The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
Last week, I read about the absolutely horrific beating of an Iraqi-American mother of five. Only 32 years old, she was found clinging to life with a note next to her body that called her a terrorist and told her to go home to her country.
The media ran with it and activists responded heavily. Linking Alawadi's murder to Trayvon Martin's death, there was a #hoodiesandhijabs campaign on Twitter and solidarity marches at campuses around the country. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands of stories with headlines such as this one from the Daily Mail:
‘One Million Hijabs for Shaima:’ Women worldwide of all faiths post pictures of themselves in headscarves after race hate murder
Reuters ran a story headlined:
Iraqi-American murder highlights anti-Muslim hate crimes
The Daily Beast had it's piece billed as:
Shaima Alawadi’s Brutal Murder Highlights Anti-Muslim Activity in San Diego
The young mother’s killing is the latest in a disturbing increase in anti-Muslim incidents in and around San Diego. Community leaders are asking why, writes Jamie Reno.
I had critiqued these articles over at GetReligion. (See, for example, How to cover a hate crime, Reporting the hate in hate crimes, and A hate-filled non-hate crime?) I argued that journalists should wait for those pesky facts before jumping to conclusions and, further, that skepticism might be called forin the case of a clear-cut hate crime confession note.
Here's the latest from the San Diego Union-Tribune:
Shaima Alawadi, a 32-year-old mother of five, was apparently planning to divorce her husband and move to Texas when she was killed, a family member told investigators, according to the court documents.
The records obtained at El Cajon Superior Court also reveal Alawadi’s 17-year-old daughter, Fatima Alhimidi, who called 911 to report the attack, was distraught over her pending arranged marriage to a cousin.
A search of Fatima’s cellphone records shows that while she was being interviewed by investigators hours after the attack, someone sent the teen a text message that read, “The detective will find out tell them (can’t) talk,” the affidavit states.
I am curious whether all the activists who thought Alawadi's death had far-reaching consequences and meaning when it was a "hate crime" will think the same if it turns out to be related to a forced marriage or issues of honor. Time will tell.
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Feb '11
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
I am curious whether all the activists who thought Alawadi's death had far-reaching consequences and meaning when it was a "hate crime" will think the same if it turns out to be related to a forced marriage or issues of honor. Time will tell. · · 4 minutes ago
We know they won't. The only question is, which is the true story - hate crime or family crime
Jul '11
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
The activists will not care and move on to the next victim to raise up for their own selfish reasons.
Jun '10
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
It never matters what the facts are to the MSM. Only the narrative matters. Any and all violence against minorities is automatically assumed to be racist, bigoted, or homophobic. The United States is guilty of original sin, except the stain is permanent. We can only grovel before the altar of political correctness in perpetuity, and surrender our national wealth to their high priests for redistribution. The "narrative" like any cult is not subject to reason.
Dec '10
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
Mollie,
This is huge. The total unreality of the MSM and Academia's attitude to Islam is all packaged here. Desperate for validation of their confused ideas they jump on a story they hope will confirm it. The reality is obvious to those truly familiar with Islam's real attitudes towards women.
In 2009 somebody I know made a joke about Obama's book title. He called it "The Audacity of Stupidity". Here we go again.
Regards,
Jim
Oct '10
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
No need to say anything. We all know where this is headed... into oblivion.
Jul '11
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
My money is on honor/arranged marriage as a motivating factor. Many people forget that San Diego has an unusually active 'Conservative' (for lack of a better term) Muslim community. Given the number of 9/11 hijackers and plotters who passed through San Diego Mosques, I would not be surprised if the killer he was radicalized locally.
Very sad, very sad indeed.
Dec '10
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
The odds of this being a hate crime are very small. The number of fatal anti-Muslim or anti-Arab hate crimes in the USA is very, very low. On the other hand, the best way to cover up a crime of passion or of "honor" against a Muslim woman is to plant a note suggesting a hate crime. If the latter happened in this case, one wonders if the murderer planned far enough ahead to prepare a note outside the house, or simply panicked and used a pen and paper from inside the house.
Feb '11
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
But...but...she's wearing a hoodie...doesn't that mean anything to the MSM?
Mar '12
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
J.Voss: My money is on honor/arranged marriage as a motivating factor. Many people forget that San Diego has an unusually active 'Conservative' (for lack of a better term) Muslim community. Given the number of 9/11 hijackers and plotters who passed through San Diego Mosques, I would not be surprised if the killer he was radicalized locally.
Very sad, very sad indeed. · 2 hours ago
The woman was 32 when she died, with a 17 year old. If there's not a misplaced "step" before "daughter," do the math and consider the implications. Chilling.
Jul '11
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
Madcap
J.Voss: My money is on honor/arranged marriage as a motivating factor. Many people forget that San Diego has an unusually active 'Conservative' (for lack of a better term) Muslim community. Given the number of 9/11 hijackers and plotters who passed through San Diego Mosques, I would not be surprised if the killer he was radicalized locally.
Very sad, very sad indeed. · 2 hours ago
The woman was 32 when she died, with a 17 year old. If there's not a misplaced "step" before "daughter," do the math and consider the implications. Chilling. · 47 minutes ago
And here I thought they only violated boys.
We are headed for some unpleasantness with this culture on a scale that will dwarf our current wars.
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
Madcap
The woman was 32 when she died, with a 17 year old. If there's not a misplaced "step" before "daughter," do the math and consider the implications. Chilling. · 2 hours ago
I don't find it chilling. My dad was born to a 16-year-old mother. Barack Obama was born to a 17-year-old mother. Historically speaking, having a teenage mom is not really that big of a deal.
I mean, it *could* indicate a problem, but I don't think it does necessarily.
Mar '12
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
I don't find it chilling. My dad was born to a 16-year-old mother. Barack Obama was born to a 17-year-old mother. Historically speaking, having a teenage mom is not really that big of a deal.
She wouldn't have been a 16 or 17 year old mother; she would have been 15, which most of the time would require getting pregnant at 14. Given the cultural context, I think it's reasonable to assume an arranged marriage where the girl had relatively little choice about the matter.
It's not early marriage and childbearing that's necessarily a problem. It's a combination of early childbearing and marriage in a culture that relies on arranged matches and disdains female autonomy, with a pattern that seems to be repeating itself with her daughter. A young woman having a child in her teens, or marrying at that age in America lacks the same context.
ETA: Her husband also looks significantly older than his thirties, though I can't find a specific age. That's another flag.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-31/Shaima-Alawadi-killed/53906558/1
Edited on April 5, 2012 at 10:35pmDec '10
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
About 15 years ago, I hired a Pakistani fellow as an IT specialist. He turned out to be professionally below average, and very difficult to work with. After numerous Human Resources issues, I was authorized to fire him, and I did.
Eighteen months later, I came into work one morning to find out that the local news (which I never listen to) included the fact that he'd been arrested at LaGuardia (I think) airport, while trying to flee back to Pakistan with his two sons.
He was charged with murdering his wife (a physician, who wanted a divorce), his father in law, his sister in law, and his three year old niece. He's currently on Death Row.
I worked with him every day for almost three years. It was very clear, from quite early on, that reporting to a woman was anathema to him.
His behavior became increasingly bizarre and accusative, until it was time for him to go.
I grew up in Northern Nigeria, among Muslims. I loved them. Someday, I'll write about that.
Oct '10
Re: The Plot Of Alawadi's Murder Thickens
Oops, the NYT did it again...