'This is America' air traveler says guilty of yanking Muslim's scarf

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

World | Fri May 13, 2016 5:24pm EDT

'This is America' air traveler says guilty of yanking Muslim's scarf

BY ERIC M. JOHNSON

A North Carolina man admitted on Friday that he ripped off a Muslim woman's head scarf during a flight to New Mexico last December after saying, "Take it off! This is America!"

Gill Payne, 37, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court in New Mexico to one count of using force to intentionally obstruct the woman from freely exercising her religious beliefs, prosecutors said.

"No matter one's faith, all Americans are entitled to peacefully exercise their religious beliefs free from discrimination and violence," said Vanita Gupta, head of the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

An attorney for Payne did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-mexico-crime-muslim-idUSKCN0Y42JU

[Actor]

1. Expect this ALL day long EVERYWHERE if Trump is elected

[rug]

2. Asshole.

[DebbieCDC]

4. +1

[procon]

3. That ignorant bigot needs a remedial civics course.

He has no idea what it even means to be an American. He's a racist and he thought he could get away with bullying and terrorizing a woman because of her religion. Would he do the same thing to Catholic nuns, devout orthodox Jews, or other Christian sects who also cover their heads?

"He faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years as well as a fine of up to $250,000." His hate got him in big trouble for violating than woman's civil rights. Payback is a bitch!

[awoke_in_2003]

5. WTF is wrong with people?...

ok, that question is kind of rhetorical. Anyways, I remember when my mother occasionally wore head scarves because she didn't want to mess with her hair that day. Of course, she was pretty white, so the assholes might not have messed with her (if they had, she'd have probably kicked their ass anyways )

[bamaprogressive]

6. Exactly...

My grandmother wore one almost every day to the grocery store, etc while trying to protect her hairdo, and crickets.

[marble falls]

7. Christian Sharia.

[jwirr]

8. He would have been a real riot in a Catholic Church years

ago where women were expected to keep their hair covered. Even us protestants were asked to where a scarf when we entered.

[keithbvadu2]

9. Next he will be ripping crosses and yamulkas off

Christians and Jews.

After all, some Christians consider other Christians to be false Christians.

[LiberalFighter]

10. He should had been charged with assault too.

[dhill926]

12. absolutely...

[Thespian2]

11. AAH, Blessed Ignorance!!

How you have taken over the souls of so many Americans...and more to come...

[Lordquinton]

13. Not even a religious issue

He assaulted someone, needs to be charged.