Posted on 04/18/2007 5:35:28 PM PDT by jdm
Apr 18, 2007 — "Ismail-Ax." These two words were scribbled in red ink on the arm of Seung-hui Cho, the 23-year-old Virginia Tech student who killed 32 others and then himself in a bloody rampage Monday.Cho was an English major and poet whose writings had raised eyebrows in the past. But what could "Ismail-Ax" mean? Is the phrase spiritual, poetic or just a bizarre expression of a troubled student?
Watch the full story on "Nightline" tonight at 11:35 p.m. EDT
One "Nightline" viewer recognized "Ismail-Ax" from a poem he had read by Drum Hadley, the 1960s beat poet. The poem is called the "The Goat Ranchers" and in it Hadley, under the pseudonym Yonder Ridgeline, writes about "Ishmael's Ax."
Here's the excerpt:
Went where they'd herded goats when they were kids,
Went where they were lovers,
Went where they were married here, those fifty years ago.
Traces of Ishmael's ax on the scarred trunks of the cedar trees,
Crossing the canyons and winding arroyos.Do you know the meaning behind "Ismail-Ax?" Let us know on the "Nightline" message board.
While some may see a parallel, this poem does not have a disastrous ending like the tragedy in Virginia. Hadley writes of a couple, married 50 years, reflecting on their time together.
Others recognize the name Ismail for its religious significance . A similar name, Ishmael, is widely known as the name of the eldest son of Abraham, father of the Israelites. He appears in the Christian, Muslim and Islamic faiths, and his character is both revered and criticized throughout all three religions.
According to Strong's Dictionary, the name "Ishmael" literally translates as "God will hear."
With the origin of "Ismail-Ax" still unknown, the Internet has erupted with people trying to decipher its true meaning. Perhaps they hope that unlocking the secret behind "Ismail-Ax" will explain how a troubled kid could commit an act so terrible.
I’ve thought that too. It somehow makes him so much more profound that we must dissect his writings. Then again, he could have just been nuts.
88 is supposedly a code for Adolph Hitler.
That would be because there is no significance in the different spellings. It’s an Arabic name. Any representation of an Arabic name or word in the Latin, i.e. English, alpabet is phonetic.
Axis Mail (As in "Evil" Mail)
Revol? Rural? I see 88 and Columbine returns some results
its odd that the dude is on the internet - but doesn’t have the correct address (street name) and zip for NBC.
I saw no such distinction between the spellings.
Did he want to get the package slowed down??
he has the correct zip code, but I don’t see anything close to that street name.
88 Revol - the only match in google maps - Ontario canada.
why use express mail then.
What was the wrong address and where does that lead??
Ishmael was the illegitimate son of Abraham that he had when Sarah believe she was barren and convinced Abraham to have relations with her maid, Haggar.
the FROM address? it leads nowhere obvious, at least regarding the street name. NBC is at 30 Rockefeller Center, and you see the corrected zip.
God promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations, and he promised him a son, even though he and Sarah were very very old and childless.
In their unbelief, Sarah and Abraham decided to help God out with His promise, and Abraham slept with Sarah’s servant, Hagar. Hagar bore a son they named Ishmael.
Sarah became pregnant and bore a son they named Isaac.
At this point, the Jewish and Christian teachings differ from the Islamic teachings. The Judeo-Christian scriptures teach that Abraham recognized his sin (lack of faith in God’s promise) and in obedience to ancient prophecies drove out Hagar and Ishmael.
Years later, God instructed Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, and to sacrifice him on an altar. Abraham obeyed, and the Angel of the Lord stopped him at the last second and offered a substitution for the sacrifice: a ram.
The Muslims on the other hand, believe that Ishmael was the true son of Abraham, and that he was the one on the altar.
The Jews are the descendants of Abraham and Isaac. The Arabs are the descendants of Abraham and Ishmael. Throughout the bible, these two nations have warred.
Charlie Manson could probably tell what it means-—Shades of HELTER SKELTER.
In that case, shouldn't this photo be removed from this thread asap?
I have seen Ishmael spelled Ismael in some Muslim writings.
Ismail-Ax.
Check DU. I’ll bet “Ismail-Ax” hasn’t been posting the last few days.
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