Anti-Jewish, anti-Christian fliers found on cars
Friday, September 28, 2007
By Gordon Wilczynski
Macomb Daily Staff Writer
macombdaily.com
Police said anti-Jewish and anti-Christian fliers were found on cars parked in a lot on the northwest corner of 15 Mile and Ryan roads.
Sterling Heights police Detective Sgt. Paul Jesperson said three separate complaints were filed by residents Tuesday who found the fliers on their windshields.
He said the flier said: "Kill Jews and Christians if they don't believe in Allah and Mohammad."
It further advises people to "Fight those who do not believe."
"I really don't know what it means other than suggesting violence to Jews and Christians," Jesperson said. "We certainly have no intentions of stifling someone's religious beliefs but it is most certainly a violation of the law if you're condoning violence with this hate literature."
Jesperson said police received three complaints and the fliers were seen on at least 15 other cars in the parking lot.
He said there was no damage to the cars and no one else filed a complaint.
"I would imagine many people thought this was some type of advertising flier and didn't even read it," Jesperson said.
Sam Richardson, who was shopping at the Kroger store on Tuesday, saw the flier on his windshield while walking to his car and asked his 11-year-old daughter to remove it.
He said she walked toward him while she was reading the flier and then she started crying.
"She asked me what the flier was all about," said Richardson, an electrician at General Motors. "I tried to explain to her what it meant and I then had to explain it to my 7-year-old son."
The operators of the New Sahara restaurant, located near the Kroger store, said they are Chaldean Catholics and do not condone violence against others who have opposite religious beliefs.
Jay, a longtime waiter at Sahara, said he was unaware of the fliers.
"These are touchy times and I don't want my name used," said Jay. "But we are peace-loving people who love the United States and feel all people can live here harmoniously."
Richardson said it is hard for a parent to explain to his children why some people want to kill others simply because of religious disagreements. He told his son and daughter that regardless of their feelings about another individual, a person in the United States has a right to practice any religion.
"We try to protect our children but we cannot shield them from all of the hate in this world," said Richardson, a Sterling Heights resident. "The person who put this flier on my car saying someone should be killed understandably upset my daughter and son."
Police said they will continue to investigate the fliers. |
