The Algemeiner reports on a terrible assault against a Jewish college student in East Lansing, Michigan. At a weekend party, a group of men allegedly asked Zachary Tennen whether he was Jewish before giving the Nazi salute and viciously assaulting him, according to his family:
Tennen, a sophomore at Michigan State University, was approached by the men at a party early on Sunday and asked if he was Jewish, his mother said. The men proceeded to raise their right arms in a Nazi salute and said “Heil Hitler”, before beating Tennen unconscious. According to Tennen’s mother, 20 people watched while her son had his mouth stapled by the two suspects.
“It’s an awful hate crime, and what he’s gone through emotionally and physically, it’s scary to put it into words,” Tina Tennen told the Indianapolis Star. “Hopefully the worst is behind us. It’s going to be hopefully not too rough.”
Tennen himself issued a statement to the Associated Press:
Zach Tennen told East Lansing police his attackers asked if he was Jewish, and when he responded “yes,” he was punched in the face.
The 19-year-old sophomore from the Detroit suburb of Franklin was recovering Tuesday from jaw surgery. He says the assault took place early Sunday at an off-campus party.
In a statement sent to The Associated Press, Tennen says “no one should ever be subjected to the horror” he experienced.
He says along with punching him, his attackers stapled his mouth.
We still need to wait for more details to come in from the police, but if this was an anti-Semitic attack then it’s one of the most disturbing U.S. incidents in awhile. Tablet reports that Tennen is recovering from his injuries, and he appears to be fully conscious from the photos. Obviously the big concern now is finding the perpetrators and figuring out the motivation behind the assault.
Anti-Semitic violence — if it turns out that’s what this was — is always abhorrent. The fact that these attacks happen rarely in the U.S. can’t be much comfort to the families of the victims. Every single incident is one is too many. But while you can’t completely eradicate bigotry or preempt every individual act of violence, you can hope for justice. And so far, police and MSU officials have reportedly been very responsive in this case.
Not really sure if this is worthy of a national news story or a blog post. It would be if the police weren't n Taking the case seriously. But they appear to be.
are you really not sure ? guess if he was a black gangsta the liberal media would be all over it. just another closet anti-semite
When I heard about this on the radio, the host made that exact point. If it were a Hispanic, black, woman, Muslim, etc. it would have been all over the news. But since it was a Jew, the media don't seem to respond the same way. I rarely use the A-word unless it were justified, and this is a case of "Jewish blood being cheap" and the world being allowed to let it happen. n nHaving said this, I also agree with James. If the police are taking this incident seriously, I think we should take them at their word.
Well, James, this is a site that report primarily though not exclusively on issues of importance to Jews. So while it may or may not be "worthy" of a national news story (I think it is), it certainly is worthy of a post at a site dedicated to issues affecting Jews.
Not worthy of national news? nAnd if it had been a Muslim beaten unconscious for being Muslim, and his mouth stapled shut? nI'm guessing you would have thought that deserving of top billing on the evening news. nAre you just a hypocrite, an Anti-Semite……or both?
No, the police are not taking this seriously. The attending circumstances were equally horrific. Where is the question as to whether it is a hate crime? What could be clearer? No one helped him while he was being attacked. He was knocked unconscious after which they stapled his mouth shut. Not one person would drive him, and put him in a cab.The hospital, Sparrow, a most reputable hospital, did not call the police, and when the police were called, they took their time and didn't understand this was a hate crime.Read Rochelle Riley's piece in the Detroit paper. Reportedly, they have one of the two perpetrators, and one witness. nfor more.
according to today's article, there is a possible suspect but the police doubt that it was a hate crime. Given the events, why the doubt? What would it take for the police to call this a hate crime — other than a victim from a more fashionable minority, that is?
Maybe because it wasn't a hate crime — maybe it was motivated by something else. Maybe we ought to wait to see what the police state the motive as – actually wait for the prosecutor to present his/her/its case to the court – before we jump to conclusions. n
I have a funny feeling about this — they didn't know he was Jewish until he told them? nAnd they wouldn't have assaulted him if he had said he wasn't? And the stapling of the mouth? n nNo, there's more here. I don't know what but this just doesn't add up and I am wondering if (a) the anti-semitism was just an addendum to the actual motivation of the assault and/or (b) it is being fabricated to conceal the actual reasons for the assault. Two immediate thoughts that come to mind are something involving drugs or gambling and his being an informant to the police — both are real issues on college campii and there are some very vicious things done to college kids because of these. n nIt is a crime — regardless of the reason(s) why it was done, and I hope those responsible are arrested and prosecuted. But things are not always what they appear to be at first glance and the police can't always say everything they know.
Or they thought he might be (based on his name, his looks, something he said, the fact that he was apparently active in the Jewish student association, or some other basis) and decided to ask for confirmation, to make sure they were not about to beat up an 'innocent' non-Jew who simply looked Jewish? n n In my experience, no one asks a person if he or she is Jewish unless the person asking thinks they have reason to believe the answer is yes. Your experience may be otherwise.
Is it possible that it would be worthy of national coverage if it were James's mouth that was being stapled? I believe so. This has all the appearance of a grotesque hate crime and should be treated as such.
Canada's Global Post reports the hospital did not bother to report these horrible injuries to the police. I thought obvious assault has to be reported. nMy sixty years, born in America, has been strewn with blatant antisemitism, but this physical attack on Zachary Tennen, and the complete apathy of all bystanders, is a sign of how emboldened Jew-haters are.
The report is, also, in the UK's Daily Mail.
I read that the local police in East Lansing refused to consider the beating as a hate crime. That's bad.
Had this been a muslim and not a jew , the left wing media nincompoops would have been all over it in bold headlines screaming ISLAMOPHOBIA from all the rooftops , but seeing as it is just a jew it warrants a shrug from the left leaning and ironically pro nazi/ liberalism /multicultural left wing. nThere would have been riots if the victim was muslim and the west , especially the USA and Israel would be again threatened with annihilation and armageddon. nThis could have been a contender in Rocky's words but is just boring old anti semitism and the left nonly want to focus on what is fashionable ie Israel bashing and islamophobia. nIf you are muslim and violent you get a free pass, the victim is arrested instead. nif you are a nazi you get all the rights of freedom of expression and speech. nIf you are a jew better just suck it up because more is on the way from both nazi and radical islamic luminaries of hate
Being Jewish myself and having gone through some anti Semitic harassment, although quite honestly not recently, but when I was living in NYC, I have obtained my CCW permit. Fortunately where I live, Northern Nevada, is extremely tolerant of all persons regardless of race, religion or whatever. I am afraid of the influx of Californians into our state who may not be as tolerant. And just in case you're interested, I usually carry a S&W Night Guard .357.
Was it true that there were 20 people at the party and NOT ONE intervened? Sadly, if this is true, it is one of many examples of people going about their business and not caring enough to help someone who is in need.
"Obviously the big concern now is finding the perpetrators and figuring out the motivation behind the assault." n nFiguring out the motivation behind the assault? They asked if he was Jewish and gave Nazi salutes; then assaulted the Jewish student. What is there to figure out? Probably some alcohol loosened their inhibitions.
Good call on wanting to wait for the police to respond — all the anti-semetic bigots I have ever encountered made their own decisions as to who was or wasn't Jewish and never had to ask. n nThe more I think about this, the more bad feelingI have about it — and be careful.
Title was: Possible Anti-Semitic Attack on Student//// First clue: Nazi Salute and salutation Second clue: Sucker punch to Jew Third clue: Cruel and unusual torture of Jew by stapling his mouth shut after breaking his jaw First counter indicator: His head was not cut off but we had already learned these assailants were likely not Jihadis. I hope the motive for this otherwise normal type of assault is determined soon. I sincerely wish a speedy recovery to the innocent young victim.
Nothing has ever been done effectively to counteract and reduce anti-Semitism. nThis abominable act is not unexpected after the rise of world Jew-hatred. nWhy "possible" anti-Semitism. It clearly is. nNot only was this act conspired and pre-meditated but again no one intervened among the bystanders to stop it by calling the police immediately. Perhaps that would have avoided the innocent victim having his mouth stapled. Is that not heinous enough to warrant action from fellow humans? nFor Holocaust survivors' kids, now grown-up, this is a disaster and a harbinger of further acts, unless something effective is done after 23 centuries of this crap.
The opposite of hate is love. Would you do such a horrific thing to one whom you truly loved? Of course not! n nRegardless of ones motive(s), what could lead one to do such a horrific thing to another human being? I cite here in passing the Book of Job and the unanserable question of why bad things happen to those who have done nothing to deserve them. I misread Ms. Goodman's article the first time, mistakenly believing she was referencing *surgical* staples (a type of suture, i.e. "stitches") — what could lead rational people to do this and/or quietly watch without even quietly making a "911 hangup" on a cell phone (which will bring an officer when they can't establish it as accidental). n nIf the motive was hatred of him because he is a Jew, does that make what happened acceptable? Conversely, if it was because he was dating someone else's girlfriend, would it then be acceptable? nIs his pain and suffering any different in either case? n nAs GW Bush said relative to a different "hate" crime and why Texas saw no need to prosecute hate crime charges "we already are going to execute them, what more would you like to have us do?" The "social contract" stipulates that this young man has the right to expect that this sort of horrific thing won't happen to him — simply won't happen to him FOR ANY REASON. And that is a point I fear is being missed in all of this — there is a VERY big difference between anything that one might be able to do with a can of spray paint and something like this — and where one might excuse the 5-year-old who put "pretty colors" on the wall of a synagogue, neither understanding what he really was doing nor intending any malice, there is no excuse for a violent assault of this nature. n nThe mantra wasn't just "never again" but it was "never again TO ANYONE….." I like to add "for any reason."