I teach CCD (Catholic Sunday school) to 8th graders who attend public school during the week. We talked about this case in class when we discussed discrimination, and I suggested this was more likely a case of domestic violence. One of my students had to do a project (for her public school social studies class) on hate crimes, and after our discussion, she researched this murder. Her teacher had recommended this case as an example of a hate crime, and when my student omitted it, her teacher questioned her. My student said, "Well, it's probably a case of domestic violence...I looked into it, because we talked about it in Sunday school, and my religion teacher was right, there is not enough evidence to say this is really a hate crime..." I guess I threw a monkey wrench into the works with that little attempt at propaganda. And I bet that teacher is really annoyed, too.

This poor old dog--if this guy had any feeling at all, he would have postponed his marriage a few years so that his "best friend" could live out her twilight days in the comfort of her familiar home. What a jerk. Both of these people are LOSERS.

Re: Laura, that the Death Camps were located in Poland because the Poles were next on the list of targets--true. But also, what better place for the camps than where the general population--moreso even than typical Germans--would look the other way or even openly help the SS cause? There WERE individual Poles (and Germans) who risked their lives to intervene on behalf of those sentenced to death, but they were far outnumbered by their countrymen who felt, "Well, it's about time!"

I'm shocked that anyone is shocked. Polish culture is perhaps the most virulently anti-Semitic in the world. I married into a Polish family. The Polish-American/2nd generation don't hold these views, but among immigrants it is astounding. There's a Polish radio station that broadcasts in Chicago that is apparently way beyond Hitler's wildest opinions. I don't understand Polish but Poles have told me they don't know how it's allowed to air. Historically Poles welcomed Jews who were kicked out of various European countries centuries ago. I don't know why or how this changed into such hatred. I don't know how this ugliness became so entrenched. My church-going mother-in-law almost had a stroke when one of my kids asked her how she could hold such negative opinions of Jews if Jesus was a Jew. She reamed them for blasphemy--how dare they say such a thing about Jesus! I almost think anti-Semitism is hardwired in a lot of gentiles. I think in this particular case the banner could well have been the idea of Muslims living in Poland, but that's just a match thrown onto a big pool of gasoline that's already there. Sadly.

Is it just me, or is it weird that she has her hijab in a knot over a modesty issue, but she's telling the world about her hemorhoid? If I had that problem, I would certainly not go on TV and announce this. Here on the South Side of Chicago, this kind of behavior is known as "showing one's a$$."

No one is mentioning the fact that it took FIVE MONTHS for this family to report this to the police. This is EXACTLY the problem with shariah supposedly being compatible with national law: the family probably tried to get their "community" to police these thugs...and all they got for their trouble was more exposure as people deserving punishment for tolerating an apostate. Now the question is, if the cops track down and arrest the low-lifes who are harrassing this family, will the family press charges?

My kids attended a Chicago public grammar school. Several years ago, my daughter came home to inform me that her entire 6th grade class would be reciting "There is no God but Allah and Mohammad is his prophet", in Arabic and English, at an upcoming all-school assembly. The mother of one of the few Muslim students in class had approached the teacher (an ex-nun) and insisted this was only fair because holiday assemblies included Christmas songs. I fought this, and eventually the school backed down. I had a reporter from one of Chicago's major papers who was really interested in doing a story on the incident, and that scared the administration. The amazing part of this is that most of the other non-Muslim parents backed up the plan to recite the shahada. (Most are Catholic.) I asked one mom, "So it would be okay if the kids ALL recited the rosary?" "Oh of COURSE NOT!" (Read the sidebar at http://icefalcon58.blogspot.com/ ) Similar examples can be cited at a lot of public schools here in Chicago and its suburbs. But you know, it's better to not appear intolerant than to stand up for your principles.

It will be interesting to see how this evolves: in the U.S., we have two increasingly empowered groups, Muslims and gays. The Muslim agenda does not allow for open homosexuality. Because gays are standing up for liberties that are "anti-Islam" (ie., the right to live unharassed and unintimidated), non-gay, non-Muslim Americans will have to choose sides. I predict that most Americans will side with gay rights activists. The media won't be able to ignore these kinds of hate crimes forever. Gays are now politicized and media-savvy. These conflicts will get more and more press, and not only will Muslims lose in both the court of law and the court of public opinion, they'll look like savage bullies. Gays--like BRUCE BAWER, "While Europe Slept,", "Surrender"--will help Western Civilization prevail.

Finally, CAIR's veil is coming off! Americans really need to educate themselves about this organization--that it has operated so freely and for so long, without anyone daring to question/criticize it, is sickening. Go to CAIR's website and read about their agenda and tactics. Look into its history. Let CAIR speak for itself. It's nauseating. They've been able to get away with this because they promote themselves as a civil rights organization. Far from it! As soon as they point the finger at anyone and call them a racist,Islamophobe, or bigot, that person is labeled as such. It doesn't matter if the "bigot" is simply stating facts. If those facts are inconvenient to (radical) Islam, CAIR will attack the person who exposes the facts. CAIR can't refute the data; they just try to discredit the critic. That is the lowest form of debate. It would not be tolerated in a forum that demands structured argument, such as a courtroom or a philosophy class. But: that's how disagreement is handled in countries like the ISLAMIC Republic of Iran, or the ISLAMIC Republic of Pakistan, etc. Why do organizations like NPR consistently fall for it and roll over to appease them? Most of our mainstream news sources have given CAIR a soapbox because CAIR positions itself as an "authority" on Islam and Muslim issues. The Chicago Tribune is one example and has given CAIR free rein for YEARS. I have lost a lot of respect for the Trib because of their inability to see through CAIR. They still run to CAIR for statements whenever anything involving Muslims hits the press. It's like asking Michael Vick for his opinion on animal welfare issues.

My, how times have changed ! Does anyone remember Geraldo's 9/11/01 rant, where he "owned" being Jewish and dared al-Qaida to come and get him? It was hilarious, delivered from his safe studio. Well, they should come and get him. And he can explain to him how he's been such a friend to his Muslim brothers all these years. And then they can thank him the way they thanked Danny Pearl.