A Massachusetts woman, Joan Ditomaso, faced the consequences of her actions after launching a hateful and racially charged attack on Maya Jamaleddine, a city councilor who is also the first Muslim elected to public office in Melrose. Here’s the full story.
The Incident
The confrontation occurred when Joan Ditomaso, a 68-year-old resident of Melrose, approached Maya Jamaleddine, who was at the gas station with her husband, Abdallah, and their two children, filling up their tires with air.
Go Back to Your Own Country
In a shocking outburst, Ditomaso yelled racist remarks at Jamaleddine, including derogatory comments such as, “What are you looking at, you terrorist Arab? Go back to your own country.”
It Was Recorded
The situation quickly escalated, with Abdallah coming to his wife’s defense and recording the incident, including Ditomaso’s license plate.
The Husband Confronted Her
In the video, Abdallah Jamaleddine questioned why Ditomaso made such derogatory remarks, to which she responded with swear words.
Things Took a Turn
The quarrel turned physical when Ditomaso shoved Abdallah, leaving the councilor and her children traumatized.
Not a Hate Crime
While the Massachusetts branch of the Council on American Islamic Relations had called for a hate crime investigation, the Melrose Police Department determined that the incident warranted charges of assault and battery but not a hate crime.
The Charges
On Tuesday, in Madlen District Court, Ditomaso pleaded not guilty to the charges, but she later admitted to assaulting Abdallah.
Six Months of Probation
The judge sentenced her to six months of probation and mandated her participation in an anti-Islamophobia course.
We’ll Be Able to Overcome This
After Tuesday’s court hearing, Jamaleddine said, “I hope one day, we’ll be able to overcome this,”
“Although I doubt it,” she added.
Emotionally Affected
At the court hearing, Maya Jamaleddine read a statement on behalf of her husband, who was emotionally affected by the incident.
A Scary Situation
Abdallah expressed concerns about their safety, and said, “I was scared she was going to use our license plate number to figure out where we live.
I was afraid she knew powerful people who could hurt us.”
Emotional Trauma
He also highlighted the emotional trauma inflicted on their children, who were forced into a safety position they had learned in case of an active shooter.
The Defence
Ditomaso’s attorney, Matthew Campbell, defended his client’s actions by invoking the First Amendment, arguing that Abdallah Jamaleddine had provoked the attack by recording Ditomaso’s license plate.
Freedom of Speech
He contended that, despite the reprehensible language used, freedom of speech was at play and that the incident was primarily political.
“Absolutely Despicable”
Several social media users shared their thoughts on the incident.
One Twitter user wrote, “Some people are not compatible with Western culture and values,” while another user added, “Absolutely despicable.”
Why We Call It America
A third user commented, “The reason we call it America is because we are all made from families who came here legally.
So if someone is here and wants to or is living here, do not tell them to go back from whence they came.”
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The post “Go Back to Your Own Country” – Racist Massachusetts Woman Receives Probation for Hateful Attack on First Muslim City Councilor first appeared on Mama Say What?!.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / fizkes. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
