An American Honor Killing

July 12, 2010 5:27 PM

In October of 2009, Faleh Almaleki repeatedly ran over his daughter, Noor, in an honor killing in Phoenix.
posted by Pope Guilty (19 comments total)

A klingon would not approve.
posted by TwelveTwo at 5:29 PM on July 12, 2010 [2 favorites]

I kind of wish there was more to the post than one sad article
posted by edgeways at 5:31 PM on July 12, 2010

Humanism trumps here for me. It is entirely dishonorable to use violence, much less homicidal violence, to punish a child for making her own lifestyle choices.
posted by bearwife at 5:34 PM on July 12, 2010 [2 favorites]

It's like I've always said: Phoenix is a shithole.
posted by Artw at 5:34 PM on July 12, 2010 [3 favorites]

It's like I've always said: Islamists are shitheads.
posted by Uncle Grumpy at 5:38 PM on July 12, 2010

Alleged honour killings in Canada - almost exactly a year ago 4 women were pulled out of a car in a canal near Ottawa in an alleged honour killing.

This issue gets a lot of front-page press in Canada.
posted by GuyZero at 5:40 PM on July 12, 2010

You know, a lot of white non-muslims kill family members, too, for similar reasons, but hose killings are just called "murder."
posted by Sys Rq at 5:40 PM on July 12, 2010 [29 favorites]

Read this essay/review of a number of books on the issue in the LRB (and hence with something of a European focus) last year.
posted by Abiezer at 5:41 PM on July 12, 2010

This article at least mentions that honor killings aren't sanctioned by Islam, so that's a plus.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:42 PM on July 12, 2010

You know, a lot of white non-muslims kill family members, too, for similar reasons, but hose killings are just called "murder."

Yeah. Too bad more priests, pastors and rabbis don't advocate honor killings.

/ironic
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:43 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

It's like I've always said: Islamists are shitheads.

If you'll note, the article doesn't discuss his politics or his faith. You are making an unsupported assumption. In fact, the only mention of religion in the article is from the mother:

Police also spoke with Noor's mother, Seham, who was on her way home from her job in California. When a detective said that her husband had struck Noor and Amal with his car, she grew angry, saying in reference to Amal, "This woman is a liar. She is dirty." The detective then said that Noor was "close to dying," and Seham appeared to misunderstand. "Thank you. Thank you," she said. "That's what she needs. This is what Amal needs." The detective decided that Noor's safety could be in jeopardy and declined to disclose her location. A frustrated Seham shouted, "I'm a danger? We are Muslim. We can't kill our daughter!" The police stationed officers outside Noor's hospital room.

posted by Pope Guilty at 5:44 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

Those who would kill for honor have none.
posted by Aquaman at 5:44 PM on July 12, 2010

It's like I've always said: Islamists are shitheads.

it has nothing to do with Islam and a lot to do with specific cultural values from certain regions of the world that go way, way back. People had their tribal identities a long time before Mohammed showed up. Thankfully most people have moved on from that. But killing disobedient daughters isn't covered in the Koran, much like dinosaurs aren't discussed in the Bible.
posted by GuyZero at 5:44 PM on July 12, 2010 [4 favorites]

...but those killings...
posted by Sys Rq at 5:49 PM on July 12, 2010

Islamists are shitheads.

Islamist isn't really a real word.

The correct description of these guys is "goatfucking hillbillies".
posted by Artw at 5:53 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

So effing weird to have an ad popping up urging me to enter some Sex and the City 2 themed contest while reading this horrifying story.
posted by piratebowling at 5:55 PM on July 12, 2010 [2 favorites]

Calling it 'honour killing' is akin to using the defence that 'he needed killing'. 'Honour murder' wouldn't have the same feeling of justification.

Regardless of his reasons, the guy is a total asshole.
posted by bwg at 5:55 PM on July 12, 2010

TwelveTwo, that's pretty obnoxious - a joke about this as the first comment dishonors the whole freaking concept of humanity.

Horrific. I agree with bwg that calling it "honor killing" is ridiculous.
posted by agregoli at 6:06 PM on July 12, 2010

You know, a lot of white non-muslims kill family members, too, for similar reasons, but hose killings are just called "murder."

Yeah. While this is a tragedy, people do kill eachother in the U.S. from time to time. But this gets press because it feeds into Muslim panic.

Under what conditions could a Muslim man kill his wife or daughter and have it not be called an "Honor Killing"? as opposed to it just being a "regular" family murder?
posted by delmoi at 6:08 PM on July 12, 2010 [3 favorites]