Sunday, August 29, 2010
A Hate Crime, Are the Mosque Debates to Blame?
This news story is upsetting and confusing for a couple of different reasons. The first is that Michael Enright, the man who stabbed the cab driver, looks like the complete opposite of a hate crime offender from the outside. Enright had worked at Intersections International, a group that seeks to promote peace and justice. He was an honor student with no prior criminal record. What would cause someone who was seemingly on the right path in life to brutally stab a cab driver? The news is reporting that the mosque talks are to blame for this hate crime, but I am not sure that this sentiment is so shallow. Enright had recently returned from a trip to Afghanistan, where he was working on a school film project, and I believe that has a lot more to do with the stabbing than the mosque talks. What he encountered on that school trip that would cause him to act out like this is unknown but I think whatever it was is more personal than the mosque new stories.
That is not to say that I do not think that the mosque debates are creating a hostile environment for Muslims. That leads me to the second upsetting part of this news story, the news itself. With news channels broadcasting 24/7 about whether or not an Islamic cultural center should be built next to ground zero, a lot of animosity towards the Muslim religion is being created. The new stories that are questioning the building are also asking the underlying question of whether or not the Muslim religion is to blame for the 9/11 attacks, and that is causing everyone to revisit the horrors of the attacks and the feelings of hatred towards those who planned them. The Muslim religion itself, however, is not the one to blame for the attacks and should not have to suffer this religious intolerance here in America. We are a nation founded on the First Amendment and the right to the freedom of religion. If we abandon these founding principles then the terrorists will have gotten what they wanted.
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As convenient as it would be to blame this crime on to the mosque controversy that has not left the headlines for weeks now, I believe they are not related. Although Michael Enright did not look like the typical offender, sometimes some criminals don't fit the criteria. Some people simply snap sometimes. He might not have been completely mentally healthy, or this was something that has been building up for years inside of him. His trial would be very interesting to follow and see if this is possibly the defense his lawyers decide to go with.
ReplyDeletetaxi drivers get mugged every day in New York. they have guns pulled on them, knifes, all that stuff. one getting attacked isn't really news to anyone up there. how ever the media has latched onto this one story. why? because now the Muslims trying to builder there mosque are seen as martyrs. just watch, im sure the media is going to bring this story up every single time someone speaks out against the mosque now.
ReplyDeleteThis is very sad. Good that he was caught and arrested. Drunkenness is no excuse. I hope he’s convicted and serves time for each count he was charged with. I hope the cab driver recovers, and forgives we who deplore such behavior for not doing enough to stop it before it happens. I have a dream that all people in this world live in a peace environment without discrimination of people because of their race, relidigion,color etc...
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