Bloke’s an American Muslim. He was so incensed by the Israeli arrogant unfettered atrocities in Lebanon that he went to the offices of the Jewish Federation in Seattle, and started shooting, killing one person and injuring at least five others.
Then he gave himself for arrest without a struggle.
The Jewish Federation was one of the sponsors of a rally this week in support of Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Federation officers started to close the stable doors after the horse had bolted. They have increased security at the city's synagogues and buildings used by Jewish organisations. Police wisely increased security at the city's mosques to prevent possible attacks in retaliation for the shooting.
Seattle's Mayor, Greg Nickels, said the attack was a purposeful, hateful act as far we know, by an individual acting alone. He averred "This is a crime of hate."
Of course it was a crime of hate, and a sinful killing of an innocent.
But I wonder what the Mayors of several Lebanese cities and towns would say about the shooting and killing of hundreds of innocent Lebanese citizens by the Israelis?
That's how hate spreads.
The "bloke" was on meds for being bipolar, had a charge against him for exposing himself in a shopping mall, and generally wasn't doing too well mentally. There was nothing rational about what he did. Shooting 6 women (one of them was 5 months pregnant) who work for an American Jewish version of the United Way makes less than no sense.
ReplyDeleteI want the Israeli government to stop its attacks on the civilians of Lebanon -- they are atrocious. But at the same time, Hezbollah IS a problem for Israelis. What's the solution? Not this war, but things aren't going to be all fuzzy bunnies and hot cocoa anytime soon.
I don't think the violence in Seattle is excusable for any reason, nor should it be. The main thing it says to me is that violence begets more violence. It seems that in the last 5 years, since the Bush administration started all of its wars, the level of violent attacks in the world has risen sharply. The more we try to ensure our safety with violence, the less safe we get.
At least the Mayor of Seattle was sensible enough to say that the killer acted alone. If the bastard who did the killing had been a Jew or Christian and the person killed a Muslim will Muslims be as sensible as the Mayor of Seattle given the same scenario in Seattle.
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt it.