Topic : 06/17 A Daughter in Danger? Part 2

Probably because it happens so frequently...In north America, subway suicides are next to never reported on the news.

I have been following this topic and I must say that I have had my own experience with my ex. I want this beautiful girl Katherine to understand that these things do happen and are not mde up. I had a relationship with a guy who was Palestinian. We were together for 5 1/2 years. It was the worst time in my life. I was separated from my family and friends, not allowed to communicate with anyone except his family. It was a very abusive relationship for me. He would beat me until I was unrecognizable. I was trapped, I have been beaten, kicked, had my head pounded into the corner of a waterbed, had my nose busted and had a gun held to my head while I was 7 1/2 months pregnant. Everything that Barbara Mamoody went through, I went through exept I never left the United States. I did see the movie of her life "Not without my daughter" and I felt everything, every emotion that this movie produced. I had to leave immediately after viewing it as I was sick and could not take it.

 

If you need someone to talk to, I wish I could say I'm here for you....I plead with you Katherine, come home, stay home....your family loves you and cares about you very much. You are in my thoughts and prayers.....

 

Stephanie

 Let the Dr. Phil show handle it - I know you probably weren't serious about calling the embassy - but I'm confident the show and Dr. Phil will make sure Katherine is as safe as he can ensure.

I'm disheartened by the posts flying back and forth on this board, though, and the attacks. Don't think for a second that Katherine's family isn't reading the board - calling their daughter the names and insulting her and her mom isn't helping nor is it supportive. I'd love for a moderator to step in and hold the spats off...it just goes to show how the 'net isn't only a place where danger lurks (and I am NOT one who says it is all bad, quite the opposite, as a matter of fact - just have to be careful) - but the sparring back and forth just perpetuates the way the Internet is abused for reasons of back-biting. If you were in person, would you be so disrespectful to each other? Tempers flare, but that doesn't mean common decency has to fly out the window.

Just a humble opinion.

I just wanted you to know that I have so much respect for you and what you are doing. So many parents out there today more or less just write their kids off when they come of age.  That is what my husbands parents did to him when he turned 18 and although he has made it without them, it would have been a lot better if he had had them to turn to when he needed it.

 

I just want to say to you that no matter how many times Katherine tells you to shut up and mind your own business or no matter how many times she's as nasty as she can be to you, don't stop fighting for your daughter.

You are a good mother and this is NOT your fault. No matter what Katherine was going to find a way to speak to Abdullah and eventually to be with him. I know it's hard not to say the things that you feel you need to say and that's fine. Say what you feel because even if she seems to not be listening, she is and it may save her life.

But, most importantly be there for her. Just be there to listen when she needs you because she's going to need you and I think everyone knows that. Abdullah knows that and I think that's what is making him feel so threatened.

 

I just want to commend you and your daughter for the lenghts that you have gone to in order to help Katherine.

You have that gut feeling for a reason and you HAVE to go with it. Katherine will thank you later. I believe that in her heart and her mind, where Abdullah can't get to her, she's thanking you now.

 

Stay strong and put your faith in Doctor Phil. He will do what ever needs to be done in order to bring your baby girl back to you and to safety.

Stay strong and know that you are doing all the right things. A mother has a divine animal right to protect the life of her offspring. You have that right Shawn and I commend you for the way you've handled this whole thing.

You must have an amazing strength. You do even if you don't feel like it right now.

 

Stay strong and keep fighting. I think we all know that it's not going to be easy but that's okay because the reward is great. Your daughter.

 

I hope that I was able to make you feel a little better by writing this to you. I look forward to seeing the end result of this with Katherine home where she belongs and resuming the life that she had before she was manipulated by Abdullah.

Good Luck and I wish you all the best, you and all of the rest of your family.

 

Thanks so much...............

 

A. Coulter

 I feel that these episodes are only perpetuating a steroetype.  Katherine may be in danger but her story is only one story.  Giving so much attention to this topic is sending a negative message to the American public, fear the Middle East and its people.  Yes there are issues with the Middle East but only showing these stories are only making things worse.  Situations like this are RARE.  Their are millions of Middle Easterners living in the US, US citizens living in the Middle East, and  interatial marragies between these people that are happy, healthy and successful.  Publicizing only the negative stories is creating more misundertanding and separation between Americans and Middle Easterners. Unless you are personally involved in a healthy realationship with a Middle Eastern, the only thing you will know about them are the negative, eagerated things you see on tv.  Again, these stories are encouraging stereotypes and hurting any hopes for a peaceful reationship between the US and the Middle East.  I am glad that Dr. Phil is trying to help this family but I think that showing only one side of this topic is adding to the misconceptions and prejudice that Americans have about Middle Easterners. 

Did I see at the end of the show that there will be a show after the daughter come home??  Did it say when?

I understand the deed is done and I do hope she comes home soon safely

But I am left to wonder why was this 16 year old the first time stayed in contact with this man?
I have a 16 year old daughter and if she ran away to another country, she certainly would not have a phone and computer access!
I would of done everything in my power to make sure she didnt touch a computer, even if it meant to tell the school to keep her offline, to keeping in her in the house away from friends homes with computer and phone access! 
the communication between the 2 would of NOT been continued.

I have read some of these posts, and a lot of the facts are true, but an important thing to add is that these muslim men are encouraged to find and make American women "obedient". When I was younger, my older sister was in college in Ohio. While at college, she met a man from Jordan. He had obtained a student visa to come here and get his education. His family owned a prominent business in Jordan and he was best friends with the prince. Shortly after meeting, he and my sister became very close, and they eventually started dating. They dated for a very long time and my sister did fall in love with him. The feelings were apparently mutual. I did meet him several times and he was very nice. The closer graduation came the more my sister considered marrying him here and moving there. She considered converting to his religion and everything. This was obviously a concern to myself and my family.

My sister did go over there for two weeks, and returned saying that she enjoyed it very much , just like Katherine. It turned out that he and my sister did not stay together (not for any earth shattering reason) and they both went on with their lives. Although it seemed he had good intentions, we never really knew what they were.

So, I would like to say that these men from the middle east are encouraged by their parents to find american women (blonde ones mostly). It is also common for these men to have more than one wife/girlfriend, not necessarily all American. So this is probably why Abdullah's parents are so kind to her because they are proud of their son for achieving what was expected of him. Also, they do not "tame" the women right away. They do allow them to dress as they please and act as they please until they are married. That is when the abuse and degradation really starts. The American woman becomes the man's property. So, the men actually do not always find an American woman just to get to the US. Like I said, often times they do just find blonde American women because it makes their family proud and it is what is expected of them.

i am so sorry but did i hear him right?!  its OKAY and NORMAL to call the woman he loves a bitch, slut, whore and all that crap?  are you effing KIDDING me right now?  this girl needs to get a reality check if she is fine with him saying that.  that is called verbal abuse.  then he apparently has this home in l.beach but apparently sold it?  there is no proof of this yet she believes him.  this girl needs a good dose of reality sent her way.  this whole entire episode just made me so mad to even hear him talk.  my prayers go out to katherine's family.