Rifqa Update

In case you haven’t been following the Rifqa Bary story, here is the latest report, which says that she has been granted a reprieve which will allow her to stay in Florida for now.  This 17 year old convert to Christianity has caused quite a stir in the media.  We all still await the outcome of the legal battle.  We may find that her story wasn’t true, as some suspect.  Or, we may learn that Rifqa’s fears are not unfounded.

Time magazine framed the story as yet another sensationalized “domestic dispute,” noting the Sunshine State’s proclivity for such spectacles.  Though they have a sidebar picture concerning the “Happy Muslims Who Confuse You,” they do at least mention the fact that the U.N. acknowledges 5,000 Muslim honor killings per year.  The Time article also notes the case of the 2 Dallas teens who were victims of an honor killing, allegedly killed by their own father.  The Time article does not mention that 50 or more cases of honor killings have been reported in the U.S. (See here). 

The case is a difficult one for those in authority in Florida. I am an advocate of parental rights.  In this case, however, I think the Florida authorities are doing the right thing granting this reprieve.