Just when you think a horrible story can’t get any worse, you click on a link, read a news story, and are proven wrong.
Naveed Haq didn’t just kill Pat Waechtler by accident. He hunted her down and murdered her.
Prosecutors allege that Haq shot Pamela Waechter in the chest and then followed the wounded woman as she fled up some stairs. At the top, Haq allegedly reached over the railing and shot her again, killing her.
He knew what he was doing.
When a gunman opened fire on women at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle last Friday, he announced the shootings were intended to make a statement.
It was terrorism. It wasn’t a hate crime. It was meant to terrorize Jews the world over.
The charges say the shooting began shortly after Haq forced his way into the federation offices by sticking a pistol in the back of a 14-year-old girl who was visiting her aunt. He ordered her to open the security door, according to the charges. Once inside, Haq allegedly said, “I’m only doing this for a statement.”
According to the papers, Haq followed the girl upstairs to a reception area and, when they reached the desk of receptionist Layla Bush, Haq asked to see the manager. The 14-year-old girl continued walking and went into a nearby restroom, locking herself in a stall.
What ensued was mayhem. Witnesses say Haq “readied his gun” — he was carrying two, as well as a knife, prosecutors say — and shot Carol Goldman in the knee as she attempted to call 911. “Haq continued to shoot, hitting [Layla] Bush in the abdomen and left shoulder and [Cheryl] Stumbo in the abdomen,” charging papers say.
Moving through the office, the papers say, he shot Christina Rexroad in the abdomen and wounded Waechter in the chest. She clutched at the wound and ran up some stairs. Haq chased her down and killed her, the charges allege.
And they still keep saying it isn’t terrorism.
Though he said there is no evidence the shooting itself was an act of terrorism, Maleng said it is inexorably linked to political events in the Middle East and to the war on terror worldwide.
Christine Rexroad’s father-in-law has the right idea:
“It was premeditated. Let the punishment fit the crime,” Rexroad said. “He knew exactly what he was doing. He barged in and just started shooting. Whether the women were Jews, gentiles, Christians, it really didn’t matter.”
It is the 1930s all over again. Jews are being murdered worldwide, for the crime of existence. There may be no death camps being built, but there is a fanatical madman who wants to annihilate all the Jews in Israel—and the world is doing nothing. No, wait. My bad. The world is blaming the Jews.
Not entirely orthogonal . . . my wife went to the local art fair — near our neighborhood in Minneapolis — yesterday. It’s usually a vacation from street crime in a pretty bad neighborhood (Powderhorn Park, for those who know Minneapolis).
I didn’t go; not my cup of tea. I did ask her, later, if she brought her gun with her.
“Are you crazy?” She gave a snort. “Of course I did.”
In most states in the US, most law-abiding adults — including Jews — can carry a handgun for self-protection. (They don’t necessarily have to make it a matter of public information that they do.) Most Jews who do will never need to take it out “for serious” — whether it’s to stop an antisemitic maniac or a knife-wielding robber who doesn’t care about the religion of his victims.
The next time that some jewhating jihadi attacks a bunch of Jews — and there will be — it would be a very good thing, under the circumstances, if he gets a bullet in the head.
Jewish “gun nuts” like me come in for a lot of criticism and ostracism in the Jewish community. I wish that there had been just one in the Federation in Seattle just over a week ago, and hope that there will be at least one next time.
Yea, Joel, Powderhorn Park is not the nicest place in Mpls.
We need more Jewish ‘Gun Nuts’. It’ll make incidents such as Meryl mentioned alot less likely.
Though I do not like guns, nor do I own one (thank goodness), I am glad to know there are alot of law abiding citizens (such as yourself) who pack heat.
It makes the maniacs think twice.
Hello from Londonistan. Here we’re a very small minority (less than 1/2 million) in the UK overall. There are officially 1 1/2 million Muslims (unofficially 3 million) here, and our Government is very careful not to upset them in any way. The Mayor of London is even more careful. The Scots appear to be keen to be seen not offend that part of the population too. We, however, are deemed to be fair game. Whenever anyone Jewish is in the newspaper, particularly if they have been accused of some sort of offence, the code comes into play. The word Jew is not often mentioned, but ‘North London Businessman’, ‘Son/Grandson of Refugee from Nazi Germany’, ‘Benefactor of Jewish charities’ are used to alert the readership to the ethnicity of the miscreant. Also photo of miscreant wearing yarmulke at wedding/barmitzvah.
As you know, we don’t have much of a gun culture here, but knives are becoming increasingly popular, as are old fashioned fists, boots and blunt objects. Also spray paint and arson. And of course verbal abuse.
I’m 61 and I haven’t a clue how this has happened. What signs did we miss? What steps should we have taken? Where should we be going from here?
I don’t have a ‘carry permit’ (very difficult to obtain in my state) but I am armed and trained. My entire extended famly on my mother’s side was exterminated in the Warsaw Ghetto, and that fact, plus many others, make it a moral imperative for me to be able to defend my family and myself, as a Jew and as a free person. I hope it never comes to that, but the lesson of my family from Warsaw has been learned.
Chairwoman –
I wish I knew the cure for the UK’s steeper decline into barbaric intolerance, but I do not know what someone like yourself can do, other than keeping yourself informed and trying not to be intimidated into silence.
I so greatly admire Melanie Phillips. Perhaps if you wrote to her directly, you might benefit from a dialog with her.
Best wishes for you and all freedom-loving people in the UK.
Lia Marnzer –
Trust me, no antisemitic bastard’s going to intimidate me. I already communicate with Melanie, she’s very much on the case, but a lot of the rest of our media like to portray her as an over the top right winger. So much for Jewish control of the media. BTW I subscribe to the on line New York Times, and am astonished by their current stance. US next?
Chairwoman –
The US may be next – we have more than our share of left-wing and right-wing ‘anti-zionist’ jew-hating scum.
In fact, I have a neighbor who openly supports Hamas and still manages to make appearances in the media offering the ‘Muslim perspective’.
The ‘It can’t happen here’ mantra is the most dangerous delusion one can have. Yes, it can. It doesn’t have to come to that, but it can.
Thank you Joel for expressing my position better than I might have.
While there will always be anti-semitism, if the cost of expressing it can be made sufficiently high, then it will simply not be worth the price to the perpetrators. That would be a laudable goal indeed.
Cond0010, I have a question. You recognize the need for more ‘Jewish gun-nuts’, and clearly understand the benefit of an armed populace. So why do you ‘thank goodness’ that you do not own a gun? Why would you not prefer to be amongst those who can defend themselves?
I do not mean to be argumentative, I would really like to understand. My aunt is the same way, and she has declined to explain her position.
I’m with Tom, Cond0010. While I happen to like guns — and computers, and certain other mechanical devices — I don’t carry a handgun routinely because I “like” to. (My wife, btw, doesn’t like guns at all; she doesn’t carry a handgun routinely because she likes to.)
Of the Jews who have taken training from me, I can’t think of one who did it because they liked guns. (I do know a few; they got their initial training elsewhere. Some in the IDF.)
I misspoke myself slightly: I frankly don’t care, not even a little, if the next jihadi who tries to murder a bunch of Jews gets shot in the head by a Jew who likes guns, or loathes them.
Lil Mamzer — keep your sense of priorities. Being armed and trained is first; fixing your carry permit laws can come later. (Just to clear up the obvious: am I advocating those Jews who can’t get carry permits arming themselves? Of course I am. But probably a large minority of adult Jews can get carry permits, anyway — 40 states, after all. Including, just to be clear, Washington State.)
Hmmmm… seems I have stumbled across a sensitive issue. I did not mean to imply that you (or other gun owners) like guns – just that I do not.
Owning a gun is a very sensitive issue. My mother owns a gun – yet she despises guns. OTOH, there are those who do like guns and flaunt it.
Tom – I wrote ‘Jewish Gun Nuts’ as I was folding in my argument with Joels’. I am in agreement with Joel and wanted to add to what he had said. It was not meant as a negative connotation. If it was general-knowledge among the populace that Jews, in General, carried a side arm, I believe certain problems they suffer would diminish.
Tom – yes I do hate guns. I do not like the look of them, the feel of them, and what they represent. I do acknowledge the necessity of having them around though, and do not bregrudge others having them.
I’ve have pondered owning one – considering my beliefs (though they seem contradictory). But after thinking it over, I realized that by me owning one – without the proper mindset and training – I would have a better chance of getting hurt by my own gun than in defense of myself or those I care about.
I assume that those who own a gun (and are law abiding – of course), have probably asked the same (or similar) question of themselves and came up with a different answer.
The irony of all this is that I am considering joining the Army National Guard which convolutes the whole thing all the more…. :)
If I may interrupt: When I get my full-time, secure job with the raise in salary, I have every intention of learning how to shoot, buying a gun, and getting a carry permit.
Richmond may not have all that many fanatical Muslims, but I’d like to think that at least my synagogue will be protected–as well as my person.
I already have a shooting teacher lined up. Two, in fact. One here and one in DC.
Heh… May there be a gun club in every Jewish Community Center…
Meryl: good for you.
cond0010: from your mouth to, well, you know. That said, I’d like to start with one. Unfortunately, my local JCC has signs up that say ATTN: JIHADIS — UNARMED JEWS INSIDE. (Well, actually, it’s only words to that effect.)
(* Unfortunately, my local JCC has signs up that say ATTN: JIHADIS — UNARMED JEWS INSIDE. (Well, actually, it’s only words to that effect. *)
I am surprised they’d have signs of that nature at a JCC. I could see that at a Public High School as some now have/need Police Officers in the hallways. But there? Surprising.
Being that Powderhorn Park is nearby, I assume that you live in the H() Park area. Nice place to live – I might add. I used to deliver pizza in that area.
Actually, I live in the Bancroft neighborhood. (I’d be more discreet, but I’m easy to find; no sense worrying about ringing that bell.) The nearest JCC, though, is all the way out in St. Louis Park.
(* (I’d be more discreet, but I’m easy to find; no sense worrying about ringing that bell.) *)
I suppose if someone really wants to find you they can.
I’m not familiar with the Bancroft area as I am more a St. Paulite.
I would have thought going to St Paul (taking the Ford Parkway Bridge to Cleveland to St. Paul Ave) would be shorter – but what do I know.
Lately, I live in the Dinkytown Area (aka Marcy Park Neighborhood) and walk to work at the University.
Its kinda neat to bump into someone from the same metropolitan area as yourself on the Internet.
John
Meryl –
I can always use a good excuse to get more range time. If you ever want to go to the range when you’re in the DC area and your other DC instructor isn’t around, let me know and I’ll introduce you to the reliability and accuracy that the Italian-designed Beretta 92 is famous for.