The Rise of Hate Ham Crime

Source: The Sun Journal (H/T Hot Air)

One student has been suspended and more disciplinary action could follow a possible hate crime at Lewiston Middle School, Superintendent Leon Levesque said Wednesday.

On April 11, a white student placed a ham steak in a bag on a lunch table where Somali students were eating. Muslims consider pork unclean and offensive.

*SNIP*

The school incident is being treated seriously as "a hate incident," Levesque said. Lewiston police are investigating, and the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence is working with the school to create a response plan.

A hate crime? Doesn't there have to be an underlying crime before we can leap to "hate crime" status?

Well, thank God the CPHV is on the case whipping up a "response plan." Although, judging by their name, they are there to prevent VIOLENCE, and the last time I checked, having "placed a ham steak...on a lunch table" doesn't qualify.

But let's not forget the fact that the student with the porkalicious gift was white. The reporter made sure to include that little tidbit.

Why does that matter, I ask? If the act was perpetrated to offend someone based on their religion, why on earth do we need to know the race of the kid who did it?

According to one of the students at the lunch table...

He began to think white students didn't like him, and the act was their way of letting him know.

Well, that's apples and oranges, isn't it folks? Apples and oranges.

Technorati Tags: Muslim, Somali, Hate Crime, Racism, White, Ham