Musing on Muse, The Pirate

[dyrl]

I don't know how many of you guys have been following the story of the Somali Pirate, Muse, who is now standing trial in the USA.

I don't know the legal wranglings of it, but judging by the information from the media - My personal hope is that he is set free and allowed to stay in America.

To my mind, clearly he had no intention of doing anybody any harm, and while I don't think he didn't know what the pirates were up to, it is clear from his behavior that he was more enchanted with the boat and with being able to meet Americans than hell bent on killing or stealing or anything of the sort.

Also, judging by what his mother said and what reporters have written about him, he is literate and has big dreams.

I don't blame him for taking the only path he had open to him to even GET anywhere and I certainly think he's courageous for doing it - although of course it is foolish what he did - and dangerous to himself and to the sailors he threatened...

But what course of action ISN'T foolish if you're living in Somalia?

In any event - he surrendered, and when I see the picture of him beaming a big smile in police custody - it's clear that he is happy.

I'm betting he's even happy to have a bed and a toilet in that NYC jail cell of his.

I just hope they don't make the terrible mistake of putting him away for life because he so totally deserves - IMO - to be given a chance at leading a normal decent life and bringing his mom and dad over to the US.

What do you guys think?

Pete

[blueshift]

The last thing anyone wants to do is show that there is a huge reward for deciding to pick up a gun and steal and murder people. I am sure that there are plenty of people in Somalia who get by without resorting to a life of crime. And international hijacking and killing comes pretty high up the serious list.

The moment he decided to pick up a gun and go off taking hostages and stealing and robbing he pretty much threw away moral highground. Why would he, a criminal, 'deserve' more than any law-abiding Somali inhabitant?

[dyrl]

Well - let's start with the fact that

a) There is no such thing as a "law abiding Somali inhabitant" because Somalia has no laws and has been in a state of civil war since - correct me if I'm exagerating - but 1996? Technically, all of Somalia is one big "life of crime." The government literally controls a couple of streets in the capital - THAT'S IT.

b) According to the media reports, he didn't decide to pick up a gun and go off taking hostages - he didn't know the people he went with were pirates and didn't really know what he was getting into.

Even the chap who stabbed him with an ice pick and imprisoned him says that the boy didn't seem at all intent on doing people harm.

c) I don't see the pirates as being "international hijackers and killers." I see the pirates as being absolutely the same as any western government, only that they don't call themselves "President" and "Minister" and the like. The majority of countries have tarrifs and duties on imported goods - CUTA and the like. They majority of countries send people with guns to confiscate incoming shipments of goods and hold them for a ransom they call "tarriffs" and other duties and taxes.

How is this different from what the Somali pirates are doing?

Some Somali pirates even call themselves the "voluntary coast guard" of Somalia.

Naturally, I am not suggesting that hijacking and holding property for ransom is good - I am simply pointing out that this has been standard policy in the West for centuries really; so there is no point in poo-pooing the Somalis for engaging in it.

In any event - I think that it would be better to give him a chance at living a normal life - something he's not had in Somalia. Perhaps he is a terrible person and perhaps he would be a bad man - but again - from the media reports, he seemed to be studious, well read - he clearly spoke some english which is an achievement in and of itself.

If one is simply beant on being a murderer and thief - one usually doesn't get an education.

Unless one wishes to becoming a mudering and thieving politician that is

Pete