Spokesperson against negative stereotypes beheads wife

[Sephirius]

From CNN:

Founder of Islamic TV station accused of beheading wife

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The founder of an Islamic television station in upstate New York aimed at countering Muslim stereotypes has confessed to beheading his wife, authorities said.

Muzzammil Hassan was charged with second-degree murder after police found the decapitated body of his wife, Aasiya Hassan, at the Bridges TV station in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park, said Andrew Benz, Orchard Park's police chief.

Hassan was arrested Thursday.

His wife filed for divorce January 6, and police had responded to several domestic violence calls at the couple's home, Benz said.

Hassan went directly to the police station after his wife's death and confessed to killing her, Benz told CNN. Benz declined to give further details.

Attempts to reach an attorney for Hassan were unsuccessful, and his family didn't return calls from CNN.

He had two children, 4 and 6, with his wife. He had two other children, 17 and 18, from his previous marriage.

He launched Bridges TV, billed as the first English-language cable channel targeting Muslims inside the United States, in 2004. At the time, Hassan said he hoped the network would balance negative portrayals of Muslims following the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The station's staff is "deeply shocked and saddened by the murder of Aasiya Hassan and the subsequent arrest of Muzzammil Hassan," a statement from Bridges TV said.

"Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the families of the victim," the statement said.

[Sea Skimmer]

I think we can find plenty enough examples of the problems with Islam in the modern day without restoring to such tenuous examples as this. Domestic violence is pretty much the worst it comes because it so easily festers for years until one side or the other explodes. At least he turned himself in out of hand.

[K. A. Pital]

This isn't unique to islamic domestic violence, just as Skimmer said. So either the title gets changed, or something happens with this thread.

[Lagmonster]

I've changed the title to accurately reflect the contents of the story. Which is what, you know, we're supposed to do, Sephirius.

There is a certain amount of irony to the story; beheading is seen in the vulgar American eye as something strongly associated with Islamic extremism, so to have a spokesman who was trying hard to reverse negative stereotypes of Muslims in the United States go and do something like this is, in terms of PR, roughly equal to Pat Robertson getting a blow job from a gay prostitute on national television.

As well, you can stab someone to death or bludgeon them in a fit of rage, but beheading with household objects requires work. I'd go so far as to ask how much of it was an honour ritual, given how much effort - or at least, dedication - goes into taking off a major extremity.

[Sephirius]

I've changed the title to accurately reflect the contents of the story. Which is what, you know, we're supposed to do, Sephirius.

There is a certain amount of irony to the story; beheading is seen in the vulgar American eye as something strongly associated with Islamic extremism, so to have a spokesman who was trying hard to reverse negative stereotypes of Muslims in the United States go and do something like this is, in terms of PR, roughly equal to Pat Robertson getting a blow job from a gay prostitute on national television.

As well, you can stab someone to death or bludgeon them in a fit of rage, but beheading with household objects requires work. I'd go so far as to ask how much of it was an honour ritual, given how much effort - or at least, dedication - goes into taking off a major extremity.

Hence why I had titled it as such, the whole thing screams Islamic Extremism and Honour Killing to me.

[K. A. Pital]

But on the outside, it's not really dissimilar to other cases of domestic brutality. Some people here in Russia burn their family members on a stake. Fucked up, yeah. But that's hardly due to religious extremism.

If it were a honour killing, what mandates a beheading? Why not stoning?

[Lagmonster]

Hence why I had titled it as such, the whole thing screams Islamic Extremism and Honour Killing to me.

The point is that it may not be; merely that from the standpoint of public image, his actions certainly will serve to reinforce negative stereotypes regardless of his actual motives.

[Solauren]

Beheading a person is not as hard as you all seem to think it is.

All you need is a good sturdy, sharp axe, a chopping block, and some way to restrain the body. (i.e tie her head to a chair).

Why do you think they used to use beheading in the Middle Ages? Much simplier, quicker, and easier, then the other methods of execution avialable at the time (i.e Stoning, Hanging, Draw and Quartering, drowning, or beating someone to death with a weapon).

Unless the individual in question is a 150 lb weakling, doing this wouldn't be that hard.

[Lagmonster]

Beheading a person is not as hard as you all seem to think it is.

All you need is a good sturdy, sharp axe, a chopping block, and some way to restrain the body. (i.e tie her head to a chair).

That is still a lot of effort to go to for just killing someone in a fit of rage. It implies taking that extra step in one's determination or bloodlust.

[Edi]

Beheading a person is not as hard as you all seem to think it is.

All you need is a good sturdy, sharp axe, a chopping block, and some way to restrain the body. (i.e tie her head to a chair).

Why do you think they used to use beheading in the Middle Ages? Much simplier, quicker, and easier, then the other methods of execution avialable at the time (i.e Stoning, Hanging, Draw and Quartering, drowning, or beating someone to death with a weapon).

Unless the individual in question is a 150 lb weakling, doing this wouldn't be that hard.

Assuming your blows are accurate and hit the neck, that is. Some beheadings on historical record required a staggering number of blows to carry out, which is why the guillotine remains the most effective means of beheading known.

[General Zod]

Beheading a person is not as hard as you all seem to think it is.

Have much experience do you?

All you need is a good sturdy, sharp axe, a chopping block, and some way to restrain the body. (i.e tie her head to a chair).

Why do you think they used to use beheading in the Middle Ages? Much simplier, quicker, and easier, then the other methods of execution avialable at the time (i.e Stoning, Hanging, Draw and Quartering, drowning, or beating someone to death with a weapon).

Unless the individual in question is a 150 lb weakling, doing this wouldn't be that hard.

Aside from your hilarious butchering of grammar in the last sentence, I don't think it's so easy as you seem to be under the impression of. (150lbs isn't all that light either btw). Anyone putting up a halfway decent struggle would still give the attacker plenty of trouble, even for someone relatively unskilled in self defense, and you'd still have to land the axe in just the right way to cleanly sever the neck vertebrate.

[ArmorPierce]

Beheading a person is not as hard as you all seem to think it is.

Have much experience do you?

All you need is a good sturdy, sharp axe, a chopping block, and some way to restrain the body. (i.e tie her head to a chair).

Why do you think they used to use beheading in the Middle Ages? Much simplier, quicker, and easier, then the other methods of execution avialable at the time (i.e Stoning, Hanging, Draw and Quartering, drowning, or beating someone to death with a weapon).

Unless the individual in question is a 150 lb weakling, doing this wouldn't be that hard.

Aside from your hilarious butchering of grammar in the last sentence, I don't think it's so easy as you seem to be under the impression of. (150lbs isn't all that light either btw). Anyone putting up a halfway decent struggle would still give the attacker plenty of trouble, even for someone relatively unskilled in self defense, and you'd still have to land the axe in just the right way to cleanly sever the neck vertebrate.

150 pound definitely does not make you a weakling. Was less than that in high school but my bench press was over 200 pounds.

[Surlethe]

Beheading a person is not as hard as you all seem to think it is.

All you need is a good sturdy, sharp axe, a chopping block, and some way to restrain the body. (i.e tie her head to a chair).

That is still a lot of effort to go to for just killing someone in a fit of rage. It implies taking that extra step in one's determination or bloodlust.

I think you could add to this; if you slice someone's throat in a fit of rage, it stretches credulity to think you'd keep going and saw through the muscles, tendons, and bones in the neck. An actual beheading seems to imply malice aforethought.

[Solauren]

Assuming your blows are accurate and hit the neck, that is. Some beheadings on historical record required a staggering number of blows to carry out, which is why the guillotine remains the most effective means of beheading known.

No Doubt. However, the article isn’t discussing the details of the beheading, so we should probably go with the historical average of 1 – 2 blows. Besides that, on average, women do not tend to have as thick or strong a neck as a male. (Must be all the rocks and fat in our heads, am I right? Okay, no more joking)

Have much experience do you?

No, but I’ve seen hogs have there head taken off, and structurally, there isn’t a lot of difference. At the meeting of the neck and head, yes, but not in the neck itself. That's the same amongs most land mammals of similiar head size. (Unless I'm mis-remembering my high school biology, in that case, my bad).

Anyone putting up a halfway decent struggle would still give the attacker plenty of trouble, even for someone relatively unskilled in self defense, and you'd still have to land the axe in just the right way to cleanly sever the neck vertebrate.

You’ll note I specified ‘body’. Not ‘victim.’ The odds are, she was either dead or knocked out when she was beheaded.

150 pound definitely does not make you a weakling. Was less than that in high school but my bench press was over 200 pounds.

There is a difference between a 150 poounder in good shape, and a 150 pounder who is not in good shape. However, point taken. Maybe 100 pound weakling would have been better.

I think you could add to this; if you slice someone's throat in a fit of rage, it stretches credulity to think you'd keep going and saw through the muscles, tendons, and bones in the neck. An actual beheading seems to imply malice aforethought.

Ah, someone that got my point (Despite my horrible butchering of grammar).

[CaptainZoidberg]

I'd be willing to bet that if a fundamentalist Christian did this to his wife, there would be no shortage of people on this board attributing it to his religion.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I'd be willing to bet that if a fundamentalist Christian did this to his wife, there would be no shortage of people on this board attributing it to his religion.

People aren't attributing this to religion out of a blind desire to show any amount of proof that religion is evil. Beheading is a stereotype attached to the Islamic world, like it or not. It is a relevant discussion.

[General Zod]

I'd be willing to bet that if a fundamentalist Christian did this to his wife, there would be no shortage of people on this board attributing it to his religion.

Did you have some kind of point besides whining that Christianity gets picked on too much? Or have you just had your head up your ass in every other thread where Islam gets ragged on for being barbaric and backwards?

[Kitsune]

Kind of reminds me of Ira Einhorn to be honest

[CmdrWilkens]

I'd be willing to bet that if a fundamentalist Christian did this to his wife, there would be no shortage of people on this board attributing it to his religion.

Dude I'm not sure if you even realize that this isn't about religion so much as the IMAGE it gives fulfills the exact stereotype the guy was working to oppose. It doesn't matter that the image is based on religion so seriously STFU.

[Kanastrous]

This is a famous French oceanographer drowns in bathtub kind of thing.

I mean, really. Come on.

Activist for countering Muslim stereotypes beheads somebody.

You don't see that?

[Darth Wong]

I'd be willing to bet that if a fundamentalist Christian did this to his wife, there would be no shortage of people on this board attributing it to his religion.

If you've got actual evidence that this board treats Christians unfairly compared to Muslims, present it. Otherwise, shut the fuck up and retract this groundless accusation.

[Lusankya]

Now, just for the record, if it was an abusive relationship, and the wife was trying to leave, then it is perfectly possible that he tied her up for reasons unrelated to trying to kill her. It happened to me. If she was already tied up so that she couldn't escape from the house, then it would have been much easier to behead her.

Not that it makes it any different, mind you.

[Ender]

The part where it talks about this being after she files for divorce makes me suspect that there were more religious reasons then your usual crazy person/crime of passion reasons. Abrahamic religions are rather well known for their hangups on the topic of marriage.

[Lusankya]

Well, most deaths in abusive relationships occur when the abused party is trying to leave, so that would make sense.