn't it more likely that this is a Jill Carroll situation? Sympathetic Westerners visit the homes of terrorists and discover that apologizing for terrorism has done nothing to decrease their status as "target". We don't know if anyone's done the work on this yet, but surely there's evidence one way or another what these reporters thought of Hamas, et al before their kidnapping.
Either way, now that everyone's more or less safe and sound, can we go back to openly belittling anyone who would be dumb enough to suggest that Americans will like the Palestinians more if they learn what people in Gaza really think about the West? "You need people to be aware of the story" - for crying out loud.
