It was, of course, both.
Broadly put, the motivation for murder is irrelevant. The question is not 'why' but 'if'?
The ethnic and religious background here may play well for some as a background trope but the vast majority of murders in Canada are committed by those who are nominally Christians (and most murderers in Egypt are Muslim and in India, or at least certain states, Hindu).
About 15% of Canadian murders are committed by husbands who are motivated by jealousy. These cases are standard fare -- if a woman is murdered the police always look first to the husband or boyfriend. In a strong sense the spousal murders can be seen as 'honour' killings.
Of course, the Shafia case was made for media. It has the battle of the old country immigrant and his children's radical change to meet the new society (as in the Jazz Singer: that said Cantor Rabinowitz doesn't murder his son, he just despairs of him). It has attractive young (and now dead) women of whom there are lots of photos and at least one tragic romance. It has polygamy and a rejected (and humiliated first wife). It has CSI style eavesdropping.
In the end, this was just a sordid case of a tyrannical father, who convinced a second wife and a deluded son to help murder his first wife and some disobedient daughters. Nasty yes. But not very different (except in scale) from spousal murders across Canada:
http://bit.ly/yT7NTm
15 comments:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Shafia+murder+trial+verdict/6067749/story.html
This murder was endorsed by the relatives. Show me one murder of a innocent in the HISTORY of Canada endorsed by relatives.
These woman committed the sin of wanting to embrace Western culture,for that they dishonoured their own Islamic based culture.
You would think Canada would have protected them, think again.
You cry for help, your Muslim, your social worker has been trained in multicultural sensitivity. Multiculturalism trumps human rights.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Shafia+murder+trial+verdict/6067749/story.html
Link to above story.
"In the end, this was just a sordid case of a tyrannical father, who convinced a second wife and a deluded son to help murder his first wife and some disobedient daughters. Nasty yes. But not very different (except in scale) from spousal murders across Canada."
"Just." Are you serious? "Just a sordid case of...." Please read that sentence back to yourself. You're a laugh. "Ho-hum. Just another case of a guy recruiting his wife and son to kill his other wife and his three daughters."
People pay you for your take on things. Hilarious. Hang 'em up, champ for their sake.
What was disappointing is the weight given by the crown prosecutors, and particularly by the press, that belonging to a particular culture was one of the elements of proof against the defendants. People of that culture carry out multiple murders; the defendants belong to that culture and therefore... It's better to convict people based on their individual actions, not those of other members of their ethnic group.
absolutely spot on Mr. Morton, and don't let the islamophobic morons tell you any different. This same sort of parental tyranny over female children manifests itself is many cultures, including our own (ever heard of a shotgun wedding, Rotterdam?)
The ethnic background of the family is a factor, yes, but many ethnic backgrounds practice the same sort of tyranny.
Ah yes, a young couple get pregnant, then decide to marry. The moral equivalent of murdering your three daughters. Wow. Cultural relativism in full display.
"the motivation for murder is irrelevant"
Hey Morton. Are you not a law expert????
There is no difference between FIRST AND SECOND degree murder??
Really???? Are you all there Morton?
Morton,I have no idea where you come up with your facts or your opinions.
I really don't.
Anon,
The difference between First and Second is planning and deliberation - not motive. Doesn't matter why I kill someone, it matters if I planned to kill or if I just decided to (or was reckless about)during a brief moment. (Arguably motive does matter in insanity *NCR* matters but that is where the motive is something like "saving the planet from space aliens")
"Tooba Yayha denied ever hearing the term “honour killing”. Yet, her older sister, Sorayah, approved killing for the sake of honour, telling La Presse’s Michèle Ouimet in Kabul that “if someone committed a shameful act, they deserved to be eliminated”. Her son agreed, adding “Afghans are right to kill in the name of honour.” Her husband added that if his daughters dared to ruin his honour, he would “put them in a sack, and eliminate them so that no one could find a trace of them.” Clearly, there are some who are unapologetic, standing firmly behind such a heinous practice. Of these, a few migrate with such pathological thinking, unwilling to change."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/shafia-trial-a-wake-up-call-for-canadian-muslims/article2319148/
"not very different (except in scale) from spousal murders across Canada" James Morton
With all due respect James its very different.
Canada let those girls down, just like we let Asqa Parvez down.
Adrienne Batra, a Sikh journalist said on CFRB this morning that many in the Muslim and Sikh community are hard wired to cleanse the family if shame is brought upon them.
Spousal abuse is usually spouse on spouse, one on one. In this case the father and the mother conspired with a male child to kill his 3 sisters and the husbands first polygamous wife. During the trial a second son lied on the stand to support his parents and brother. Another daughter acted as a spy and informant against the three that were murdered. This is most definitely not a run of the mill, sordid case of domestic abuse and your trivialize these four women's deaths when you try to make it out as such.
Mr. Morton, obscuring the truth because you fear some kind of backlash against co-religionists or compatriots is wrong and, if successful, will only work to condone future killings. The motive IS important.
"Anon,
The difference between First and Second is planning and deliberation - not motive. "
Is planning and deliberation all not part of the mens rea?????
How can a person commit a murder without a motive????
"Doesn't matter why I kill someone, it matters if I planned to kill or if I just decided to (or was reckless about)during a brief moment."
Does the above sentence not contradict itself Morton?
Why does everyone ignore the fact that religion is the root cause of this? The answer is simple. We have an unspoken rule where we are never allowed to blame religion or even criticize it. This is not an anti-muslim comment. It's a comment about how we never allow true criticism of someone's religious beliefs. It's so bad that the even the judge used "honour" while not using "religion". What's my proof? Someone reading this is very offended? But you are wrong in being offended.
"It's a comment about how we never allow true criticism of someone's religious beliefs."
The Marxists here in Canada crap on the Christian church everyday. I'm not religious one bit but the Marxist bigots are tough to stomach.
Here in Canada, every religion is off topic except Christianity.
Non western faiths and cultures are not to be criticized.
In Canada multiculturalism trumps human rights.
The Shafia four, Aqsa Parvez, all cried out for help. If they were white, they all would be still alive.
It is so sad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n0U6rwSVefA
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