DADvocate

Classifying a juvenile prank as a "hate crime" goes over the limit.

On April 11, a white student placed a ham steak in a bag on a lunch table where Somali students were eating. Muslims consider pork unclean and offensive.

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Placing ham where Muslim students were eating was "an awful thing," said Stephen Wessler, executive director of the Center for Prevention of Hate Violence. "It's extraordinarily hurtful and degrading" to Muslims, whose religion prohibits them from being around ham. It's important to respond swiftly, Wessler said.

"Incidents like this that involve degrading language or conduct are often said by the perpetrator as a joke. I know that conduct is never static," he said. "It's part of a process of escalation."

Certainly, this prank deserves repercussions, but not as heavy handed as are being dealt. Mr. Wessler overstates his case when he claims it is "part of a process of escalation." Reading the article the complaining Somali student's words seem rehearsed. His (or maybe Mr. Wessler's) thoughts seem to well defined for a middle school student.

One thing is for certain, these words will become even more true due to the heavy-handed, totalitarian approach of the principal and Mr. Wessler, "At the school the next day, I didn't feel safe. I felt like everybody was against me. Before I felt like I fit in, and everything was normal."

Indeed, taking heavy handed approaches, such as used by the principal and advocated by Mr. Wessler, to inappropriate pranks increase the likely hood of increase violence in the future. Somali students are given the message that they deserve special treatment, that their rights supersede those of non-Somalis. What happens if they don't get the special treatment they have been taught they deserve? The paranoia in the "didn't feel safe" statement could be the beginning of "a process of escalation" that ends in violence.

The way this incident has been handled is not good for either party.

Anyone with a simple understanding of human nature would realize that. Apparently Mr. Wessler and the principal have a poor understanding of human nature or believe that ramming their "values" down others throats is perfectly acceptable. Their approach will do more harm than good. Friends of the disciplined boys will harbor bad feelings towards the Somalis, the principal and others, as will many parents.

Christ realized this. Thus the teachings of turn the other cheek, walk a mile in their shoes, and love your enemies. None of us are perfect Christians but it is good advice for many situations, including this one, none the less.

But, of course, many left wing radicals ridicule Christianity and despise it. Yet, they seem to love the religion that degrades women and has no respect for other religions.

According to Aafaq, the dean of student affairs at American International University, Abu Hamza Hijji, responded, writing that Allah the Most Merciful forbids praying for mercy for the non-Muslim dead, or even for the non-Muslim living,...

More here at Dhimmi Watch.