During last weeks class we reviewed a blog that brought up the question of why Zeitoun and his companion were passed up multiple times by rescue & military boats when searching for help. Some reasons were race, possibly greater things to worry about in the city, maybe they just couldn't hear them. Who knows? As I continued to read I thought the answer would come up, there had to a possible explanation, but as I continued on things just got even more confusing for me. My initial reasoning for them being passed up was because of Zeitoun's race. That possibly they would not help someone like Zeitoun because of the way he looks, resembling that of the men they are fighting overseas. This may be the reason but I'm not necessarily looking for the answer to why they got passed up. My curiosity is why Zeitoun and his three companions were detained (captured really) and accused to be terrorists all the sudden.

Maybe I'm taking the whole passing Zeitoun's boat up to a level it was not intended, but how can Zeitoun be passed up one moment, and then be considered a terrorist the next? Was it becasue of the suspiscion of looting? Kathy mentioned in their story that Zeituon should be careful, because of the 9/11 attacks he could be subject to profiling. Could this group of military personal that took Zeitoun and the other men be part of that thinking, and maybe the other men and women who passed him earlier were not? Frankly, I'm just confused how Zeitoun could be wandering the murky waters of New Orleans without much issue but when he is in his home he becomes a threat. Maybe it is because they thought he was looting and the "evidence" ($10,000 cash etc.) that was brought against them conjured up the idea that they were terrorists, along with his nationality and appearance. But in the reading they were accused of being terrorists before their bags and belonging had been searched, well at least in the timeline of the book.

I'm just finding it hard to understand the turnaround of events that are happening. If it were based solely on looks wouldn't Zeitoun have been taken when he was right there in the open? Maybe just the site of Zeitoun in the nicer part of town, inside a home with what I'm assuming are nicer belongings is enough for them to suspect a false affiliation.

There is likely no link between the two situations (Zeitoun's boat being passed and Zeitoun being held captive), but there must be answer to why, at that time, he was imprisoned. As far as I've read (about pg. 273) the questions of why they are being imprisoned are being asked but no answers have been given. Maybe I will find out...