Severed pig head rolled into mosque...

[crazyronin]

From the state that brought you a guy try to crucify himself and a mom who helped her daughter make Ex-Lax cookies for the daughter's teacher, now brings you this moran...

Originally Posted by Boston.com

Severed pig's head thrown into mosque during prayer session

July 4, 2006

LEWISTON, Maine --A group of Muslim men praying at a Lewiston mosque were thrown for a jolt when somebody threw a severed pig's head into the mosque. Police arrested a man on Tuesday who said he thought it was a joke.

A frozen pig's head slightly larger than a basketball was rolled into the Lewiston Auburn Islamic Center on Lisbon Street at about 10:15 p.m. Monday, witnesses told the Sun Journal of Lewiston.

Pigs are considered unclean by Muslims, who are barred from eating pork, and the act was viewed as a deliberate insult upon the religion.

"We cannot eat it. We cannot even sit next to someone who is eating it," said a man who identified himself as Omar S.

When the incident occurred, about 40 men were bowed down as part of their prayer ritual. When the pig's head rolled in, the men got up and ran outside but were unable to locate anyone. None of the men were hit by the animal head.

Lewiston police bagged the head as evidence and took it to the police station, witnesses said. Police Lt. Mark Watson said the head was then disposed of.

Brent Matthews, 33, of Lewiston, came to the police department on Tuesday, told a detective he had thrown the head and was charged with desecration of a church, a misdemeanor. The charge is considered a hate-bias crime, so Matthews' case will be referred to the Attorney General's office for further investigation, Lt. Don Mailhot said.

Matthews, who was out on bail, "admitted to doing it," Mailhot said. "He thought it was funny; it was going to be a big joke. The police department doesn't anything like that lightly."

article

[Lord Rick]

Did he at least get the 7-10 split?

[NatrlBornThrllr]

Originally Posted by crazyronin

From the state that brought you a guy try to crucify himself and a mom who helped her daughter make Ex-Lax cookies for the daughter's teacher, now brings you this moran...



article

Yeah, what a moran. I loathe moranic people.

[darkside]

Please, a hate crime? Its a ill advised prank and he should be charged for it and made to answer for it, but its hardly a hate crime. No one was really hurt in any way. Funny how I see the term hate crime thrown around so quickly in this country unless its a white kid getting his ass stomped by a black kid. That is just an unfortunate misunderstanding.

[Vibiana]

Isn't that sorta like in the Godfather where the guy woke up next to his racehorse's head?

[The Bus]

In related news, a major setpiece in the Lewiston Community Theatre's production of Lord of the Flies: The Musical has been reported stolen.

[Cusm]

Originally Posted by NatrlBornThrllr

Yeah, what a moran. I loathe moranic people.

Like Gold Edition Members that miss one of the oldest jokes in Otter.

[McHawkson]

Originally Posted by darkside

Please, a hate crime? Its a ill advised prank and he should be charged for it and made to answer for it, but its hardly a hate crime. No one was really hurt in any way. Funny how I see the term hate crime thrown around so quickly in this country unless its a white kid getting his ass stomped by a black kid. That is just an unfortunate misunderstanding.

Pigs are considered unclean by Muslims, who are barred from eating pork, and the act was viewed as a deliberate insult upon the religion.

That's where they considered it as "hate crime"...

[maxfisher]

I disagree with hate crime laws entirely, but given that the stupid things exist, I can see why this would be charged as one. If someone broke into a Catholic church and glued a dildo and devil's horns to a statue of Jesus, they'd get charged with the same thing.

[VinVega]

Originally Posted by darkside

Please, a hate crime? Its a ill advised prank and he should be charged for it and made to answer for it, but its hardly a hate crime. No one was really hurt in any way. Funny how I see the term hate crime thrown around so quickly in this country unless its a white kid getting his ass stomped by a black kid. That is just an unfortunate misunderstanding.

I think the concept of a stronger penalty for "hate crimes" is stupid, but by the hate crimes standard, this looks like it fits the bill.

[xmiyux]

I absolutely see this as a hate crime. Whether the category of hate crimes is fair or needed is a different argument entirely.

[Nazgul]

Originally Posted by maxfisher

If someone broke into a Catholic church and glued a dildo and devil's horns to a statue of Jesus, they'd get charged with the same thing.

You're joking, right? I think they'd be lauded as a hero.

[crazyronin]

Originally Posted by Nazgul

You're joking, right? I think they'd be lauded as a hero.

Or instantly awarded an NEA grant.

[kvrdave]

Originally Posted by xmiyux

I absolutely see this as a hate crime. Whether the category of hate crimes is fair or needed is a different argument entirely.

If it were a hate crime, I doubt the guy would have turned himself in and made it public who he is. Just because something is offensive, doesn't mean it was "hatefully" committed. Guy just probably isn't real smart.

But they'll put a peaceful, loving fatwah on his ass now that we know who he is.

[xmiyux]

Originally Posted by kvrdave

If it were a hate crime, I doubt the guy would have turned himself in and made it public who he is. Just because something is offensive, doesn't mean it was "hatefully" committed. Guy just probably isn't real smart.

But they'll put a peaceful, loving fatwah on his ass now that we know who he is.

That is a rational response but doesn't the law declare it a hate crime if it is determined to be based on a list of certain things (religion being one of them)? If that is the case then it would be a hate crime. And like i said earlier whether the hate crime designation is fair or not is something else entirely.

As a personal note i think something like this is stronger than just a practical joke because it is something easily known as being very very against the religion.

[SeekOnce]

Originally Posted by xmiyux

As a personal note i think something like this is stronger than just a practical joke because it is something easily known as being very very against the religion.

I have to agree. Although admittingly there's a chance this guy just didn't know any better, the use of a pig seems just a bit too coincidental for it to be unintentional considering the recipients of his joke.

[kvrdave]

Originally Posted by xmiyux

That is a rational response but doesn't the law declare it a hate crime if it is determined to be based on a list of certain things (religion being one of them)?

Probably, which is all the more reason why it is a stupid thing. It let's people make checks on a checklist, and based on that decide the motivation behind something.

[Vibiana]

Originally Posted by maxfisher

I disagree with hate crime laws entirely, but given that the stupid things exist, I can see why this would be charged as one. If someone broke into a Catholic church and glued a dildo and devil's horns to a statue of Jesus, they'd get charged with the same thing.

And asked where they were when they remade "The Exorcist."

[mrpayroll]

Originally Posted by Nazgul

You're joking, right? I think they'd be lauded as a hero.

It's sad to think that a person would think this way!

Chris

[resinrats]

Guess people think it is fine to insault Christianity but if any one says anything about Mulims/Islam, you might as well be Hitler clubbing kittens.

[xmiyux]

Where has anyone said in the thread that it is fine to insult Christianity? Other than Nazgul perhaps?

[mrpayroll]

Originally Posted by xmiyux

Where has anyone said in the thread that it is fine to insult Christianity? Other than Nazgul perhaps?

And maxfisher!

And if this had happened at a Christian church, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to insult someone else's religion. There is no reason for that.

And for the record, this is most definitely a hate crime. This person knew the significance of pigs to Muslims and probably Jews and went out of his way to get the pigs head.

Stupid? Most definitely, Yes
Hate? Yes
Prison? No
1000 hours community service to the Muslim community? Yes

Chris

[maxfisher]

Originally Posted by mrpayroll

And maxfisher!

And if this had happened at a Christian church, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to insult someone else's religion. There is no reason for that.

And for the record, this is most definitely a hate crime. This person knew the significance of pigs to Muslims and probably Jews and went out of his way to get the pigs head.

Stupid? Most definitely, Yes
Hate? Yes
Prison? No
1000 hours community service to the Muslim community? Yes

Chris

Whoa, whoa, whoa... Where in the world did I insult someone else's religion? I was merely pointing out it was an intentional act of desecration and blasphemy and mentioned what an equivalent crime against a Christian church might consist of. If we were talking about a race hate crime and someone had spray painted 'Die Ni**er Die' on someone's house, I wouldn't expect to be accused of being a racist for pointing out that spray painting 'Die Cracker Die' would be an equivalent crime.

[nodeerforamonth]

And there's no 3 months of rioting?

I don't believe this story.

[mrpayroll]

Originally Posted by maxfisher

Whoa, whoa, whoa... Where in the world did I insult someone else's religion? I was merely pointing out it was an intentional act of desecration and blasphemy and mentioned what an equivalent crime against a Christian church might consist of. If we were talking about a race hate crime and someone had spray painted 'Die Ni**er Die' on someone's house, I wouldn't expect to be accused of being a racist for pointing out that spray painting 'Die Cracker Die' would be an equivalent crime.

My point is, why even bring Jesus Christ into the discussion this way?

If someone broke into a Catholic church and glued a dildo and devil's horns to a statue of Jesus

What did he ever do to hurt you?

When bringing him into the discussion, it should be for the reason that he would have condemned this sort of thing. Jesus was all about getting right with The Father.

Chris