A decapitated female corpse was found in the offices of the Muslim satellite network Bridges TV, late last week in New York State. The head was found nearby. It’s believed the victim’s husband, Muzzammil Hassan, 44, was responsible and has since been arrested accused of second degree murder.
Mr Hassan was the founder of the television network where the body of Aasiya Hassan, 37, was found. Bridges TV was set up in 2004 as a news and opinion channel intended to act as a counter to violent images of Islamic violence and extremism. Mrs Hassan also worked for the network and was known to have filed for divorce a number times citing numerous incidents of domestic violence.
Meanwhile, in light of the murder, numerous fans of the network have come out in criticism of the press reaction and worldwide attention. An anonymous Muslim gentleman questioned why the beheading of an insolent wife was anything more than a minor offence. “Okay! Okay! it created a mess and I feel sorry for the carpet cleaner but let’s not get this out of proportion. He tried to instil discipline in her for years but what can you do?”
Shortly after the opening of Bridges TV, Muzzammil Hassan said of the new enterprise that “it is hoped the programming will help non-Muslims overcome the negative images they may have of both Muslims and Islam”.
The network has not gone without notice amongst critics after many dubious guests were found to have incited hatred against Jews and other non-Muslims. The Middle East Media and Research Institute (MEMRI) reported:
“One religious figure who appeared October 3 said Muslims have a duty to change America and to increase their numbers to 50% of the population from 2%. He recommended that Shariah, or Islamic law, be implemented in American courts. During a roundtable discussion on the Arab-Israeli conflict on October 5, one participant offered a solution: “For the Jews to leave and return to Europe.”
Muslim leaders across the United States have urged people not to associate the beheading with Islam which they repeat is a ‘religion of peace’. An Imam from the city of Chicago urged the general population not to think ill of the Islamic faith which “does not call for the murder of wives or unbelievers … unless the wife still doesn’t make the tea after a dozen thrashings … or the unbelievers are Jews, homosexuals, polytheists or atheists”.
Orchard Park police has refused to give further details about the crime but it is believed Aasiya Hassan died where she was found. The murder weapon has yet to be discovered. Muzzammil Hassan is scheduled to appear at a felony hearing in Orchard Park on Wednesday the 18th of February to determine bail.
The future of Bridges TV network is uncertain but it’s hoped by the US Islamic community that a number of other stations in the same mould will spring up, as well as the possibility of soon-to-be-built mosques and Islamic schools being named after Muzzammil Hassan.
“We are being attacked yet again!” said a masked protester outside the courthouse. “A number of derogatory comments have been made about Muslims. It’s very upsetting. Bridges TV gave us a voice in America and just because of a good man’s house duties, we are again being marginalised!”
Last year Muzzammil Hassan gave an interview in which he said: “The level of ignorance regarding Muslims and Islam is very high in the United States and it will take a lot of time for non-Muslim Americans to realize that they and their Muslim neighbors share many of the same values.”
Only time will tell, after his latest domestic incident, whether people will take heed of his words and if the perception of Islam will improve over the coming months amongst the general American society.
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It is sick. And it is a fashion these days.
In jailhouse interview, Beach father admits slaying young son
Joseph Henry Hagerman III, 33, said late last night in media interviews that he decapitated his son that morning.
“If I didn’t take my son’s life, he would have lost his eternal salvation,” Hagerman said in an interview with WVEC-TV. “I know it’s a horrible thing.”
“I didn’t want him to lose his salvation,” Hagerman said. “I wanted him to go fast. I didn’t want him to be tortured.”
What’s with these psychos? I am all for peaceful religious practices, but it is simply sick. Can I feel safe around religious people? I mean, how do I know if that believer – mostly the monoteistic ones – will cut me up out of some religious conviction or not?
Indeed Roland. It’s rare when Christians carry out such an act and it’s usually due to mental illness. Unfortunately, such acts are common in the Islamic World. Pipes for one. The many poor schoolgirls in the Far East butchered by Jihadists.
There are a lot of mentally ill among the Christian extremists – the “chattel farms” in the US with the rape and polygamy, the “we have to extend the rule of the Lord Jesus” and “love Jesus like the Hitler-jugend loved Hitler” kind of preachers.
Yes, sadly there are more such acts in the Middle-East, Pakistan, and Africa where the government and the religion are not separated – and of course at every group where the priests are in power.
It is more difficult for a religious group to grab the power in plain sight where the secularization is a tradition – although they try really hard.
As for the mental illness – if it is done by a Christian fanatic it’s mental illness, if it’s done by a Muslim fanatic it’s not mental illness?
I fail to see the proof for that. I think the Christian fanatics are not mentally ill – except if you define being fanatic as a mental illness, but then the Muslim fanatics are mentally ill too. Actually this is what I think, but it’s not an excuse.
I measure the Christian fanatic who kills his son and the Muslim fanatic who kills his wife with the same weights.
As it is in the Bible “you won’t have two sets of measures.”
But, to get back to the topic, yes, it sheds a bad light on Islam.
Will I draw the conclusion Islam == Evil, Muslim == Murderous Folks?
Not really. Probably because I know a few Muslim, who are great guys and sick of this whole business of going all hardcore – it’s like interpreting the Old Testament literally again.
A government will always push it’s own ideology – and the radical one. A republican government will push the radical republican ideology, a communist government will push the radical communist ideology, a religious government will push the radical religious ideology.
Plus the big government ideology, that’s universal.
I think it’s because the radical ones are strong and forceful enough to push themselves into control – and they don’t have problem with eliminating the weaker, less radical competitors no matter what.
So the radical end of the ideology bubbles upward, no matter what ideology we are talking about. That is why every religion should be taken out of the government.
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely
Very tragic on so many levels.
My understanding is that these practices are more cultural and tribal in some locations rather than religious per se. We shouldn’t give the Christian fanatics a pass either (per comments). Nonetheless, it disgusts me. My hope is that people who might be sympathetic or defensive about their religions come to question what is being done in their name and turn against these practices in a strong way.
(I found your site via Wordless Wednesday and your cat pic, but I’m always interested in issues like this, and probably share a similar outlook on religion)
I’m too upset to write much. I’m glad to be informed but reading it made my blood turn cold. I feel a little sad but I’m am very impressed by your level of professionalism. This is only my second visit but I need to know how to follow this blog.
Roland: You make an interesting point regarding absolute power and its corruptibility. I agree with you when you say not all Muslims are ‘murderous folks’. Of course they are not and I too have known many a kind Muslim in mutual friendship and even romance.
However, I think Islam as a religion is dangerous and whether radical or not, still not compatible with Western democracy and liberties. Rather like many movements before, such as Nazism, it is liable to render the adherents susceptible to acts that would in other situations, not occur.
Unlike Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and numerous other religions, Islam does not have the golden rule of respect for fellow mankind. It’s a faith, that in its multiple teachings, whether in the Quran or Ahadith, proscribes intolerance and violence. Remember too, the rules of abrogation and the chronology of the verses between Medina and Mecca.
CatSynth: I more Muslims come out and condemn such acts indeed. Unfortunately, too few do, whether through fear or complicity.
LL&L: There is a subscribe button at the top. I’m looking into other ways for people to follow this blog too. If I can find something suitable, I will put a button of box in the sidebar. Thank you for visiting.
I completely agree with you on that Islam in it’s current official form is not really conforming to democratic ideals. Islam has “missed” a few reform steps unlike Christianity for example.
Although there are different branches of Islam, but it still more or less united.
I would address two points:
One is the respect. While it is true that Christianity has the golden rule of respect for fellow mankind, on the daily level what I see is that there is a “we respect everyone except” kind of attitude. Usually toward gays, but with more hardcore followers it extends to atheists, followers of different religions, members of the “other” races, women, and Joe Next Door.
What I conclude is that yes, having a “love thy fellow human” written in the Holy book of your choice helps, I agree with CathSynth that there is a huge cultural effect on it – my second point willget to that too.
In the western culture the hold of religion is weaker than in the ME thus the whole society is less tolerant toward religious extremism.
Even then, there were no real outcries when a prominent religious figure said that Hugo Chavez should be assassinated – “thou shalt not kill” -, or when he gave his hitlerjugend speech.
The other is the difference between ME and European cultures:
Western culture with it’s European roots is more tolerant, and less extreme for historical and geographical reasons than the Muslim culture.
Europe has seen a lot of migration of different cultures, and resulted in a bunch of different cultures, languages and people to form countries.
The geographical characteristics of Europe made unifying and maintaining the unity impossible or inconvenient – too many mountains, rivers, etc. – but did not prevent contact between the different cultures. If you add that for historical reasons everyone was Christian, that made an additional bond. In the end you had a continent with different cultures which shared something important, thus learned to tolerate differences.
The same can’t be said about the ME for example.
While Christianity had it’s share of reforms, break ups and tests, Islam had almost none of that. It always ruled over a mostly homogenous area, culture, so there was no need and chance to change it. And not only the religion, the actual culture had no reasons to change. Sooner or later it will come to a point of serious reforms – not neccessarily peaceful.
One thing you have to keep in mind that you cannot kill a religion. If you could, there would be no Vatican, there would be no Buddhism, there would be no protestants. And the Islam is too strong, too deeply ingrained in the local traditions that a few missionaries could steal the followers.
These days Islam and the traditions there met a serious challenge, I would risk to say, the first serious challenge they ever met, delivered straight to the homes of the people, so it tightens its hold.
*Ok I wonder if it is still intact, I had to take half an hour break in the middle of the comment. Hopefully it is still sensible
*
Are we surprised? I’m not. When we in the west bring these things to light, we’re then called haters and bigots.
Maybe I am a bigot and a hater. I don’t want anything to do with sexism blatant or otherwise. I most definitely hate misogyny cloaked by peaceful religions.
Like your new site by the by.
I couldn’t agree more, it really is an important angle to study.
Hi! I noticed that my website isn’t appearing well just in case you want to read what I think about social issues being an activist myself. Cheers!