The Associated Press reports that Farris Hassan, 16, of Ft. Lauderdale, is returning home.
Using money his parents had given him, he bought a $900 plane ticket and took off from school a week before Christmas vacation started, skipping classes and leaving the country on Dec. 11.
His goal: Baghdad. Those privy to his plans: two high school buddies.
Given his heritage, Hassan could almost pass as Iraqi. His father’s background helped him secure an entry visa, and native Arabs would see in his face Iraqi features and a familiar skin tone. His wispy beard was meant to help him blend in.Â
But underneath that Mideast veneer was full-blooded American teen, a born-and-bred Floridian sporting white Nike tennis shoes and trendy jeans. And as soon as the lanky, 6-foot teenager opened his mouth — he speaks no Arabic — his true nationality would have betrayed him.
Wow! Part of me is impressed by the cojones on this kid who took “immersion journalism” far beyond anything his teachers imagined. You’ve heard the phrase, “fortune favors the foolish?” Certainly someone upstairs was watching out for this kid who by all rights should be dead given his adventures.Â
His mother is threatening to never leave him alone in the house again, and he’s admitted that in retrospect his trip was completely nuts and he’s lucky to be alive. But his adventures did give him some perspective on the situation there. From an essay he submitted to his teacher from Kuwait City:
“There is a struggle in Iraq between good and evil, between those striving for freedom and liberty and those striving for death and destruction,� he wrote.
“Those terrorists are not human but pure evil. For their goals to be thwarted, decent individuals must answer justice’s call for help. Unfortunately, altruism is always in short supply. Not enough are willing to set aside the material ambitions of this transient world, put morality first, and risk their lives for the cause of humanity. So I will.�
“I want to experience during my Christmas the same hardships ordinary Iraqis experience everyday, so that I may better empathize with their distress,â€? he wrote.Â
Naive and idealistic, but I like this kid. If he survives to adulthood, he could go on to great things.
The snark du jour seems to compare Farris to Ferris, as in Ferris Bueller. Not being a fan of Ferris I have to admit the comparison completely escaped me. But when the shoe fits…
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