Two girls murdered in Texas taxi: Were they honor killings?

[Pooka Fey]

16. Okasha: "This behavior is not exclusive to Islam or to Third World cultures."

Last edited Mon Jun 22, 2015, 10:54 AM - Edit history (3)

You made a false statement, and I corrected you. "Honor killings" ARE exclusive to Islam and Third World cultures.

If it is possible to make sense out of your post 15 (not an easy task), you are attempted to redefine MURDER as it is known in the West, into "Honor Killing" something which it is not. I refrain from speculating as to your reasons for this.

Crimes like those in the OP, when they occur in the West, are perpetrated by immigrants or people from those Middle Eastern or Asian cultures where "honor killings" are an accepted cultural practice. In their own Muslim Asian and Middle Eastern cultures or origin, these crimes are not considered "murder", and are not treated as such by their own ME justice system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_killing#General_cultural_features

Laws

Legal frameworks can encourage honor killings. Such laws include on one side leniency towards such killings, and on the other side criminalization of various behaviors, such as extramarital sex, 'indecent' dressing in public places, or homosexual sexual acts, with these laws acting as a way of reassuring perpetrators of honor killings that people engaging in these behaviors deserve punishment.[55][56]

Nevertheless, when these crimes are committed in the West, our justice system treats these crimes as MURDER. MURDER in the Western world has several legal considerations such as 1st degree, 2nd degree, pre-meditated, negligence, in cold blood, in the heat of passion, etc.

However, the concept of Honor Killing does not exist in the WEST as you so wrongly claimed in your original post, that I denounce in the strongest terms possible. People who confuse these two diametrically opposed ideas need to have these 2 different concepts explained to them.

ON EDIT: the USA justice system will also, of course, note any family connection between the victim and the murderer (i.e. domestic violence i.e. child abuse). In the West, a family connection does not change the fundamental nature of the crime of murder.