Modesty Patrol' Suspected of Spilling Acid on Teenage Girl

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3552461,00.html

" A 14-year-old girl from Beitar Illite was taken to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem after an unknown person spilled acid on her face, legs and stomach, causing light burn wounds.
The act has been attributed to a representative of the so-called 'modesty guard' in this town where religious and secular residents are increasingly at bitter odds." (Please click on above link for the complete story from Y Net.)

According to Y Net, tension has been brewing for some time between the "chareidim" and those with a more relaxed approach to religious laws regarding appropriate attire.
It sickens me to think that an act more befitting of the Taliban in Afghanistan could happen in Israel. It is safe to say that not one person was attracted to orthodox observance because of this terrorist act. Not only that, such violence against a young girl probably hardened thousands of people in their opposition to religious observance. I do not think for a moment that the creature who threw acid at the girl in Beitar Illit confines his violence to "irreligious " women. Such a person is probably abusive and demeaning to his wife and and daughters as well. There are a growing number of people from "chareidi" homes who are driven from religious observance by attitudes of rigid conformism in dress and behavior. Modesty is intended to enhance the individuality and dignity of women. The terrorist who attacked the girl of whose clothing he disapproved did not care about her soul or love of the Torah. If members of the "modesty patrol" keep infecting the world with their malignant hatred, they may find themselves with wives, sisters and children who are dressed like those against whom they so piously rail. If they ever stopped to talk with some of the people they now only see as targets, they might be humbled by their fine character.
I know and love many who would walk with fear in Beitar Illit. These are people who exemplify kindness and respect . These are people who are far more fitting as role models the "Jewish Taliban" in Beitar Illit and elsewhere. Learning Torah makes it possible to recognise goodness in a person who does not keep all of the commandments perfectly. A person is far more likely to heed a religious message if the good they do is recognised.
It is wrong for any human being to take away the freedom of choice that G-d has given us. A person who must define himself by the hatred he feels towards others must truly have a hollow core. After losing six million Jews at the hands of the Nazis, and after enduring countless terror attacks aimed at every Jewish man, woman and child in Israel no one can afford to impugn the value of those whose faith they consider suspect. It is time to repudiate this indecency that masquerades as modesty. We are starting to resemble our enemies. And that frightens me.
copyright 2008 by thewinterriders.com