Re: Is this an honor killing?
That’s a very good question.
- Probably because it’s a crime that “doesn’t/shouldn’t happen here”, i.e. in the West, among the majority population…or at least the population that definess the normative culture. And so this is a perfect opportunity to look down on others. Sure, killings are bad, but honor killings are baaaaad. We all do it… but on the surface you’re right…honor killing here, maniacal canibal-mass murderers here. It all balances out I suppose, but
- The perceived idea that there is sanction for these crimes, even if through silence. Yes, that is nonsense, but to those exposed to a tradition where the only way to deal with such problems is to speak out, it must be a fustrating clash to deal with a culture where historically the way to deal with it is to remain distant. The fact is, in some cultures silence is condemnation, not approval. Otherwise, you’d have a chorus praising the actions…so there’s a culture clash on how to deal with the issue. It keeps the issue burning.
- Many people hate patriarchal cultures. Honor killings provide perfect fodder, or “spin”, against this kind of social getup. The idea here is to discredit it. Nothing like ‘sanctioned murder’ to help push the point.