Posted on 06/19/2004 7:45:36 PM PDT by Pikamax
After Beheading, Rising Anger in New Jersey By JASON GEORGE and MARC SANTORA
ITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J., June 19 — There are the flowers and the crosses, the notes and the photographs and all the other signs of sympathy and grieving that one would expect to find at an impromptu shrine devoted to someone murdered in a most cruel fashion.
But one day after graphic photographs of the body of Paul M. Johnson Jr., beheaded by Islamic extremists, were beamed around the world, a new sign appeared in the yard next to the house of Mr. Johnson's sister in Little Egg Harbor Township.
"Last night my heart was filled with love and prayers, but today it is filled with hatred. Last night I was not a racist, but today I feel racism toward Islamic beliefs," the sign said. "Last night Islamics had a chance to speak up for Paul Johnson, but today it was too late," it also said. "Today Islamics better wake up and start thinking about tomorrow."
The sentiment reflected in the sign was not shared by everyone in the southern New Jersey community where Mr. Johnson had grown up, but it was shared by several people interviewed over the past few days.
Muslim officials around the state, and the world, were quick to condemn the killing and offer their sympathy to Mr. Johnson's family.
A week ago, when Mr. Johnson was kidnapped in Saudi Arabia, where he worked as an engineer for Lockheed Martin, there was a great deal of hope among friends that everything would work out.
On Tuesday, when the terrorists put out a video saying they would execute Mr. Johnson in 72 hours if their demands were not met, the situation took on added urgency and people turned to prayer.
About 100 friends gathered Thursday night for a candlelight vigil. Friday they found out that their prayers had not been answered.
"A lot of people are angry, a lot of people are sad and a lot of people are hurt," said Dennis C. Seeley Jr., a chaplain for the Eagleswood Fire Company. Mr. Seeley, who helped organize the vigil, had the same exhausted look as others in the town.
John Hayes, a childhood friend of Mr. Johnson's, said: "I just can't believe it. I didn't think it was going to come to this." Mr. Hayes said he was sad for Mr. Johnson's son, Paul III, and his grandson, Paul IV, who live in Florida.
Mr. Johnson's family spent most of their time in private, grieving.
Joseph Billy Jr., an F.B.I. agent who spoke on the family's behalf, said, "They knew that the odds were not in the favor of law enforcement." He thanked the Saudi and American governments and said, "Paul considered Saudi Arabia his home."
Some neighbors did not hide their anger, saying privately that blood should be met with blood.
Khalid Masood Butt, 51, president of the Pakistani American Muslim Organization of South Jersey, said, "This is understandable as the people react and they are under the influence of emotions." He said he wanted to offer the family support. "But I wondered about how I would be received. Now I feel I should have done it. As an American, as a Muslim, it is my duty to give them the concepts of being a Muslim."
I met a man on the bus shortly after 9/11. He told me that he went to do search and rescue that night. He was stunned when he saw a foot burning in a shoe. A man from my job was out on the street when the buildings came down. His body was safe, but his head has never been the same. He can barely speak of what he saw that day.
Did you all noticed the smile on that F terrorist has on?! I wonder if the Saudis embalmers forced that smile on just to make a statement like...UP YOURS USA! I bet you anything they did it purposely to stick to us!
Oh man....
This from the religion of peace.
I wouldn't post that without the warning at the top of this thread.
They got the concept of being a Muslim REAL good, Butt-man . So did we all. REAL good.
Thank you, Tangerine, for what you do.
Slap a little bacon grease on those Hellfires!
What they don't understand is that they should have been "quick to condemn the killERS...
I don't believe in religious discrimination but we are long past due for Muslims everywhere to drum these bastards out of their ranks. They can't demand to be treated differently than terrorist Muslims if they won't treat them as criminals. Condemn them loudly and publicly, inform on them, turn on them personally, police the members of their own religion...
E Rocc, how about defending your foul religion.
I want to see more of what happened and what rained down on the streets of NY. I need to see more of this. I need to show these to a few people I know. If you have a link or other place freepmail me.
In case anyone missed it, he couldn't resist offering an excuse for the head sawing.
The Book of Job is a lesson in faith.
Lay your bias aside sometime and read it with an open mind.
God does have a plan, and His is always perfect.
It's been in place since the beginning of time.
Oh, c'mon, Skooz! Quit sugar coating it!
Tell us what you really think!
Yeah.
Maybe it was just some displaced rage after reading the story and the posts of first hand accounts of 9/11/01.
Someone posted a sincere, heartfelt statement of faith to cope with this senseless tragedy. The troll mocked the post and the poster and then spewed his hate at every person of faith.
I just wasn't in the mood for it.
what we may well see is the sequestering of iranian, pakistani, syrian, all sorts of m.e. nationals here in america...much like japanese and german in ww2...thats if they don't get out now...
When are the American people going to be outraged enough to say to the likes of Michael Moore, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry and the rest of the left-wing liberals: "Shut your freakin' mouths. We're behind the President. Let's kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out."
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