There is no explaining bad choices

On one hand, we let out a big sigh of relief that two Tannersville residents turned themselves into state police and admitted to leaving a cow's head at a Jackson Township cow sanctuary on March 20.

On the other hand, though, we are puzzled that the pair would commit such a stupid act merely to protest that the new owner of the property had fenced off trails which had formerly been used by neighbors. We have to believe there were ulterior motives involved in this crime.

It is said that confession is good for the soul, and redemption is part of the process toward salvation, but Ricky Strausser, 24, and Kimberly McKee, 18, are facing charges of ethnic intimidation, loitering and prowling at night, criminal trespass, scattering rubbish and two counts each of conspiracy, harassment and disorderly conduct. They admitted to their brazen act as a way to intimidate the owner of the cow preserve, Sankar Sastri, a Hindu, who says his religion reveres cows, which is why they must be protected from harm and not shown disrespect.

Sastri founded the Lakshmi Cow and Animal Sanctuary, which was relocated recently to the Reeders section of Jackson Township, about 10 miles northwest of Stroudsburg. For the first 15 years of its existence, the sanctuary was located in Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County.

The severed cow's head was not from the cows being protected at the sanctuary. Instead, it was from a cow that had been previously slaughtered by a farmer at a nearby farm.

Before the carcass could be removed, the two took the head to the sanctuary in the hopes of scaring Sastri into moving away from the area. After they turned themselves in to the state police at Fern Ridge and admitted to what they had done, they agreed that it was a hate crime. It does not appear, however, that they will be prosecuted under any state or federal hate-crime statutes. Both are free without bail and face preliminary hearings scheduled June 10 before District Judge Colleen Mancuso in Brodheadsville.

Instead of sending Sastri fleeing, Strausser and McKee unleashed an outpouring of sympathy and compassion for the "cow guy," as one little girl from Brodheadsville referred to him.

He also used the occasion to talk to any and all media outlets to brand the outlandish act for what it was - ethnic intimidation of someone who had different beliefs and a different appearance than the two suspects. The story went nationwide, thanks to an Associated Press news article, and went viral on the Internet, bringing not only outrage against the perpetrators but moral and financial support for the sanctuary.

Ignorance knows no bounds when it comes to hate crimes. I recall when I was in Oswego, New York, in 1992, four teenagers were sentenced to prison for burning down a Sikh temple in anger over the 9/11 attacks, thinking that it was a Muslim mosque. The fire was started at the Gobind Sadan USA Temple in central Oswego County. The teenagers told police that they set fire to the temple because they thought the Gobind Sadan sign on the temple meant "Go bin Laden," a reference to former slain al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

Numerous hate crimes have been committed against Sikhs since Sept. 11, 2001, because they have been mistaken for Muslims or Arabs because of their turbans and beards.

Instead of demanding harsh sentences for the teens, the leaders of the Oswego temple asked the judge to show mercy.

"We in the Sikh tradition offer forgiveness to these children in hopes that a positive message will continue to rise out of this crime of hatred, and that, with love and understanding, we can overcome the ignorance that fuels the conflicts that plague our world," said Ralph Singh, one of the temple leaders.

We are not naive enough to believe that we can stamp out all bigotry, prejudice, hate and hostility against those who are perceived as "different" from their antagonizers, but we want to try.

The Anti-Defamation League has some suggestions:

• Invite friends from backgrounds different from your own to experience the joy of your traditions and customs.

• Be mindful of your language; avoid stereotypical remarks and challenge those made by others.

• Speak out against jokes and slurs that target people or groups. Silence sends a message that you are in agreement. It is not enough to refuse to laugh.

• Be knowledgeable; provide as much accurate information as possible to reject harmful myths and stereotypes. Discuss as a family the impact of prejudicial attitudes and behavior.

• Plan family outings to diverse neighborhoods in and around your community and visit local museums, galleries and exhibits that celebrate art forms of different cultures.

• Read and encourage your children to read books that promote understanding of different cultures as well as those that are written by authors of diverse backgrounds.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com