Yesterday I posted a piece at FOX about the mainstream media’s extensive coverage of honor killings—but only if they are committed by Hindus and in faraway India. These media outlets will not use the word “honor killing” and “Muslim” or “honor killing” and “Islam” in the same sentence. For example, over this past weekend, the New York Times, no longer the Paper of Record, ran a front page article about a Hindu caste-related honor killing in Koderma, India.
The murdered young woman, Nirupama Pathak, a journalist, was a Brahmin, considered the highest caste; for more than a year, she was secretly engaged to a “top” fellow student who belonged to the “middle upper caste.” Ms. Pathak was also secretly pregnant. For her, there was no going back. And, unlike the law in many Muslim countries, the Indian law was on her side: Despite tribal tradition, inter-caste marriages are specifically permitted. Poor Nirupama was found dead in her bedroom in her family home. The family told the police, variously, that she had either electrocuted or hung herself. They produced a suicide note. However, according to an autopsy, it seems she had been suffocated. Since only her mother had been at home with her, her mother was arrested.
As I have noted before, media coverage of honor killings in the Indian media and picked up by their counterparts in the West has erupted recently and it is very intense. I am not suggesting that such killings are not taking place. I am noting, with surprise, that coverage of them is both rather sudden and overwhelming. Who and what may behind this is another question. However, to their credit, the Indian police are swiftly making arrests, the Indian Prime Minister is calling for a cabinet-level commission to legislate and enforce harsher penalties for such honor killings. One does not see a similar concerted effort in Muslim countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, or in the disputed Palestinian territories.
This pattern of focusing on Hindu but not Muslim honor killings holds true for the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times as well. True, the mainstream/leftstream media will sometimes cover Muslim honor killings in North America but oh-so-sparingly, glancingly, nervously, carefully—if at all. The pieces will be short, written by a wire service, buried on an inside page, sometimes consigned to a brief item on their website. Whenever the subject of a Muslim honor killing (or act of terrorism) does see the light of print, experts are invariably gathered to pronounce that such murderous deeds have nothing to do with Islam, that westerners do “it” too, that madmen often behave in such ways, that Muslims are no more guilty than anyone else.
Today, three days after their weekend front page story about the Hindu honor killing, the Gray Lady again devotes five paragraphs to an editorial about the same Hindu honor killing in India; they cover the rest of the world in only two paragraphs. Lest we forget, the editors repeat the fact that the Indian case involved “Brahmin Hindus” whose “caste” consciousness is part of the “Hindu religion.” However, true to form, they do not mention the religion of any other “honor” or horror” killers in the places they list such as the Middle East, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, and Britain.
Amazingly, they do not even list honor killings in the United States, which are on the rise. But “Brazil?” Surely, they jest. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Brazilians are Catholics; 15% are Protestants; 7.4% are listed as having “no religion”; 2.2 % are Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, or Spiritists; .05 % are Jews; .02% are Muslims and .002% are Hindus.
Is the New York Times actually confusing a “passion” or “machismo” killing with an “honor” or “horror” killing? I have actually had this very argument with a feminist who is brilliant in her understanding of western-style domestic violence. Still, she believes that the Brazilian doctrine of “machismo,” in which a man kills his girlfriend or wife in a fit of jealous passion because she is sleeping with another man– is the same as an “honor killing.”
Say what? In my two studies about honor killing, I explain that an honor killing is a carefully planned murder, that many family members (mothers, fathers, brothers, uncles, grandfathers, cousins, sisters, etc.) collaborate in both the planning and in the murder, that a torturous death is frequent. This is very different than when a husband who flies into a jealous and murderous rage when he finds his wife in bed with another man.
Since publishing these academic studies and writing about individual cases, I get called more and more frequently by reporters who are doing stories about honor killings. I was just interviewed this past Sunday about this subject by Aaron Klein (a great interviewer) on the John Batchelor program—and by Rabbi Barbara Aiello on WGUL in Tampa. Yesterday, Canada’s National Post called me about a new, possible honor killing. I have appeared in National Review, FOX, USA Today, ABC News, Frontpage, Pajamas Media, NewsRealBlog, Montel Williams, and pretty much all over the internet, on the subject of honor killings. I am about to deliver a lecture in Aspen on this subject and will be in very good company: John Bolton, Charles Jacobs, Khaled Abu Toameh, Caroline Glick.
But guess what? Sometimes my statistics are used without being credited to me or to Middle East Quarterly at all—and by people who are using the statistics to fundraise for their various anti-Jihad and “Stop the Islamification of the Planet” campaigns. One can only hope that they will decide to do the right thing and simply cite their sources.
I am a girl. I dream.
North American Muslim Honor Killing Victims
Sarah and Amina Said (Texas, 2008)
Noor Almaleki (Arizona, 2009)
Aasiya Hassan (Buffalo, 2009)
Feroz Mangal and Khatera Sadiqi (Ottowa, 2006)
Aqsa Parvez (Toronto, 2007)
I remain in favor of “honor killings” of Moslem women and girls by Moslem families for a number of reasons.
First of all it reduces the number of Moslem women. Secondly it reduces the number of Moslem women available to procreate. As is well known, Moslem women tend to begin procreating at much earlier ages than non Moslem women, meaning that on average a Moslem woman will probably bear more children than a non Moslem woman. This directly improves Moslem demographics, which by the way, is how the Moslems intend to win their war against the West, not by force of arms, but by force of numbers.
Third, since the murders are carried out by Moslems, they cannot accuse the West of being in any way responsible.
Finally and most importantly “honor killings” are a horrific but absolutely necessary reminder to liberal Westerners of the savagery, hatred, irrationality, and unbridled cruelty so characteristic of Islam and it’s followers, male and female. I say male and female because distaff Moslems are just as likely to fully participate in the “honor killing” murder their female relatives as are the male family members.
I say let them kill each other off, and more power to ‘em.
Ken: Unfortunately, the women who are being killed are just the ones we DO NOT want murdered because they are the ones who refuse to submit to the idiocy of islam’s hatred of women. Perhaps your provocative statement was sarcastic, but in any event, we need to support these women and stop this evil so that they can have children who will REJECT islam’s evil ways.
Dear Simeon,
I used to feel that way too, that there were moderate Moslems and that exposure to modern thought and freedom would alter the innate savagery and blind hatred that so many Moslems feel and express towards us Jews.
Then I read what I thought was a joke, the one where the Moslem extremist is the one who threatens to kill you while the Moslem moderate is the one who explains why you deserve to die.
It’s not a joke. Just today a trusted Afghan soldier shot three of his British comrades to death, last year an American Army Major opened fire on a group of his comrades and left over a dozen dead and many other wounded, last year in New York a Moslem graduate student murdered his elderly Jewish mentor for being a Jew, in Montreal several years back, a Moslem man went into a university study hall, drew a gun, ordered all the men to leave, and then shot to death over a dozen innocent women, and don’t forget the two Moslem snipers who inflicted a reign of terror on the East Coast a few years back. The point is that even when some Moslems seem trustworthy and safe, that situation can change into a violent attack in an instant. In fine, if a Moslem father and mother can find it in their hearts to brutally murder their own daughter, sister, niece, or whatever, they will have even less trouble cutting your throat.
You cannot trust any of these people. If you personally choose to do so it’s okay with me, just let me know where to send the letter of condolence.
Ken Israel,
It is a war we’re fighting. And, as you so rightly point out, it’s a numbers game. If we’re not going to use our nuclear advantage, and we won’t as long as O’Bama’s in power, we might as well steal as many muslim women away form these creeps as we can, get them pregnant and influence them in western ways. Even if many of them grow up to be sluts and whores, as is likely in our culture, it’s better that they grow up in freedom than in slavery. I’ve had a vascectomy so I’m counting on young men like you.
Ken: Gotta disagree with you on this issue. We need Muslim women who have suffered at the hands of the men in their family, as well as others in it who backed these attacks, to join the side of freedom.
I interviewed many North Vietnamese and VC defectors in So. Vietnam during the war, as well as No. Vietnamese POWS in Cambodia and Cambodian prisoners of them who escaped. They provided very valuable information on a number of subjects, but especially the ex-VC who told us how they were recruite to the communist cause, and then, over time, how they saw thru the red lies and promises.
A genuine defector/survivor can say, from their heart and mind, what we can only say as outsiders, what real Communism or Islam is like.
We need to help these people survive and to spread the truth. They can be our best allies and are worth much more than a few hundred protestors from our side at some street rally.
Let their voices be heard, their scars shown, and their warnings delivered. They are are “Paul Reveres”. Heed their cry; heed their warnings; and then take up the political arms needed to repel our common enemies.
These women did not deserve to die.
Ken Besig Israel writes that honor murders “are a horrific but absolutely necessary reminder to liberal Westerners of the savagery, hatred, irrationality, and unbridled cruelty so characteristc of Islam and it’s [sic] followers.” No. Enemies of Israel will say that the murders are the result of the Israeli evil that drives poor Muslims to do these things.
Murder is murder. It’s wrong. Period. We don’t want to pretend it isn’t thinking that the world will sympathize with us. The world will never sympathize with us. As Irving Howe said, “In the warmest heart, there’s a cold spot for the Jew.”
Cruel societies have the highest rates of population growth. Humane societies have the lowest birth rates.
The NYTimes won’t write about honor murders among Muslims because it’s terrified that people will think it’s Jewish. However, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, who needn’t worry about being mistaken for Jews, wrote a book about women called HALF THE SKY which underreports honor murders in the world of Islam.
What a bunch of baloney…at least the excerpt you quote from the NYT does not pass the s… test as enunciated by Hemingway in that famous interview with George Plimpton.
“Despite tribal tradition, inter-caste marriages are specifically permitted”. The caste system in Indian is ancestral. You cannot equate it to “tribal tradition”. Actually, the “tribals” have more often than not been considered outside the 4 Jatis or castes, like the Dalits.
[A "top” fellow student] This implies that only the higher caste can be “top”, then the article continues “middle upper caste.”…what’s that? Kshatriya? Vaishya? Finally…”Poor Nirupama was found dead…”. Wow, not even “India 101″. Great “papier” this rag NYT, that M’Obama reads during breakfast.
Machismo is prevalent in all Latin America, not only Brazil. Spanish gypsies are also big at that. These machismo murders have nothing to do with “honor killings”, as we know them.
There are hundreds of other pages targeted to explain related info. But nowhere else I found it managed in such respectable manner.
Besides the Times’ long standing history of fearing to appear Jewish does it received Saudi money? Has anyone looked into sources of funds for mainstream media?
I’m not sure either that Ken Besig’s “rant” was satire or in earnest. If it was an attempt at humor, I don’t think it was funny. Simeon hits the nail on the head, however: “Unfortunately, the women who are being killed are just the ones we DO NOT want murdered because they are the ones who refuse to submit to the idiocy of Islam’s hatred of women.” This is true. These women exhibited an independence of mind and values, and should be protected, and, if too late to save them from their murdering, tribalists relatives (including their mothers), then those murderers should be brought to justice and awarded the full penalty of the law — barring the death penalty, locked in a jail cell for life with no fringe benefits (no phone calls, no computers, no prayer rug, no books, no chance to turn to “art” as Richard Speck and Charles Manson were allowed to do — in short, nada). They took a life, and they should forfeit their own. Simeon is right: such “wayward,” independent women are a threat to a creed that demands mindless obedience. And so they are killed. The danger in this country is that if American law enforcement and courts are afraid of prosecuting their killers, lest Islam be “offended,” then Sharia has established a beachhead in this country.
I object to Ken Besig Israel’s comments where he “supports” so-called “honor killings.” I stand in support of our unqualified, universal human rights – including the right to life – for all human beings.
I believe that there is a tenor of intolerance to those who are different that we must continue to challenge. Today, I have learned that the anti-Muslim group “Dove World Outreach” is promoting “International Burn a Koran” day. Such promotion of hate must not go without our objection, otherwise our argument in support of human rights will seem very weak.
I urge all to Choose Love, Not Hate – Love Wins.
[I urge all to Choose Love, Not Hate – Love Wins.]
Jeff, yes love at the end will win; however…a story…
Guru tells disciple everything is finally Brahman, the essence of which is Ananda, Love. Disciple is crossing a street, elephant with Mahout on top coming; Mahout tries to wave disciple away, disciple continues crossing street, elephant hits it and breaks his leg. Guru visits disciple in hospital. Disciple confused states elephant is also Brahman, love, should not hurt him. Guru answers: you failed to heed the advice of the Brahman Mahout.
So, there is a Lila here, a play. There is also Maya in the mind. In Lila, in Maya, evil is very real, so Hitler had to be fought with fire, thus Winston Churchill showed up.
On the other hand, the pusillanimity of Gandhi, yes the Mahatma full of love, gave way to much evil and millions dead, and yet more to come, to the partition of India, to the creation of Pakistan (which Osama Bin Laden calls the Pilar of Islam), when Gandhi, instead of following the advice of Sri Aurobindo and fight if needed to prevent partition, cowardly caved in to Jinna.
Jeff,
You raise a question worthy of debate. Should Koran’s be burned. While I am usually against the burning of any book, I would favor making an excetion for the Koran. This Islam is the true “Boogy Man” religion those on the left routinely accuse Christianity and Judaism of being. I find it amazing they so reaqdily give the Islamists a pass.
Sorry, but not just Love wins – there is the Need of Wisedom too/first.
Now: since Islamic/-ist Koran is against Human Rights (of Everyone), may I know why should it be a Human Right to keep it alive?
Please, think seriously over this.
The media probably focuses on Hinduism because of it’s links to Nazism. That Isreali (Ken) should think twice because Hindu’s are known associates of Nazis – there is a rising force in India called Hindutva, led by a political party called BJP – and leaders of this party visited both Hitler and Musolini in the 1930s. But more important, recently, in the Indian states where BJP came to power, they changed the History textbooks in schools to paint Hitler as a ‘savoir’ and as a ‘great man’. There is nothing negative in these text books, especially in the state of Gujarati.
So when the press focuses on Hinduism, this is the reason behind it.
1.Mel, the BJP was founded in 1980…Leaders visited Hitler, Stalin in the 1930s? The only link between Hinduism and Nazism is Hitler’s blatant use of the Swastika, an ancient Vedic symbol.
2.There was indeed a personal link to Hitler during World War II, by the so-called Indian Fuhrer, Netaji, (Subhas Chandra Bose), but that had nothing to do with Hinduism or BJP and all to do with removing the British Raj.
3.The one who have always changed the history textbooks to denigrate Hinduism and Indian history and hide the crimes of the Muslim invaders were, and still are, the Marxists and Negationists from Delhi University, like Professor Romila Thapar, the darling of Cornell University here, a Brown-Sahib and a Hindu baiter.
4.It is true that in Maharashtra (not Gujarat) Bal Thackeray has expressed certain comments favorable to Hitler, but as usual they were taken out of context by his enemies. The same people that put together that anti-Hindu garbage film named “Slumdog Millionaire”. Thackeray stated that only with a Hitler-like politician India could combat the Islamic scourge. He was trying to make a point. I agree with him. The fact is Muslims, since Mughal and before are bent on destroying Hinduism, so why Hindus cannot defend themselves, and in their own country? Fact is there was such a thing as a Hindu Holocaust, millions slaughtered for their religion, thousands of temples destroyed. Facts also are that every single unrest started in India is started by Muslims, and when the Hindus retaliate, then all hell breaks loose in the media.
5.As per Hindutva (meaning the Hindu way), there is nothing wrong with it, on the contrary. The BJP is too mild really, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad better.
Hello MiamaMan, thanks for straightening out mel wood’s nonsensical assertions which have absolutely no basis, I am sure he learned these so called “facts” from the pinko rag known as New York Times.
In last couple of years there have been several Muslim honor killings right here in USA and Canada and yet New York Times did not find it fit to carry the stories and condemn the honor killings of Muslims. Among Muslims, honor killing is a norm, whether they are in USA or in Jordan or Pakistan or Afghanistan, etc., but in Hindus or Sikhs it is very very rare, though one can find such cases once in a while. And then NYT reporter finds an isolated case in India among Hindus(no doubt it is absolutely horrible and should be condemned with the guilty part sent to the gallows), and all Hinduism comes under their scrutiny. Talk about hypocrisy – thy name is New York Times!!!
Honor killing among Muslims does not make a juicy story for NYT(may be they are afraid of offending Muslims in USA), but they can’t miss a chance to show their holier than thou attitude when they find such a story among Hindus in India!!!
mel wood needs a ‘fact check.’ I’ve heard just the opposite about Hinduism – and EXACTLY what he applies to Hindus about Islam. Exactly. About Islam and Hitler and Nazis. I do hate these “Who is more of a Nazi” contests.
But, India is a big country – so – does anyone else have information?
Mel Wood: Whether or not your allegations are founded on evidence, the fact remains that the New York Times considers criticism of Islam in any manner off limits. You must ask yourself: if the Times’ writers are so moved to report Hindu atrocities, why not Islamic ones? A crime is a crime, regardless of the religion of its perpetrator(s). Why does the Times make such an egregious distinction? Is it because its writers are ignorant of both creeds, or is it because they are prejudiced in favor of Islam and against Hinduism? Keep in mind that the Times is all in favor of “reaching out” to Islam and applauds Obama’s efforts to befriend an enemy of this country — and that effort is to this country’s peril. And he knows it.
Notice that all the victims depicted in the photos above are not wearing a burqa. No wonder they became victims of islamic insanity. How much longer will we tolerate these men in our society while they threaten others for drawing an image of their false god mohammed? A mosque at Ground Zero? How about a one-way ticket to mecca (and let’s put Bloomberg and a few others on board with them since they see no problem with islam).
What quoted in this article related to Indian media is absolutely right. Indian media tries its maximum to unearth the news behind the news of so called honor killing, despite the editorial and religious pressure. But nothing is being executed here so as to meet an end or a reduction of this heinous crimes. When it came to our parliament, they had divided policies — India is stifling inside its highly democratic potentials. feeling feared of the religious sentiments and folk sensitivity, a major section of our parliamentarian are against the bringing our a new amendment in the Indian Penal Code to give these criminal a deterrent punishment. We have got a study report on it and we will be publishing it not very late in our mag. you can use the link i have mentioned above, if interested.
Should advertise latest Book by Ayaan Hirsi Ali which explains very well Islamic African Psychology and Habits of “Honor” and related “Culture of Shame” –
and mainstream Media will be … ashamed of their Silence about such a misoginist tribal poisonous Reality.
Honor Killings are Islamic, no Doubts.
“Still, she believes that the Brazilian doctrine of “machismo,” in which a man kills his girlfriend or wife in a fit of jealous passion because she is sleeping with another man– is the same as an “honor killing.””
Why don’t invite her to watch a Shari’a Punishment? In the case (on-line) of the Taliban Flogging of a Girl (Swat Valley?) the Brother of the Girl took actively Part by holding her Sister down, while the Taliban flogged her.
In the case of Stoning (Africa but – I guess – this happens in more “civilized” Iran, too), Family Members (usually Men) throw Stones against their female Relative (Daughter, Sister, Wife, …) devoutely yelling “Allahu akbar”: this is active Part of the traditional Islamic/-ist Ritual.
It is … a Matter of Honor (horrible, isn’it?) that the male Relatives contribute in the Annihilation of the Girl.
It is written Islamic/-ist Law(s). It’s Islam. Not mere “Machism” (eventhough Shari’a might be called “institutionalized and legalized Machism”).
Wayne, your comments are sexist & frightening…As I look at these beautiful young women killed here in N. America…I see what a threat they are to their Islamic family members that include their female relatives sadly. Beauty, not necessarily an asset is an even greater cause to be “hidden” & sometimes “altered”–”destroyed” sadisticly for barbaric reasons.(Suggest reading “The Good Son” by Michael Gruber. A fascinating read that covers many of the areas under debate…very current with a grasp of the “culture” & thinking that leads to this ongoing insanity.) Women are a tool of payment in a culture of tribalism, bribes; abuse of the Koran & long standing traditions that benefit their paternalistic societies & teach women from birh that “life begins @ marriage”. Those marriages being the tool for all types of family alliances;debts;doweries;decided by male relatives with female family input a pretense? Mothers, however, in some cultures seem to have a great deal of power over the selections for both sons & daughters? Perhaps THEY were given no choices–so the cycle of “abuse” continues…Honoring/questioning the mandates of one’s parents is also a cultural taboo. Caste & social standing along with the bartering of human beings, let alone “beloved” family members have an irrational significance that the typical American cannot begin to comprehend. Our minds believe what it hears & is taught from birth…abandoning that concept of a women’s destiny and value in the form of resistance of any kind is clearly deadly. It never fails to astound me that “honor” in Islamic, Hindu & other cultures falls almost solely on the shoulders of women. Recall the woman in Pakistan who was raped by 7 men as called for by a cleric’s decision as punishment for her brother seen walking with a female who was not a relative?!? How sick & twisted is that? A good excuse to utilize rape—long a tool of war!!!So, here we are in the 21st century and the “progress” of women would seem to be moving backward as religious fanastism & paternalistic societies which “legalize” the bartering, selling, raping & killing of women rages on…Men’s behavior, however, is not or rarely questioned. It is well known in the Islamic & other cultures that men are typically not faithful to their wives & if they do bring home a 2nd, 3rd or the 4th wife…this is not to be questioned…but rather borne with “grace” & “dignity”? They can choose to be secret “allies”—as in the case of “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini…which was “fiction”…or contentious “enemies” who continue the cycle by bartering off their own offspring. Abuse of “daughter-in-laws” who now belong to the husband’s family is also well known & documented.
Unsure what “moderation” means…too lengthy??
such an outrage