A racist man from North Carolina was jailed for terrorizing a Muslim woman on a airplane. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the incident occurred on a Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
During the flight, Gil Parker Payne, 37, approached a Muslim woman who was wearing a hijab. Payne pulled the hijab off of the woman’s head and yelled, “Take it off. This is America!” The woman felt violated and put the hijab back on her head. When Parker was arrested, he admitted to authorities that he pulled the hijab off of the woman’s head. He pleaded guilty to one count of using force or threat to obstruct a person over their religious beliefs.
The assault occurred shortly after Donald Trump spewed hate by suggesting that all Muslims are banned from entering the United States. It was statement that followed terrorist attacks by Muslim extremists, but it showed a lack of insight on Trump’s part to judge an entire religion or race based on the acts of only a few. Trump recently said that he would only allow a few Muslims to enter the U.S. including London’s new mayor, Sadiq Khan. Khan called Trump ignorant and believes that he would make America less safe with his hateful speech.
Trump’s initial statement to ban Muslims from America should have been viewed as a hate crime because it influences ignorant racists such as Payne to violate the civil rights of others.
However, the Justice Department wants to send a strong message to Payne and others who attack others for their race, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.
The woman who was the victim of Payne’s attack has yet to reveal if she will sue Payne or Southwest Airlines. Payne now faces up to one year in prison and a fine of $100,000.
