Is This A Hate Crime?

Received via email....

San Anselmo's Pat La Tray, who built the gallows and has this display on his front yard, doesn't think so:

"It is a patriotic symbol," La Tray said. "It has nothing to do with race or religion."...

La Tray said he moved to the house in 2002 with his wife, Nong. As a veteran of several wars, he said he is offended people don't stand up for American troops.

"I'm an American to the bone," he said. "For me, it is strictly about Islamo-fascism."

La Tray noted that he proudly displays several American flags - including one painted on the address marker on his curb - and he is angry that someone wants to say what he can display on his own property. People in Marin would cheer if the effigy looked like President Bush, he said.

"I don't live for my neighbors," he said. "They can turn their head and walk away."

Predictably, CAIR has something to say about La Tray's gallows and effigy:

Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for the Washington D.C.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he hears about similar displays from time to time across the country and understands the frustration caused by terrorism. But, he added, there are better ways to express opposition to it that don't reinforce stereotypes against Arabs or Muslims who don't participate.

"I don't think this would promote interfaith understanding," he said.

Frustration, Mr. Hooper? 2996 people murdered on 9/11 leads to a lot more than frustration!

As far as I know, CAIR has yet to name a specific terrorist or terrorist organiztion and issue a specific condemnation, although CAIR did condemn the recent Holocaust Conference without mentioning Ahmadinejad's name despite the fact that he is a Shi'ite. I note that CAIR had no trouble mentioning David Duke's name and condemning that anti-Semite.

As far as interfaithing goes, based on what I've observed interfaithing means making concessions to Islam and getting sweet few concessions in return.

Would CAIR condemn the effigy on La Tray's property if that effigy were plainly Osama Bin Laden or any other Sunni terrorist?