FBI: Jews Need Not Apply For Arabic Linguist Jobs

www.worldnetdaily.com ^ | October 9, 2003 | Paul Sperry

[Cold Heart]

Didn't we all have this discussion a year or two ago about an FBI whistle blower.
There were allegations of improper and discarded translations in the arabic translation department. That department was run by and mostly full of arabs. From the description of the office it appeared to be corrupt. I doubt the supervisor would hire anyone that might be another whistle blower.

[NYC GOP Chick]

I doubt the supervisor would hire anyone that might be another whistle blower.

Not to mention loyal and competent!

[Commie Basher]

It can't be that hard to learn, considering that 3 year olds on the streets of Baghdad and Cairo can speak it.

Three-year-olds have a much easier time learning any foreign language. It's a lesson I remember from Psychology 101 back in my undergrad days. The brains of young children are geared to picking up languages (which is how American children learns to speak English while listening to the incohrent babble of adults).

When you get older that you lose that ability.

[FITZ]

reasons given were arternatively that the Jew's might be biased in translating Arabic documents

And Arabs are never biased?

[FITZ]

If you are relying on their translations of materials that has the potential to effect mid-east policies,

For that reason it seems far more risky to hire Arabs than Jews. The Jews haven't attacked us ever. I'm sure the Jews see more reason for the survival of the USA.

[muawiyah]

Hey, the number of trained investigators working for the FBI is secret. As a consequence the number of translators is also a secret.

Notice that the article says there was a "shortage".

We don't really know that nor is there any way we can find out ~ for all any of us know it's just a story to start the lead-in to the news article which the writer hopes he has cleverly designed to inflame Jews.

Frankly, with the many hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lived and worked in the Middle East since oil was discovered in that region, I doubt there's any shortage of people in this country who are qualified to translate Arabic for the FBI. There could be a lack of applicants, but then the FBI doesn't pay translators on the same scale as the investigators, and certainly no where near what the same person can earn working in Saudi Arabia.

[FITZ]

The brains of young children are geared to picking up languages (which is how American children learns to speak English while listening to the incohrent babble of adults).

I don't think it's the brain --- I think adults actually have an advantage in learning a language and can learn just as easily with the immersion method. It's just that adults tend to try to learn in a classroom or with books --- maybe spending one hour a day and then speaking their native language the rest of the day. If an adult would take one or two semesters of a language just for basic grammar rules and some vocabulary and then go live in a foreign country and speak only with the natives never associating with speakers of their own language, they can easily pick up the language.

[RightWhale]

Something changes in the brain about age twelve. Musical skills become hardwired at that point whatever the level of expertise. The same effect in language is likely, but learning can continue forever. A person starting Arabic at an advanced age [ > 12 ] will most likely never be counted as a native speaker, but he may become a strong speaker, reader, and writer.

[Alouette]

The clearance could not be obtained in time. He moved to a different job that didn't require a clearance. He was replaced by another individual who shared the same religion, but he'd taken care to make sure his mother and father were born in the US, not Russia, and he'd lived at only 2 addresses his entire life. He had a clearance already!

Man, that sucks.

I interviewed for a DOJ job several weeks ago, and asked FReepers to pray for me. And I have kids living on 3 continents!

[muawiyah]

Here's how you do it. You go to a multi-cultural cocktail party. You just kind of hang around until you notice that you understand what folks speaking an otherwise foreign language are saying.

Some people will notice what you are doing and test your facility in your next new language. Others will remain oblivious to the fact that some adults still have the same language learning facility they had as children. That's because they simply do not believe that some people are "different".

[muawiyah]

If the FBI can't get hold of your kids' associates, your clearance might take some time.

[WaterDragon]

It's insane to turn away Arabic-speaking Jews! This is the worst sort of antisemitism because it sure implies that Jews can't be trusted for some reason. So dumb, dumb, dumb!

[WaterDragon]

I wonder if the FBI would also exclude David Pryce-Jones? I don't think he's a Jew, but he certainly speaks Arabic idioms like a native, and is very antiIslamist terrorism.

And its ludicrous to say that there are other factors in turning away Arabic-speaking Jews because such factors would never rationally apply to EVERY Jew applying.

[FITZ]

I believe some people are different and some pick up languages easily at any age and any setting --- but you take any adult and put them in just about any foreign country --- living with a family which helps them by other signals and speaking slowly and clearly --- after a while that adult will also start learning the new language. Most of us just don't get ourselves into the same environment the baby has in order to learn a new language.

One reason you see so many here who have been here more than 20 years but don't know more than 2 words in English is because they watch Spanish television, listen to Spanish radio, associate with only their own kind who also speak no English --- in other words they do all they can to keep themselves from learning a new language.

Also --- to learn a language very well means you need to get away from the classroom and books and learn it the way people actually speak it --- which includes a lot of body language also.

[television is just wrong]

The Arabs can spot them a mile away. You are suprised?

They are not fond of Jewish people in case if you didn't realize it.

[muawiyah]

It's not insane to turn away people who don't measure up to the standard, or who are simply part of an overwhelming surplus of otherwise qualified folks.

We have only the writer's claim that there was a shortage of translators.

[Americanexpat]

I don't trust none of them. It has already been prov en that some of the Arabic interpreters were playing both sides. How can you have someone double check an Arabic linguests work if it is another Arab or Muslim?

My question is why don't we have linguistic schools in the military. The army used to have one in Prisedio, Ca. (sp) Train our own linguist. If you don't want to tie up military members with it hire American civilians and pay them a good wage to do the work.

[Victoria Delsoul]

You know what - I thought you were joking until I clicked on your link. “Despite a shortage of Arabic translators, the FBI turned down applications for linguist jobs from nearly 100 Arabic-speaking Jews in New York following the World Trade Center attacks, WorldNetDaily has learned.” So much for diversity and fairness.

[SJackson]

Sad, isn't it.

[engrpat]

We have a young man at church that graduated from BYU with a degree in Arabic languages and has spent a year in Egypt. The number of government agencies that have lined up with offers for employment is mind bending. Seems every agency in DC wants him. At least he will have great job security.