After assaulting Muslim tenant, landlord must learn about Islam

[waves]

A Somerville landlord and Christian minister convicted of pushing her Muslim tenant down the stairs must comply with a judge’s order that she learn about the Islamic faith as part of her probation, the state’s highest court concluded Wednesday.

After assaulting Muslim tenant, landlord must learn about Islam

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

Sounds like she had a really bad lawyer.

 

[Cimorene]

The landlord who pushed the human being down the stairs is also a Christian minister??? SMH.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

There's another way to look at this ridiculous order by the judge. Hey, lady, next time you want to push a Muslim down stairs you'll know enough about Islam so as to have cause to push a Muslim down the stairs. Make it an educated assault!

Seriously! What are they thinking making an order like this?

 

[aieyiamfu]

After assaulting Muslim tenant, landlord must learn about Islam

Sounds reasonable.

 

[brinny]

She's 71 years old???!!!

Obi was 71 years old and had no prior criminal record when convicted.

Say wut???!!!

There's something SERIOUSLY amiss here.

What's the rest of the story?

And she's ordered to alert her tenants that she "assaulted" a tenant akin to being ordered to wearing a big ol' red "A" ???!!!

Yeah she needs a competent attorney.

Can anyone say blatantly suspicious and egregious OVER-kill?

WHERE is this again?

 

[brinny]

Seriously, what were the circumstances that occurred BEFORE the alleged push occurred?

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

Seriously, what were the circumstances that occurred before the push occurred?

Being this 71 year old Christian pastor woman with no record was accused of pushing a Muslim down steps, yes, that's vital I'd think.

 

[brinny]

Being this 71 year old Christian pastor woman with no record was accused of pushing a Muslim down steps, yes, that's vital I'd think.

i agree.....and these details are strangely missing.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

i agree.....and these details are strangely missing.

Not so strange if you consider a Christian was prosecuted for an alleged crime against a Muslim and ordered to learn about Islam as part of their probationary package.

 

[brinny]

Not so strange if you consider a Christian was prosecuted for an alleged crime against a Muslim and ordered to learn about Islam as part of their probationary package.

it's monstrous to not give the full story and then going on to demonize this elderly woman, and bludgeon this 71 yr old woman with prison, and shaming, and then indoctrination....

God have mercy.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

I feel sorry not only for her but for her family. Being she's being portrayed in this way in her twilight years. It's injustice in itself. Her lawyer should have done a better job.

 

[brinny]

I feel sorry not only for her but for her family. Being she's being portrayed in this way in her twilight years. It's injustice in itself. Her lawyer should have done a better job.

indeed.

God have mercy.

 

[tatteredsoul]

After assaulting Muslim tenant, landlord must learn about Islam

It seems like a non-sequitor.

Push a person of another faith down the stairs, and you have to learn about their faith as part of rehabilitation/sentencing? This is a people issue first.

Even if it was about a religious hatred, the priority here is a human assaulted another human.


Unless, it was a hate crime. Even at that, forcing someone to learn about the object of their contempt won't breed compasion, likely will breed more contempt.

 

[brinny]

Here's a bit more information on the history (dated 12/15)

Obi vehemently denied making any anti-Muslim statements to Suliman or pushing her. She testified she was inside her apartment praying when she heard a knock at the door from the police, who arrested her.

Obi said in a phone interview that she believes Suliman had a vendetta against her because she refused to allow her to let more people live in her apartment.

“I’ve never, ever made a rude remark against her,” she said. “Why would I do that? I have three Muslims living in the house now.”

Obi also said she believes Suliman hates her because she is a Christian. Suliman did not respond to messages left at her home and workplace.

Obi’s lawyer argues that the probation condition that she learn about the Muslim faith “burdens Dr Obi’s free exercise of religion”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...dlord-muslim-tenant-islam-class-massachusetts

 

[imind]

this sort of "creative sentencing" is often used in lieu of prison time or fines. they are often much more useful than simple punishment, especially when charges of racism or religious intolerance, for example, are presentted. her age was probably a great factor here but it appears she was also sentenced to 6 months jail time.

I feel sorry not only for her but for her family. Being she's being portrayed in this way in her twilight years. It's injustice in itself. Her lawyer should have done a better job.

what about the crime itself? does she deserve no punishment...many of you are way too concerned about her and not her victim...oh wait, the victim is muslim, nevermind.

the judge in the case called her "the landlord from hell"...

Sentencing Obi last year, Judge Paul Yee Jr called Obi “the landlord from hell” after pointing out that she had harassment prevention orders issued against her by two other tenants.

the landlord is also noted as making several disparaging remarks to the victim regarding her faith.

He sentenced her to two years in jail on the assault and battery charge for pushing Suliman but required her to serve only six months, with the remaining 18 months suspended if she complied with certain probation conditions.

seems like the sentence was appropriate...given the circumstances she got off with a slap on the wrist.

it's monstrous to not give the full story and then going on to demonize this elderly woman, and bludgeon this 71 yr old woman with prison, and shaming, and then indoctrination....

lol...because its ok for christians to assault muslims...
indoctrination, please...

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

this sort of "creative sentencing" is often used in lieu of prison time or fines. they are often much more useful than simple punishment, especially when charges of racism or religious intolerance, for example, are presentted. her age was probably a great factor here but it appears she was also sentenced to 6 months jail time.


what about the crime itself? does she deserve no punishment...many of you are way too concerned about her and not her victim...oh wait, the victim is muslim, nevermind.

the judge in the case called her "the landlord from hell"...

the landlord is also noted as making several disparaging remarks to the victim regarding her faith.


seems like the sentence was appropriate...given the circumstances she got off with a slap on the wrist.


lol...because its ok for christians to assault muslims...
indoctrination, please...

The story is incomplete. And the sentencing was a trespass on the pastors faith.
If respect was an issue here lower case in both Christian and Muslim would not appear in your remarks. You'd show respect with proper spelling before casting aspersions on those who recognize there is something wrong , off, in this reporting.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

Here's a bit more information on the history (dated 12/15)

Obi vehemently denied making any anti-Muslim statements to Suliman or pushing her. She testified she was inside her apartment praying when she heard a knock at the door from the police, who arrested her.

Obi said in a phone interview that she believes Suliman had a vendetta against her because she refused to allow her to let more people live in her apartment.

“I’ve never, ever made a rude remark against her,” she said. “Why would I do that? I have three Muslims living in the house now.”

Obi also said she believes Suliman hates her because she is a Christian. Suliman did not respond to messages left at her home and workplace.

Obi’s lawyer argues that the probation condition that she learn about the Muslim faith “burdens Dr Obi’s free exercise of religion”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...dlord-muslim-tenant-islam-class-massachusetts

That makes more sense.
Her lawyer should have brought up the probation condition during the sentencing phase. As it is they stand to make time for appeals against that sentence. And that could be costly.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

Here's the latest update for this year old case.

Sep 21,2016

Court OKs jail time for minister who pushed Muslim tenant

By DENISE LAVOIE
AP Legal Affairs Writer

 

[brinny]

this sort of "creative sentencing" is often used in lieu of prison time or fines. they are often much more useful than simple punishment, especially when charges of racism or religious intolerance, for example, are presentted. her age was probably a great factor here but it appears she was also sentenced to 6 months jail time.


what about the crime itself? does she deserve no punishment...many of you are way too concerned about her and not her victim...oh wait, the victim is muslim, nevermind.

the judge in the case called her "the landlord from hell"...

the landlord is also noted as making several disparaging remarks to the victim regarding her faith.


seems like the sentence was appropriate...given the circumstances she got off with a slap on the wrist.


lol...because its ok for christians to assault muslims...
indoctrination, please...

There's allegations of lying by the tenant Gihan Suliman about Daisy Obi, the 73 year old landlord who had 3 other Muslims living in the dwelling already. In addition, Ms. Obi knew that Gihan Suliman, and her husband and five young children were Muslim when she rented them the apartment. Ms. Obi has no prior criminal history of any kind. It is evident, just by this scarce information alone, that accusing Ms. Obi of hating Muslims does not hold water.

Praying for Daisy Obi, that the truth emerges and that any and all injustice done to Ms. Obi is a'righted.

"Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake." ~Isaiah 54:15

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." ~Isaiah 54:17

"Behold all that fight against thee shall be confounded and ashamed, they shall be as nothing, and the men shall perish that strive against thee. " ~Isaiah 41:11