In an incident eerily reminiscent of the recent murder of a German Muslim woman by a Muslim-hating attacker, a Seattle Muslim woman wearing a head-scarf was threatened with a knife by a local white supremacist. This is from the Seattle Times coverage:
A self-proclaimed white supremacist with a history of threats and harassment was charged today under the state’s hate crime statute after he allegedly threatened a young Muslim woman with a knife while she was waiting in line for services at the Seattle Indian Health Board…
…Eric Lee Garner walked up to the woman on July 1, pointed at her head scarf and said, “you Muslim people scare people when you wear things like that!” He followed up with other derogatory remarks.
The woman, who was holding her six-month-old son, tried to reason with the 24-year-old Auburn man by saying that her “her clothing does not make her a bad person”…When the insults didn’t stop…the woman backed away from Garner and tried to shield her son from him.
Garner then cursed at the woman, got in her face and pulled out a large sheathed knife, court papers said. Garner told the woman he was going to “cut” the woman and her baby with the knife, charging documents said.
One report says he threatened to “cut her genitals.” Another says he called her a “Muslim bitch.” Luckily a state employee intervened and took the knife away from the would-be attacker before he could use it, who later fled. The Seattle Police (who sometimes DO do something right) arrested him the next day. He bragged to them that he owned an AK-47 which he’d purchased after 9/11.
Apparently, Garner is a real model citizen:
[He] has prior convictions for felony harassment, trafficking, theft, violation of a domestic violence court order, assault, indecent exposure and drug possession.
By the grace of God or a higher power, neither this woman or her infant were harmed. May SPD and the prosecutor learn a lesson from the German incident and keep this savage thug as far from his victim as possible during future legal proceedings.
Given the history of Muslim-Jewish violence in our local community, I believe it is imperative that the local Jewish community strongly denounce this Islamophobic act. Despite the violence swirling in the Middle East, we Jews have much more in common with our brother and sister Muslims that what divides us. We Jews too are often the victims of prejudice and violence because of our religious beliefs. In fact, the wearing of a head-scarf, which provoked the German and Seattle attacks, echoes prejudice against observant Jews who wear a yarmulke. If we focus too much on the violence of the Israeli-Arab conflict, we forget what we share.
I hope that local Jewish groups here express their outrage at this incident and solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters in the face of Islamophobia. Rob Jacobs, local director of Stand With Us, a pro-Israel group which often expresses hostility to Palestinians and Muslims in general did criticize the attack saying: “Of course an attack, or, as in the case you refer to, threatening to attack anyone is wrong.” But along with this he launched into a harsh attack on me for even asking the question:
The last time I tried to communicate with you by email, you grossly edited what I wrote and posted selected portions up on your website that misrepresented much of what I’d written you. You have a history of doing that. You posted on your website selected parts of a private communication with a member of the Beth Shalom community and defamed him. There are now multiple websites dedicated to documenting the way you distort, misrepresent and quote out of context those with whom you disagree.
Since Rob attacks me for allegedly editing and misrepresenting what he said the last time we had contact, I’ve quoted him virtually verbatim to avoid that issue. I don’t think it helps his cause much, but I’ll let you be the judge. The incident of supposed “defamation” Jacobs refers to concerns a Stand With Us board member, David Brumer, who told me I should be “spanked” for my views of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Apparently, Jacobs feels that one of his board members who advocates attacking a fellow Jew should be shielded by the supposed “privateness” of the e-mail message. And revealing to the public that such a statement has been made apparently constitutes “defamation.”
This is unfortunately what a number of us liberals in the Jewish community have become used to on this question. Lots of heat and very little light. Paranoia and defensiveness but very little reason.
I am so glad to hear that this woman went to the police. Unfortunately, every year thousands of cases go uncatalogued and people get away with this hatred. Had it not been for the knife, I wonder if the police would take a threat so seriously?
I also think that you are right to call for Rob Jacobs to denounce this kind of hatred. Just as Muslim groups should stand in solidarity with Jews against anti-semitisim, Jewish organizations should recognize that anti-semitism is related to the plain old racism/hatred that other groups experience.
I’m really loving your blog, as I’ve felt a little lonely out there in the blogosphere with my progressive Jewish edge. If you’re interested I’d love to link with you: http://sababiblog.com
I’ve added you to my blogroll and welcome to the world of Jewish peace blogging.
I have such deep respect for both of you. You are doing wonderful work.
This is nothing short of the result of years of breeding post-9/11 Islamophobia. Some more chickens will come home to roost, I’m afraid…
I have attended sessions from Charles Jacobs, Robert Spencer, Dennis Hale, Rabbi Schacter at Maimonides, Geert Wilders, Yaron Brook, and Daniel Pipes.
Not only are They and their ilk are out for blood, but they probably would not mind putting you in jail, Richard.
The Boston Globe really helped them with their chosen mission with Jacobs and Hale’s op-ed.
It makes no sense for Muslims to look for allies within the organized Jewish community unless the organized Jewish community first drives the racist Islamophobes out.
Patterns of Boston Jewish Power suggests that the integration of the Jewish power elite into the government creates a whole order of magnitude greater problems for the rest of us.
This week was the anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London. Were they hate crimes? Who incited the perpetrators to carry them out?
Wow, only someone with your views would find that to be “on-topic.” Thanks for the needless provocation. Is your way of addressing a vicious attack on a Muslim woman to deflect and try to focus attention on alleged Muslim criminality??
The reason I mentioned it is because I don’t know what the definition of a “hate crime” is and why it requires special legislation to deal with it. Isn’t it bad enough if one person threatens or assaults another? That is against the law. That should be enough. If we start talking about “hate crimes” then I see that other, irrelevant matters come into play with people saying “yeah, this reminds me of this other incident, look who carried it out, those people are a bunch of bigots” and then there is no end to all the recriminations.
The problem is that in many jurisdictions such crimes are either not prosecuted or not prosecuted with the vigor they deserve. I think “hate crime” is a valid important legal category esp. if it encourages the police & prosecutors to take such crimes more seriously than they otherwise would.
BTW, Republicans & other conservatives also intensely dislike the notion of “hate crimes” since they feel it privileges the suffering of minorities over whites and ordinary crime victims. Jeez, I wonder if you might be one (a Republican symp, that is). I meant that in jest (at least half in jest) by the way.
bar kochba, it’s very painful for me to admit agreeing with you on something, but I share your wariness of “hate crime” as a distinct legal category. It rubs against my universalist ethics. As a liberal lefty I’m kind of out on my own on this one, since my progressive compadres are with very few exceptions behind the concept. The idea of having ANYTHING in common with Republicans is so gross to me!!!??? I can’t even deal.
It’s enough that this woman, whatever her background or identity, was seriously attacked and threatened. The crime should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Now “hate crimes” as a social and cultural phenomenon, to be discussed and analyzed on blogs like Richard’s, and spoken out against, that’s something else altogether—I’m totally behind that.
I think the “hate crime” category is very important. It emphazises the fact that some people are hurt or killed just because of the color of their skin, their religious beliefs or their sexual orientation. It puts emphasis on governments, to increase awareness of these prejudices and re-enforce the message that these “phylosophies” are not tolerable or accepatable.
The same could be said of “terrorists or terrorist groups” who kill people. Some do it for racists reason and others for policatical reasons. Particularly for attacks preformed by domestic groups, why should they be treated differently than any other killer(s)?
My point comes back to hate crimes, work on racism and you might have less of these “white supremacist hate groups and all their variations”. People may be less susceptible to join or be influenced by them.
RE: “SEATTLE MUSLIM WOMAN ATTACKED BY NEO-NAZI”
Please! Please! Stop all of the vile insinuations about white supremacists. I resent these generalizations. Not all neo-Nazis are stupid racists! (sarcasm intended)
RE: “SEATTLE MUSLIM WOMAN ATTACKED BY NEO-NAZI”
FROM YNET – France: 4 Jews suspected of attacking Palestinian store, by Miri Chason, 07/09/09
Paris: Four youths connected to ‘Jewish Defense League’ arrested on suspicion they vandalized book store owned by pro-Palestinian couple.
PARIS – Some 300 people participated Wednesday evening in a show of support in front of a pro-Palestinian bookstore that was vandalized last week in France. The demonstrators called to dismantle the Jewish Defense League, whose members were allegedly involved in the attack on the store. Four young Jews were arrested Wednesday on suspicions of carrying out the attack….
ENTIRE ARTICLE – http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3743702,00.html
PS. No insinuations or generalizations are intended.
RE: “4 Jews suspected of attacking Palestinian store”
ALSO SEE THE COMMENTS AT – http://www.fuckfrance.com/topic/3470055/1/France/France-4-Jews-suspected-of-attacking-Palestinian-store.html&replies=19
(EXCERPTS) “…According to Rachida Dati (our ex-minister of Justice) more than 70% of inmates in franch jails are from arabic origins. Being a raghead herself and having 2 brothers more or less in jail, she should know. But, needless to say, my sympathy goes to the JDL, a decent organization…”
“…That racist bookstore encouraged boycott of Israeli firms, supports Arab terrorists etc…it is not a simple bookstore.Well done to the JDL…”
PS. No insinuations or generalizations are hereby intended.
How differently you treat violence against Muslims from violence againts Jews, that is when you stop to even note the latter. Very telling about the “progressive” perspective, or at least the nature of your sympathies.
A hijab-wearing woman carrying her child in a public place is verbally abused by a low-life sociopath, who waves a sheathed knife and threatens to physically attack her with it. He is promptly arrested by the police. For you, what needs to be said is, “Given the history of Muslim-Jewish violence in our local community, I believe it is imperative that the local Jewish community strongly denounce this Islamophobic act.” I know that Haq, a deranged Muslim, shot 6 Jewish women, killing one and seriously wounding 5 others there in Seattle not that long ago. Is that “the history of Muslim-Jewish violence in (your) local Jewish community” that you think makes it “imperative that the local Jewish community strongly denounce this Islamophobic act”? Any history of Jews there in Seattle carrying out violent, let alone murderous, attacks on Muslims, or has that history only been one of Jews as the victims?
I didn’t see any mention here of the student at Wesleyan who was stalked and murdered by a man who wrote about his desire to kill Jews and make a Jewish Columbine out of that school. You missed it, or you didn’t want to encourage Jews to claim victimhood or make a fuss about antisemitism?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/nyregion/09wesleyan.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2
So many times you have spotlighted random attacks on Muslims in different countries, while ignoring or diminishing the significance of ones on Jews, e.g., Mumbai; US Holocaust Museum (cautioned Jews about playing the victim card and fussing over antimsemitism; gratuitous mention of Baruch Goldstein, but not of killing of a yeshiva student and serious wounding of two others in NYC a month later by a Lebanese immigrant); Halimi murder in France (sentenced this week); and many other examples.
Do see that you continue to allow that outspoken antisemite Joachim Martillo into what you see as the functional equivalent of your living room. And you permit him to link to his excrable website, something you don’t permit those of “nonprogressive” persuasion to do very often.
It all is very telling.
(BTW, two days after you reproached someone for calling CAIR’s Elashi a felon, he was sentenced to 65 years in jail for his role in promoting terrorism. You can send him your well wishes at the Federal Correctional Institution, Seagoville.)
Actually, we don’t have to kill our Muslims here because we know Israel is doing such a good job of it in Lebanon and Palestine. Why be an amateur when there are professionals to do the job?
In yr warped, twisted view I diminished attacks on Jews because I refused to see them as part of a world wide conspiracy of Muslims against the Jewish people. But yr view of things, thank God, isn’t shared by many others in the world.
He’s appealing his conviction and I have every confidence that with a new Justice Dept. that will not prosecute these idiotic anti-Islamic cases that he will eventually win exoneration.
If you want to have a propaganda war or score debating pts go elsewhere. I’m severely tired by your sort of anti-Muslim ranting. The next comment of this sort will lose you yr comment privileges. My comment threads are not meant to prove that Islam is an evil Jew-hating religion. If that’s what you’re about there are other venues which you will find more supportive of that sort of racism.
Richard – given your comment rules; why is Martillo still allowed to post here?
I am not sure which rule I am violating except perhaps #5, and I am not sure how to discuss Netanyahu’s politics without noting that he practically never refers to the Israeli people except in terms of Jewish nationality that excludes Israeli Palestinian citizens.
In other words the term Israeli people is misleading because a Palestinian can hold Israeli citizenship but there is no Israeli nationality per se in Israeli law.
I discuss terminological issues in Makdisi Overlooks US Journalistic Nazification.
When Joachim’s comments violate my rules I tell him so. If you note any comment of his that does so let me know.
Martillo's posts here may appear bland enough, he is an antisemite, as may be seen by visiting his website, which he regularly advertises in the course of Tikun Olam comment thread. Not only does Martillo deny the existance of the Israeli people, which he himself acknowledges is a violation of this websites rule #5, he denies the existance of a Jewish people (klal yisroel) with a common heritage that dates back to Biblical times. Who but an antisemite would assign Jews major responsibility for bringing about the Holocaust, as Martillo does? And while this website often denies those it deems “right-wing,” that is unabashedly pro-Israel, the opportunity to link to that which would bolster their cases, Tikun Olam allows Martillo to link to his fount of antisemitism.
Actually, I don't know that any of this is true nor do my readers because Martillo has never written anything along those lines here. And he knows that he cannot. My comment rules govern how people behave at THIS website, not what they write anywhere else on the internet. I'm not the internet police. I monitor my own site & keep it clear of hate & ignorance (though I note you are here which is an exception).
If you persist in this argument, you run the risk of losing yr comment privileges (again).
[comment deleted because you’re just too damn annoying & you’ve beaten the subject like a dead horse]