'This is America' air traveler says guilty of yanking Muslim's scarf

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

'This is America' air traveler says guilty of yanking Muslim's scarf
By Eric M. Johnson

May 13, 2016

(Reuters) - A North Carolina man admitted on Friday that he ripped off a Muslim woman's head scarf during a flight to New Mexico last December after saying, "Take it off! This is America!"

Gill Payne, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in New Mexico to one count of using force to intentionally obstruct the woman from freely exercising her religious beliefs, prosecutors said.

"No matter one's faith, all Americans are entitled to peacefully exercise their religious beliefs free from discrimination and violence," said Vanita Gupta, head of the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

An attorney for Payne said by e-mail: "Mr. Payne has taken responsibility for his actions and is sorry for them. He is ready to begin the healing process and move forward."


Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/america-air-traveler-says-guilty-yanking-muslims-scarf-212458000.html?nhp=1

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[center]

Gil Payne [/center]

[SheilaT]

1. How sorry is he?

He needs some sort of commensurate punishment, like, I don't know, being forced to be in public without any clothes, something like that.

I happen to think that the scarf-wearing is not entirely voluntary, despite so many claims that it is, but even so, if that's what a woman says she wants to wear, then NO ONE has any right to pull off her scarf. Period.

[cynzke]

7. HOW ABOUT....

Having to scrub floors and toilets in a Mosque for a year!

[SheilaT]

9. That works for me.

While there are various things I don't personally agree with, like the headscarves, I try very hard to understand that others have a very different take on this, and that I need to respect their positions.

Even if I'm not crazy about the entire headscarf thing, I would NEVER pull one off. I once engaged a woman wearing a headscarf in a conversation about being more fashion forward, as in matching the headscarf to the rest of her clothing, but it was NOT in an attitude of "you shouldn't be wearing a headscarf" but in a woman-to-woman conversation about fashion.

In any case, regardless of how I feel about a headscarf, or how anyone else feels about them, it is up to the women who decide to wear them to set the standard.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

13. what you think of head scarf is not relevant - even ifwearing it is involuntary its

still a form of assault for this guy to be invading the personal space of another and grabbing at their clothing, hair, or body. There is no justification for it - period, end of story.

Perhaps Im quibbling over language - but yall are qualifying your support for her with "if" statements - eg "IF that's what a woman wants to wear"

[Mister Ed]

30. Yes. A major assault and humiliation.

I believe this assault would have left this woman feeling as violated and exposed as most other women would feel if a stranger yanked up their skirts, or pulled down their tops in public.

For the record, you can count me among those who worry inwardly that the required headscarf may be a way of shaming and subjugating women. And, just as you say: my inward feelings on that subject are absolutely irrelevant in this matter.

[scscholar]

2. Of course North Carolina...

geez.

[Ford_Prefect]

3. One more Trump voter...

[HuskiesHowls]

4. What if that had been a Mother Superior??

His knuckles would probably STILL be hurting!!!

[moriah]

8. Why hair covering on one is fine but the other isn't is lunacy. Nt

[Person 2713]

25. Did you notice how nuns habits are never an issue with these types ?

They will step out of a nuns way not grab her head and yell in her ear
Yet it is suppose to all about the garb which is the same with formal strict and modern versions in both religions
Oh and no concern on a nuns choice to wear it either

[Gumboot]

5. Silly Gil...

... He should spend his time knocking these off the heads of his fellow runts.

[Socal31]

6. I'm sorry, but this isn't true.

I expect much more journalistic integrity.

The real quote was "This is Murikkkka!"

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Guaranteed his parents remembered

when many many "American" women wore scarves tied under the chin and men wore fedoras...and God forbid you didn't walk into a Catholic Church (and other denominations) without a head covering of some kind. Guess he'd go after some nuns too.

[Person 2713]

26. If you didn't have head gear on when I was a kid the nuns would put a Kleenex on your head !!

Hey iam old enough to remember Catholics not so liked but never like the islamphobia of today
It really is scary
But yes heaven forbid you not have a head covering
The nuns would walk down the aisles and slap them on your head plop like mm you forgot your veil or scarf

Too many people today are very sick and paranoid

[jpak]

11. Asshole

yup

[13Dogs]

12. Another Einstein Weighs In

The sad part is that Trump is empowering these fools to come out of the woodwork. Granted it doesn't take much encouragement for ignorant, racist (sorry that's redundant) people to show their true selves, which they've had to hide because of that damn political correctness.

[Person 2713]

27. Wait until he wins or doesn't win . Either way these idiots will rebel in our society

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

14. Correct, you're right bub. This *IS* America - we tolerate people who are different from us here.

Someone should yank on his orange prison issued undies and give him a good wedgie he wont forget.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

15. This guy would probably go ballistic ...

... if someone ripped the NASCAR cap off his head and said, "This is America, don't wear a hat in a restaurant".

I would do no such thing, but my grandmother ...

[NWCorona]

16. I hope the crybaby gets what he deserves

[sinkingfeeling]

17. Bet he loves Trump.

[Paladin]

18. Fucking redneck shit-for-brains.

He looks like most of the guys at any given Trump rally. The Smart People have to save the nation from all the Stupid People this election, more so now than ever before.

[TonyPDX]

20. You're giving him too much credit. n/t

[rockfordfile]

19. I agree with the poster above that it's still a form of assault

[Loki]

21. What I want to know is

did anyone on that flight stand up for that woman? I wish I'd been there. Mr. ButtHead redneck would be using the sit-down urinal for a long time.

[Coventina]

22. Wow! Way to convince a woman she has freedom!

By physically assaulting her!

[Odin2005]

23. I suspect our resident DU Islamophobes would do the same thing.

[The Second Stone]

24. When I was young in the 60s my mother used to wear a head scarf on

windy days. To think people would now believe her to be a Muslim is now three hoots.

[Warpy]

28. Yeah, this is America and just what gives that inbred knuckle dragging douchecanoe

the right to touch any woman he does not know and especially to rip items of clothing off her body?

Asshole.

He's a prime example of why I fled NC for Boston as soon as I'd saved enough money to get there. Now he's going to spend time in the can here in NM. Ugh.

At least this state takes a dim view of cults and the religious bullies they produce.

[tblue37]

29. What a jerk. nt

[louis-t]

31. You don't just get "sorry" for those actions.

[yellowcanine]

32. Sorry for the actions because he got in trouble.

Needs to make a sincere apology to the woman.

[BuelahWitch]

33. Jesus, why can't people mind their own fucking business??

Stupid fuckwad! This kind of thing makes me angry.

[Judi Lynn]

34. NC man pleads guilty to pulling off Muslim woman’s hijab during flight

May 14, 2016 4:37 PM

NC man pleads guilty to pulling off Muslim woman’s hijab during flight

Highlights

Gastonia man awaiting sentencing

Incident took place on a Southwest Airlines flight

Justice Department official: ‘All Americans entitled to peacefully exercise religious beliefs’

By Anne Blythe
[e-mail]

A 37-year-old man from Gastonia pleaded guilty on Friday in New Mexico federal court to using force or threat of force to intentionally obstruct a Muslim woman in the free exercise of her religious beliefs.

Gill Parker Payne, who is awaiting sentencing, was on a Southwest Airlines flight on Dec. 11, when, according to court documents, he confronted a woman wearing a hijab.

Payne had been sitting several rows behind the woman, identified only as K.A., on the flight from Chicago to Albuquerque and did not know her.

During the flight, according to a release from the U.S. Justice Department, Payne stopped in the aisle next to her seat and pulled at the head scarf that Muslim women wear as part of their religious practice. “Take it off! This is America!” federal prosecutors contend Payne said.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article77672737.html#storylink=cpy