#TeamInternet Wins Again With The Most Heartwarming Story This Week
17 September 2015, 12:23 | Updated: 8 May 2017, 17:09
Why do The President, Facebook, and MIT want to speak to 14 year old Ahmed?
If you've been on social media in the last few days, you will have undoubtedly noticed #iStandWithAhmed trending in response to, yet another, disheartening police incident. The aforementioned Ahmed refers to MacArthur High School (Irving, Texas) student, Ahmed Mohamed, who was arrested and suspended earlier this week after bringing his amazing home made clock to school.
Ahmed is 14 years old, bright, and loves science. This should have never happened to him.
this is simply heartbreaking... #IStandWithAhmed http://t.co/ReiabmeAd9
— lauren (@lwtiv) September 17, 2015
Yes, a 14 year old engineered a whole clock by himself while most of us still struggle to assemble IKEA flat pack furniture. His exuberance for the subject led him to believe his teachers would share that same excitement. Unfortunately that was not the case and, after an hour and a half long interrogation, Ahmed was led away in handcuffs on suspicion of creating a "hoax bomb".
I expect they will have more to say tomorrow, but Ahmed's sister asked me to share this photo. A NASA shirt! pic.twitter.com/nR4gt992gB
— Anil Dash (@anildash) September 16, 2015
Soon after the incident, messages of support for Ahmed came pouring in.
Ahmed was invited to the White House by President Obama:
Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.
— President Obama (@POTUS) September 16, 2015
Ahmed was invited to hang out at Facebook:
Twitter offered Ahmed an internship:
Hi @IStandWithAhmed, we building things at @twitter too. Would you consider interning with us? We'd love it — DM us! #IStandWithAhmed
— Twitter (@twitter) September 16, 2015
An MIT professor invited Ahmed to visit the school.
I was on MSNBC tonight to make an invitation to the brilliant @IStandWithAhmed. He's such an impressive young man! http://t.co/efUKhMgd94
— Chanda (王嬋娟) (@IBJIYONGI) September 17, 2015
And even Ne-yo wants in on the Ahmed action.
Hey @istandwithAhmed, if you ever want to get into the world of music, let me know. #theworldisyours #IStandWithAhmed
— NE-YO (@NeYoCompound) September 17, 2015
Despite what Ahmed has gone through with his school, he is in high spirits thanks in part to team internet and the amazing support he has received from world leaders like President Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Ahmed addressed the public yesterday and, as we suspected, he was extremely charismatic, well spoken and 100% someone we want to be friends with.
(gif source: mic.com)
He wanted to impress just a soul (Teacher) but Allah said no, you are impressing the world #IStandWithAhmed pic.twitter.com/V1mTrWxhsH
— #ISTANDWITHAHMED (@hova_wale) September 17, 2015
