The world’s attention was captivated last week by the small Wisconsin town of Oak Creek. The Midwestern city, home to fewer than 35,000, was devastated when Wade Michael Page opened fire on a Sikh house of worship. He murdered six people and wounded four others, killing himself after being wounded by a police officer. Oak Creek, a largely unknown city, found itself being mentioned by the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of India.
Ignorance and Hate Toward the Sikh Faith
To those with a shallow or naive understanding of Middle Eastern and Asian faith, Sikhs are often confused with Muslims. Sikhs often wear turbans which some, including hate groups, ignorantly associate with Islam and even terrorism.
The reality is that the Sikh faith and Islam are almost totally unrelated. Its leaders are different. Its texts, history, and faith practices are also different.
Wade Michael Page’s personal history includes ties to hate groups; those ties and his checkered criminal history (which includes a dishonorable discharge from the Army and job terminations due to drunk driving) indicate that the crime may have been a hate crime. The FBI has chosen to investigate the crime as an act of domestic terrorism, however.
What is Domestic Terrorism?
Domestic terrorism is, essentially, exactly what it sounds like: terrorism on domestic soil. It is interesting that the FBI chose to investigate this crime as an act of domestic terror. Typically, incidents where one individual is solely responsible for violent acts are not investigated as domestic terrorism—it would be looked into as a hate crime. The FBI has chosen to pursue the investigation as an act of domestic terror, even as evidence mounts that Page acted alone.
What is a Hate Crime?
A hate crime is a crime perpetrated against an individual or individuals because of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual preference. Prosecution of a hate crime may involve civil actions as well as criminal prosecutions.
Are They Investigated Differently?
In the United States, domestic terrorism and hate crimes fall under the same umbrella: the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It may have no bearing, at the end of the day, how the Oak Creek shooting is investigated. With the death of the perpetrator, the true definition of this crime—whether it’s domestic terrorism, or a hate crime, or both, or more—may never be known. The shooting does, however, underscore the horrific cost of hate and ignorance against individuals of faith in the United States.
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