Religiously motivated hate crimes are not cool at all. Reported in the NY Times this morning, Umair Ahmad, a Moslem teenager in Queens attacked a Vacher Harpal, a Sihk classmate, in retaliation for insulting his mother. Even though Vacher apologized, Umair wouldn’t accept it. Instead of insulting him back or walking away, Umair chose cut Vacher’s hair after making him go into a school bathroom. His reasoning? His religion told him to do it. That seems to be a favorite excuse of many perpetrators regardless of their religious beliefs.
I’m glad it didn’t stick and that he’s charged with felony hate crimes. His look-out should have been charged. Many of these perps don’t do their dirty deeds without some help.
I hope that other hate crimes offenders don’t get off lightly, especially those who attack gays and minorities in the name of Jesus. The First Amendment does not extend to hurting other people, contrary to what some people may think.
Tags: fundamentalism, hate crimes, Islam, New York Times, Sihk, teenagers
As a general rule, I disagree with Christopher Hitchens on just about everything, but I have to admit that he’s right about this: God *does* mess everything up.
I’m waiting for the inevitable column in the New York Post linking this to the great global jihad that lurks behind every corner which only neo-conservatives can see.
This is a particularly interesting case where we’re dealing with two minorities who are … what, exactly? Still living out tensions brought by their parents when they immigrated? It reeks of post-Partition-of-India resentment transfered down a few generations.
It’s also worth noting that both students come from cultures that are “shame and honor” societies — you insult my mother, you have offended my family honor, therefore I must insult yours.
‘Tis a puzzlement.