On Friday, August 7, 2009, Mohamed Shojaeifard, a 49-year-old Iranian scientist, estranged from his 40-year-old Bangladeshi physician wife, Haleh Mohseni for more than a year, shot her in the abdomen. Shojaeifard did not stop there. He also shot and killed Mohseni’s 65-year-old mother, Batool Biraman—and his own 17 year-old daughter, Mandana, who had just graduated from Roslyn High School and was planning to attend SUNY at New Paltz.
And then he shot and killed himself.
By now, I have read about forty different accounts of the crime which have been repeated 18,300 times on Google. Not a single media account has mentioned this crime as potentially related in any way to culture, ethnicity, religion, immigration, or assimilation. No one raised the possibility that we might be looking at an honor killing of sorts.
In some ways it is a classic honor killing. Shojaiefard was known to have “stalked” his daughter Mandana. “He did not allow her to attend her prom.” According to a neighbor, Shojaiefard “was really violent and kept the mother and daughter as prisoners. The daughter was scared to go to school sometimes because she came covered in bruises. He moved four blocks away, but he drove by all the time, stalking them. It was creepy.”
Most instances of western-style domestic femicide do not often involve a father killing a teenage daughter, especially one whose “honor” he has guarded so zealously or whom he has physically abused. For example, about twelve hours later on the very same day, but clear across the country, in Oildale, California, Robert Dale Fuller, 56, murdered his wife, Annette Sowders-Fuller, 45, and his mother-in-law, Sharon Sue Cannon, 69. But he did not kill his two young daughters, ages five and eight. Nor did he kill himself.
On the other hand, classic honor killings are a family conspiracy and usually involve several family members. Shojaeifard seemingly acted alone. And, he killed himself as well. Most honor killers do not do kill themselves. They do not feel they have done anything wrong; in fact, they believe they have done precisely the right thing.
Just like American-Pakistani born Nawaz Ahmed, who slit his wife’s throat and for good measure, that of her father, sister, and sister’s young child in Ohio in 1999, and Muzammil Hassan, who beheaded his wife in New York in 2009, Shojaeifard was a successful professional, a scientist, an educated man. (Oddly, the list of his academic publications have gone missing in the last 24 hours. From my notes: He is/was listed as a faculty member of Iran University, Science and Technology, and published many academic papers in the area of automotive engineering such as “Thermal Contact Analysis Using Identification Method.”)
Poverty, starvation, having to drive a bus or a taxi for the rest of their days, did not drive these men to kill their wives, mothers-in-law or daughter.
True, these men might have suffered from a psychiatric disorder, refused to take medication, or were driven to violence by medication. Somehow I doubt this. In my view, these men may all have been culturally programmed to torment, beat, and even kill any close female relative who flouted their authority, even in a minor way. The wives in these three cases had all moved for divorce; they had moved out of the home (Bhatti and Mohseni) or had their husband evicted (Aasiya Z. Hassan.) Mandana Shojaeifard attended a mixed-gender public High School and was leaving, not only her father, but her mother too, to live alone and independently at college.
“Thermal Contact Analysis Using Identification Method.”
Muslim doctrine seems inherently anti-intellectual. One is considered something of a scum bag if they get an education. A man who has become a hard scientist is somehow giving God the proverbial middle finger by studying subjects such as “thermal contact analysis.” This individual now feels dirty and disgusting. They are inclined to go out of their way to prove their true believer status in other areas of their life.
Your comments should be brought to the attention of the District Attorney’s Office and the FBI – this should be treated as the hate crime it is.
If anyone has read about this in print media or seen it reported on radio or TV, please let me know. As Phyllis notes, this crime and others like it are almost never reported in the media as “honor killings” or as involving muslims. I think it is a fair presumption that killings by Muslim men (I havent heard about any by muslim women yet, showing how intimidated and enslaved muslim women are) that involve only female relatives are “honor” killings and nothing else.
Of course the motivation, as always, is hatred of women, period, and the belief by muslim men that women are essentially worthless. Just as we are brought up to believe in our Constitution, and in equality and nonviolence, we need to understand that muslim culture (religion IS its culture and vice versa) inculcates misogyny, justifies murdering women, and puts family “honor” above family ties and the love for one’s children and spouse.
One need not exaggerate the notion of romantic love to realize that the evolutionary genetically programmed love for one’s own children has been entirely discarded. Furthermore, even though the killing of women is culturally determined, the killing of innocent women means that any tendency in women towards independence of thought and self-improvement is eliminated through the practice of honor killings…which of course is what the religion of islam INTENDS.
Thus, culturally embedded misogyny is reinforced and “rewarded” because the “honor” killer is then looked on with approval by fellow muslims as having fulfilled the mandate of the qu=ran. Imagine getting higher status from murdering your wife and daughter…..
Things are now hitting quite close to home all over North America. Law enforcement and journalists are walking on pins and needles lest they offend another’s culture. But these immigrants that we are welcoming to our shores need to understand that “cultures” and “language barriers” do not excuse or put their actions beyond the rule of law that has made the American experiment in democracy last as long as it has. Keep up your heroic and informative work.
Gee…where’s all the muslim MEN who usually show up defending their religion and their holy Quran???
….nothing but “cricket sounds”…
Cowards!!!
Nothing new here then. In the UK & in Europe “Honour Killings” are weekly events. Sometimes they are even referred to as such. However they are always adduced as as products of cultural norms imported in from Pakistan or wherever else these Muslims come from. Or alternatively the old potboiler of these murderers & psychos having a “misunderstanding” of Islam. Never, in the mainstream press are these murders explained as a direct product of the pedophile prophets teachings in the Koran, Suras & Hadiths. Islam is profoundly mysoginistic and any number of verses in it promote the mistreatment of women (and Kuffars in general). As your Muslim population rises be prepared for more of these events. Do not let what is happening in Eurabia happen in your great country !
Ah, you just gotta love that great religion of love, peace and tolerance-islam.
One problem with Muslim culture is the idea of arranged marriages to close relatives. No matter what they think, the intermarriage causes a decrease in mental capability. It won’t happen in every case, but over generations it’s quite obvious. I think it’s most evident in events such as these honor murders. There is no rational reason for killing a family member just because someone’s family ‘honor’ has been damaged in the eye of the murderer.
Honor killings of women are virtually unknown in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country. It is a different culture. These killings are generic to the middle-eastern region. And middle-eastern Christians are known to do it too.
I don’t even recognize the concept of a “hate” crime. Crimes are crimes.
It is absurd to call this an honor killing. Some wimp had his feeling hurt, so he killed someone. He merits scorn. He doesn’t know the meaning of honor. He is as honorable as the nut in Pittsburgh.
Ms. Chesler, another necessary piece of reasoning and documentation.
Applying the “rule of law” systematically in our urban areas is going to be difficult as long as multiculturalism is worshipped as an over-arching central principle that seems to be one of those goals that is permitted to dilute everything else.
Consider the difference between the “investigation” of the death of Michael Jackson with what you are describing:
They’re STILL throwing the term “manslaughter” around with re to Michael Jackson, the smoke is swirling, the public is anxiously awaiting full toxicology reports, published reports that are even tracking the location of his brain (last reported to have been returned to the family).
And then, in contrast, you point out that all of the thousands of reports in this case don’t even reference the likely (or, at the least, possible) cause of a multiple first degree murder.
Law enforcement are deer in the headlights and the multicultural public just holds its breath, “please don’t say anything bad about him…please let it just be a family dispute or if it’s not, let us pretend it is…we don’t want to be upset (or become responsible because of cultural knowledge)”….and the MSM, which loves to portray the details of a wacko fundamentalist Christian’s abuse of his family just pretends they don’t understand and the soft, violent fog descends.
Please keep doing what you’re doing.
If the conspiracy of silence and deliberate ignorance on the part of prosecutors and liberal dogooders ever lifts, your essays and investigative reporting will be part of the reason it does.
You dangerous nutbag! You live in a country in which every day there are brutal murders that have absolutely nothing to do with Islam. Even looking at the idiotic obsessive muslim hating websites dedicated to such things, I find mention of only two honor killings in America for the last two years. Honor killings are the worst of your problems, but you stupid wingnuts are quite content to watch your country go down in flames while you argue over the mythology you’ve created. Get out of your subdivision and walk around in the real world.
Here’s two murders just from this week in my area- ->
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/11/BASU197150.DTL&tsp=1
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime/ci_13030241
MoHo:
It is more then likely that you are some pampered little rich kid living off his parents then a worldly individual.
Dr. Chesler has traveled around the world and has interacted with far more cultures then you can find in your dorm room.
Moho…unfocused, generalized rage is really, really bad for your health.
The one in Buffalo a few months ago disappeared from the news completely.
Also I googled the Muslims dancing in the street in Patterson New Jersey after 9/11 and every link to those news articals is gone. INTERESTING ISN’T IT?
Jerry
I seriously doubt that.
moho:
Another programmed answer by a Obamnation affiliated troll.
You short comment reminds me of an exchange I had with another effete liberal who made a snide remark about my lack of a passport. Unfortunately for him I happenned to have my passport with me and I enjoyed watching him turn red with embarassment when he saw that the book was filled with visa stamps from Europe, Asia and Australia.
Dr. Chesler is well, well traveled academic. She has met and interacted with women from all over the world. You should temper your rhetoric. It might improve your marketability.
Moho’s getting ever less convincing — because he is being convinced even as he attempts weak argument against the incontrovertable. Poor baby. Just leave him alone.
It would appear that #14 moho feels that he needs to teach us about a “walk around in the real world”.
Child (I envision you as being quite young or simply unintelligent….I give you the benefit of the doubt), no one here is saying anything about other brutal murders. Of course there are many terrible crimes perpetrated that have nothing to do with islam.
Why can’t you admit one crime that DOES have everything to do with it. I’ll tell you why; Because it interferes with your totally warped worldview. Idiot.
Actually, I’m glad Moho came on here and made his “point” and defended “honor killings” with his “2 wrongs make a right” logic…
It’s true…America is a violent country with random acts committed everyday…but here’s where “honor killings” are and should be held in a “HIGHER” contempt (if that is possible) for the simple reason that they are so abhorrent and repugnent to our culture and the values of a “civilized” (again, as much as possible) society.
Honor killings are ALWAYS done by a MALE family member (usually the father) against the female member who (in any rational world view!) they are SUPPOSED to LOVE and PROTECT. That their MALE EGO and pride has been so injured and defiled that it requires the PERMANENT snuffing out of the life of their female child, wife, mother-in-law, etc., is so diametrically OUT THERE and INSANE is what makes this type of crime so demanding of SPECIAL CONDEMNATION!
Why don’t we ever see MALE members of a family killed for “honor”????
Not that it would make it any less vile and evil if we did…but it goes to the point of how this is rooted deep within the culture, and ultimately the RELIGION of the mysoginistic Muslim world. Yes, and I agree…not ALL the Muslim world, as in Indonesia (where the matriarcal family position is held in higher regard), but let’s not be fooled by what is behind the “Arab” or “Pakistani” or “Kurdish” or other culture’s version of honor killings…the Quran and Hadith!!!
So while America has it’s problems with random “acts of violence”, these UNRANDOM ACTS OF VILENESS deserve a special place in what is truly the INHUMAN HALL OF SHAME!
For another ridiculous example (in a country “tolerant” of such vile MIS-behavior) take a look at Jordan, where a father has killed his daughter for the “crime” of being raped! You can’t make this stuff up…
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25918222-12377,00.html
Mojo, it always helps to prove how right you are if you wave your arms and jump up and down and scream a lot.
I have to say I disagree with the main tenet of your article, the idea that such a killing is an “honor killing”. To my way of understanding, an honor killing usually involves a family, and they do away with an individual woman, typically because she does something romantic without the family’s permission, e.g. date a boyfriend, have sex, get married, etc. The perpetrators are typically *not* single men who are divorced from one of the victims (often the victim is a daughter or sister) and the perpetrator usually doesn’t commit suicide after his crime. Instead, he’s usually surprised when he’s arrested, because he was defending his family’s honor, and that’s a cultural imperative where he comes from.
While “honor killings” as I’ve described them above are pretty much restricted to the Arab world, ex-wives and ex-husbands killing one another aren’t at all uncommon in the rest of the world. My mother worked with a guy, 35 years ago, who shot his ex-wife and several of her new boyfriend’s relatives at a party. The shooter was Italian-American and (nominally) Catholic. No one would call *that* an “honor killing” though the motive was certainly pretty similar to the one you cited.
One of your posters suggested that your information be passed on to the local District Attorneys. What are they going to do with it, once they get it? Judge Roy Bean aside (he supposedly once fined a dead man for carrying a concealed derringer) you can’t really prosecute a dead guy…and the guy shot himself after killing the women. People need to maintain some perspective here.
My god, you people were really lonely around here. I made one comment, and its all you’ve been talking about all day. What a bunch of losers.
MoHo where can we talk more about your beliefs. Maybe you can enlighten us all. We are all curious to find out why Honor killing is Ok with Islam. Please help us.
Thanks and praise be to the pedeofile HamBone. Pieces of Azz be upon him.
Phyllis, as long as the bigotry of lowered expectations is applied to the Sons of Allah, or China, we will see more of this.
To MoHo and others like him murder is OK because others have done it. When you are in a religion that teaches hate the logic of MoHo shows up.
Mohamed enjoyed murder, and rape. One should follow Mohamed. Right MoHo?
Article: <>
My Opinion is that Islam is first of all a Matter of Slavism, mixed with Mysoginy and (masculine) Pedo”philia”, which means: Society is made like a Pyramid, and at the Top there are Muslims, while all Others must serve them. Looking at it better, at the very Top there are Muslim Men, while Women have to serve them. What about Elderlies and Children? Elderly Men are served, Elderly Women are Servants. Children males either serve Men or are served by Women/Females, Children females serve. Islamic Mentality will never change since it is not based on Religion, it is based on Slavism, and ’till People (Muslim Men first) go on willing to be servded instead of becoming independant and – why not – serving Others (it is an Attitude), Things will remain the same in so called “Islamic World”. The Bull Sh*** of Religion is a very “good” Excuse (from ‘em) to justify their Slavism ….
Comment by Lorna Salzman: <>
It happened to me to make a similar Comment on a Forum, and do you know what I got as Answer: “No no no! We are not inciting Women to kill Men!”. I think that this is the Attitude which keeps Things running the Way they are, which means, with Women being oppressed by Men, FIRST OF ALL MENTALLY. We have to be brave enough to mentally imagine how Things would be, if Things were switched. This mean: if Women were allowed to kill Men due to Honor Matters? If Women were allowed to marry 4 and have Concubines (and Men just one)? If Men had to be Virgin and Young, and then mandatory step into an arranged Marriage, in Order to serve Women, possibly older and probably no more Vergin, and rise their common Children, and serve their Parents-in-Law, never complaining at all? (And so on. I stop here because I feel encaged just by thinking about those Slavist Rules! Which truly exist, but whose Victims are Women/Females!).
I mean, I think you got the Point: here it is a Matter of exercising our Minds to so called “Golden Rule” (which is practically unexistant in Islam: neither between Gender, not at an inter-religious Level, not even at a racial and ethnic Level). It is a Matter of imagining “how Things would be if they were switched?”. I think Everyone, at that Point, will realize that “in Islam – at the Moment – there is Something wrong”, that “Islam is unfair and unjust”, that “Blasphemy is calling Islam a Religion”, that “Islamic Peace is the Pace of the Grave”, and so on.
Thank you Mrs. Chesler for all your precious, informative Job and your reliable Knowledge – Fruit of Experience and direct Researches -, and for Heart and Wisedom.
Look I have to agree with David N and Free Quark. This does not feel like a honour killing, it reads exactly like one of the far too many brutal family murders by disgruntled men. It is not uncommon sadly for men of many cultures to feel like they own their families and all studies prove that the most dangerous time is just after the women manage to leave these creeps. Honor killings like the one in Jordan in the last few days are a different and abominable crime that is not exclusive to middle eastern islam but is hightened in so called “honor” cultures. Even fairly modern countries like Turkey have examples of it amongst Christians Copts and Muslims, and in india it is known to happen in budhist families. It more about extreme patriachy and violence against women. I am NOT saying that fundamentalist muslims are not a cause of honor killings. I AM saying that fundamentalist religious morons and backwards members of extreme honor cultures are to blame.
16-Year-Old Rape Victim Shot 8 Times to ‘Cleanse’ Family Honor
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25918222-5012764,00.html
In a perfect world ALL men involved in “honor killings” would kill themselves.
One can wish…
In “The Divine Comedy” Dante refers to the “virtuous unbaptized” (depending on the translation). In Israel, there is a list of “Righteous Gentiles”. But, according to the “Sons of Allah” there are none righteous but Muslims.
Newer isn’t always better.
Let’s see the “Sons of Allah” get around that.
The reason I don’t think it was an honor killing is he killed himself. That doesn’t fit the pattern, where “normally,” the animal spares himself, restores his “honor” and gets to strut around some more awaiting his next female victims who didn’t do his bidding. After all, with these beasts, men and boys are worthy of life, women and girls, not so much. So even by the standards of his crazy brethren, he was insane.
What the young girl in Ohio who fled her parents to escape death because she converted to Christianity needs are expert witnesses who can go up and testify her fears are quite real. We have a chance to save a life here-don’t blow it.
The so-called Christian group that “converted” this young girl is nothing more than a cult. She should be de-programmed and returned to her parents…..or this is an elaborate scheme to stay in the US and get fast easy citizenship.
this is uncalled for
HONOR KILLING ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! I dont know anything about this website and I dont know who wrote this crap. But what I do know is the family and I know them very well and I can tell you that your a fool and you know nothing about what happened. Dont make assumptions about peoples lives. The guy was nuts from the begining. He was a sick person. There are killings like this going on all over the country and you sit there and pick out the muslims to talk about? Hmmmm…if you actually sit there and look at all these killings how many are gonna be Muslim compared to Christians and Catholics….The guy was a sick person and has changed lives of many. Do honor killings happen yes was this a honor killing NO. Just a sick sick person.