Kill Two Birds With One Stone

To kill two birds with one stone is an English phrase that means to achieve two goals with one action.

When a terrorist group kidnapped 19-year-old Patty Hearst, they knew they were killing two birds with one stone. The group was called the SLA and they chose to kidnap Patty Hearst because she was the granddaughter of a very rich media mogul. With Patty they could do two things: stir up media attention and demand a lot of money.

For weeks, they kept Patty in a closet and threatened her life. Patty’s family was desperate to find her but they could hardly believe their eyes when they finally caught a glimpse of her.

Two months after her kidnapping, the nightly news showed a gun-toting Patty enthusiastically robbing a bank. To make matters worse, just a few days earlier, the SLA released a video showing Patty saying that she’d joined the side of the SLA. She’d even taken a new name, Tania.

Could this be the same scared girl who was taken against her will just a few months before? Or had the tables really turned?

Just days after the bank robbery, the United States Attorney General said that Patty had turned into a common criminal. He believed she was no longer a victim. Police began a search for Patty, not to save her, but to arrest her.

They eventually caught her two years later. While being taken to jail, she yelled, “Tell everybody that I’m smiling, that I feel free and strong…” She even listed her occupation as urban guerilla.

But once the trial started, Patty claimed she’d been brainwashed. Jurors weren’t convinced and found Patty guilty. How could Patty have decided to join the very people who abused her?

According to psychologists, Patty suffered from Stockholm Syndrome. Stockholm Syndrome happens when hostages who are completely dependent on their abusers for survival begin to have positive feelings for them. They often feel sympathy and loyalty towards them.

Patty’s not the only one to have suffered such a fate. Stockholm Syndrome was named after bank employees in Stockholm who were held captive by criminals in 1973. After just five days, the bank hostages refused help from police, and instead defended their captors.

What do you think? Can you imagine supporting someone who abused you?

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from Deep English » Blog http://deepenglish.com/2016/02/kill-two-birds-with-one-stone/