A family of three young Muslims has been shot dead in their home in a quiet neighbourhood of North Carolina in the US.
Police have named the victims as 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19.
Officers were called to reports of gunshots at 5.11pm at an apartment block largely housing academics and young professionals on Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill.
A 46-year-old man, named by police as Craig Stephen Hicks, has been arrested on suspicion of three counts of first-degree murder.
Hicks described himself as an atheist on Facebook and posted regular images and text condemning all religions. Police said he handed himself in last night.
Of course this is already making the rounds on Right Wing news sites which are salivating at the prospect of spinning this as a anti-religious hate crime.
However initial reports seem to suggest that religion was not a factor:
In a statement released on Wednesday morning (local time), Chapel Hill Police said that a preliminary investigation suggested the crime was “motivated by an ongoing neighbor dispute over parking”.
One of the reasons that conservatives will be quick to jump on this is that it would be one of the extremely rare cases where an atheist was responsible for senseless violence directed at a religious person. Most of the time that is the other way around.
Now if this indeed does turn out to be a hate crime against these young people due to their faith, that of course will be condemned by ALL atheists around the world. In fact Richard Dawkins has already done just that:
How could any decent person NOT condemn the vile murder of three young US Muslims in Chapel Hill?
http://t.co/pdtwnKqYG3
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015
Of course people are individuals, but as a rule Atheists simply want religion to stay in temples, synagogues, and churches, and out of politics and education.Hurting or killing people is simply NEVER part of the conversation.
After all we are not burdened by any deity to rid the world of those who do not think as we do, or to force our point of view on others by convincing them of the eternal suffering that awaits them for rejecting our belief system.
I feel terrible for the families of these young people, and my heart goes out to them.
That's why I hate atheists.
ReplyDelete12:24, you hate anyone you're paid to hate.
DeleteIf you were a person of faith, you would never admit to hatred of another, you know, "hate the sin, love the sinner". So, I am deducing that you are an atheist, who is full of SELF-hatred. Or, maybe you are just full of shit.
Delete1:11 I'll go with willfully ignorant and full of shit.
DeleteAnonymous12:24 PM
DeleteThat's why I hate atheists.
****
Paid Troll, Fake Xtian...next....
G, I swear, Sarah Palin pays people to stalk your site. It's hilarious.
ReplyDeleteCorrect! There's someone new who's been stalking here for the past couple of weeks. Mostly ill-informed, and always trollish.
DeleteAlthough not dumb or besotted like the slander troll, this is clearly one whose silly remarks shouldn't be fed -- it'll go directly to its thighs, as well as its bank account.
Although it does drive up clicks for Gryphen....
The suspect was known for bullying people in the neighborhood. Many in the area were afraid of this idiot!
ReplyDeleteDidn't they say the same about the Palins? Isn't Todd a bully?
DeleteDoesn't Sarah have a Gun now? Didn't she rant about Muslims in her incoherent recent "screech"?
DeleteWell, to be honest, the local police at first thought that it couldn't be a hate crime because the killer was an atheist, in other words because he was not a religious fanatic of a different stripe.
ReplyDeleteI think the killer is just plain crazy. Killing three people over parking places is beyond extreme. However, had the victims not been Muslim, not sure he would have killed them.
What I find particularly appalling is the lack of national coverage of these murders, whatever the killer's motivation. Another great American example of a crazy person thinking that it's a good idea to solve his problem by killing people. As a nation, we should be so ashamed.
Beaglemom
May be it would be a good idea to have more attention paid to the mentally ill.
DeleteWhite killers are always "crazy" - black ones are thugs and those from the ME are terrorists.
DeleteThe guy was/is full of hate against those who do not look/act like him.
For Over 10 Hours Twitter Was The Only Place To Read About The Chapel Hill Shooting (TWEETS)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/02/11/for-over-10-hours-twitter-was-the-only-place-to-read-about-the-chapel-hill-shooting-tweets/
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/02/11/this-handy-chart-explains-why-the-media-wants-to-ignore-the-chapel-hill-shooting-image/
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/02/11/heres-what-the-headlines-on-the-chapel-hill-shooting-would-look-like-if-muslims-were-responsible-images/
How soon until Sarah, Brancy and Chuck come out with their posts and tag games about this?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/558617660870227/photos/pb.558617660870227.-2207520000.1423692562./837058219692835/?type=3&theater
Youth for Palin Fan Page
https://www.facebook.com/YouthForPalinFanPage/timeline?ref=page_internal
'Youth for Palin' closed group on Facebook & follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/YouthForPalin
http://barracudabrigade.blogspot.com/
http://tinyurl.com/llbxlcw
Today is Sarah's birthday. Granny Palin is 51. Let's all hope they party like they did for Todd! Go Palin Brawl!
ReplyDeleteIf the shooter were a Christian you'd have a ball because you atheists despise all religions.
ReplyDelete"despise"
DeleteNo. If your belief in the imaginary helps you cope with life that is a good thing for you. Just keep that belief out of the government.
@1:24 I'm an atheist and I don't despise anyone for their religion (or lack thereof)
DeleteI'm not too keen on people that make absurd assumptions because I am an atheist. I'll refrain from making that sort of assumption about you. I feel so virtuous. How about you?
I don't despise religions. I just think they are fairy tales made up to help people cope with life's uncertainties. You have a right to believe what you want. I just don't agree. It's that simple. There is no hatred or much emotion at all.band if you don't understand that, you aren't too bright.
DeleteAnon at 2:06 pm. Your statement is simply stupid. I consider myself to be a Christian and I do not "despise" any religion or lack thereof. I don't think that atheists sit around all day talking about how much they despise all other religions. Most atheists whom I know simply don't discuss religion.
DeleteBeaglemom
Atheists don't despise religion. Atheists don't worship a jealous god or are under any obligation to bring others into the fold. Atheists don't say believers are going to roast in a fiery pit after they die.
DeleteAtheists may despise certain Christians who are mean and nasty and dangerous. It's on an individual basis, as it should be.
Anonymous1:24 PM
DeleteIf the shooter were a Christian you'd have a ball because you atheists despise all religions.
****
you little chickenshit weasel, its being investigated as a hate crime.
Put that in your meth pipe!
I hope G has his IP thingy checking you out.
I believe you made a comment very much like this fucker made on his fb page re: his gun.
Is that you track? Reduced to trolling for mommy?
I suppose you can be an atheist and still be a racist.
ReplyDeleteChapel Hill is a pretty progressive place as far as NC goes. I bet this dude was not in his element. Sounds like a nut job.
R in NC
I understand this was a case of an argument over a parking space........must have been a family heirloom on the order of a pew with the family name on it..........
ReplyDelete"but as a rule Atheists simply want religion to stay in temples, synagogues, and churches, and out of politics and education.
ReplyDeleteHurting or killing people is simply NEVER part of the conversation. "
ummmm... Stalin?
Stalin worshipped at the altar of Communism.
DeleteYour sarcasm is tissue-paper thin.
Now Sarah will be warning us about not just atheists with attorneys but atheists with guns!
DeleteI wonder why this particular "atheist" chose three foreign-looking people to kill, when he could more easily open up on the thousands of "christians" who surround him every day? Something tells me that religion had nothing to do with this, and racism or parking or bullying did.
2:21 PM
DeleteSarah will come out in favor of gun control. If you are an atheist you must register. Atheists will not be allowed to purchase weapons or ammo.
2:18 Nice try but no pie!
DeleteIt is hardly paper thin... Why just the other day right here some were tying Hitler and his atrocities to the Catholics. Whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Stalin was more an atheist than Hitler was Christin.
Stalin not only was atheist, he promoted atheism to the point where it was dangerous to associate with religion.
20 to 40 million deaths.
Stalin basically considered himself a god.
DeleteYou are quite correct, 4:01. The overwhelming majority of the millions he murdered were intelligentsia whom he feared as being smart enough to be a threat to his authority (they were) or people who saw what he was doing and tried to stop him or were those who simply wanted what they were promised so he had them killed to shut them up. His atheism played only a small part in his killings - and even then it wasn't BECAUSE of his atheism. It was his megalomania.
DeleteSame went for Mao.
Just another troll fattening itself here.
Hey Leland, do you ever notice how when you butt into a conversation, everyone rolls their eyes and starts walking away as you flap your lips trying to prove to everyone how smart you are?
DeleteGryph said athiests as a rule never want to hurt or kill people.
Stalin- 20 to 40 million murdered, some estimates 60 mill. Terror campaigns against religion, atheism promoted with mass propoganda.
Pol Pot 1-3 million
Mao (as you noted) responsible for 40 to 70 million
Mussolini
Jim Jones
The list does continue....
Even the headlines are careful to call him an atheist. Somehow I doubt they'd be referring to the killer as a "Christian" if he was, say, a Baptist. They never do.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at those three, bright, smiling faces knowing that they are now deceased at the hand of that Neanderthal looking mouth breather, my stomach surges and wants to unload.
ReplyDeleteThe hate and discord running rampant in this country is being fueled by the ignorance of the right wing Rethuglikans, and spewed across the land on the lips of the FOX Networks toadies. We can only hope that there is a wake-up call coming that will allow to progress beyond this thinking. If not, we're royally fucked!!!!
He isn't an atheist. Do some research and you will see.
ReplyDeleteHe is an atheist.
DeleteA little bit of PhotoShop effort and that pic could be turned into something that looks somewhat like a little stump of a penis. Probably appropriate too.
ReplyDeleteI sincerely hope they burn his ass.
It is a hate crime - if these folks had been white Christians they would still be alive today. Nothing to do with the religion or lack thereof of the perp. If he had been a darker shade he would be a terrorist
ReplyDeleteThe media reaction - calling this a "parking" problem is so very different - as usual - to reporting when anyone other than a white guy is involved in a shooting.
The real and continual blame lies with the NRA who incite violence 24 X 7 X 365
Nice fairy tale.
DeleteYou should wait for the investigation.
...A regular social media user, his last three posts were a cute dog video about the Pavlov effect, a viral advert for Air New Zealand involving mountain bikes, and a picture from United Atheists of America asking “why radical Christians and radical Muslims are so opposed to each others’ influence when they agree about so many ideological issues”.
ReplyDeleteTV programmes liked by Hicks include The Atheist Experience, Criminal Minds and Friends, while he describes himself as a fan of Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason and Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/chapel-hill-shooting-craig-stephen-hicks-condemned-all-religions-on-facebook-prior-to-muslim-massmurder-arrest-10038126.html
'I am a Muslim. I am labelled as a terrorist', and 'I trust you. Do you trust me? Give me a hug'
ReplyDeletehttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/blindfolded-muslim-asks-people-to-show-trust-with-hug-in-heartwarming-social-experiment-10038462.html
He was a bugf**k nut; I've seen plenty of people who are pure haters over the doggonedest stupidest stuff, and none of it involved religion. Apparently his other neighbors were scared of him, too.
ReplyDeleteTime for me to get on my soap box again about the dangers of our gun culture, which is almost unique to the US.
ReplyDeleteMany of us have chosen to reveal a lot about ourselves on social media, various blogs, shopping sites, and so on. This murder investigation is still in the early stages, but what I gather from Hicks's facebook page, his Amazon wish list, and comments attributed to his neighbors and ex-wife is this:
He was angry, he felt alienated and disenfranchised, and he was markedly drawn to weapons and their paraphernalia, like many males who have such negative feelings. The young Muslims tragically became his targets.
I make no claim to be a psychologist, but my sense is that he was on a trajectory that would have culminated in violent action sooner or later. His self-described anti-theism is likely only a footnote, not a cause of his pathology.