As it is in Rome . . .

. . . It is in Athens also." Pliny the Elder

Mistaken for Muslim, Buddhist monk is brutally attacked in Oregon

 

By Leslie Salzillo

Thursday Mar 10, 2016 · 11:44 PM

 Buddhist Monk Kozen Sampson

"I don't know the Islamic faith well, but I do know that Muslims are our brothers and sisters and I would encourage everyone to just take a hard look at how supportive are you of all God's children," —Kozen Sampson, Buddhist Monk after being attacked

Kozen Sampson, a Buddhist monk and co-founder of the Trout Lake Abbey retreat, was attacked and had his head smashed into a car window in on Monday, in the state of Oregon. KATU News reports:

He doesn't remember much, but says a man, who seemingly thought he was Muslim based on his clothing, attacked him for no reason.
"I pulled over, someone ran up and yelled. I turned around, they kicked the door, hit me in the side of the face and knocked my head into the frame of the car," Sampson said. "I do remember [him yelling] an F bomb [about] Muslims, and that was it."

NY Daily News adds:

Police described the assailant as a white male with brown hair but said there were no suspects Wednesday night. Investigators are probing the incident as a possible hate crime.

Possible hate crime?

 

 

Sampson’s 9-year-old temple sits at the foot of the 12,000-foot volcano Mt. Adams in the Cascade Range 

Friends talked Sampson into filing a police report. In a rare and beautiful act of kindness, Sampson, 66, said he only feels forgiveness and compassion:

"I was thinking, 'That poor man.' Can you imagine living your life in fear and anger? Can you imagine wanting to do something that you had to hurt somebody?"

Sampson hopes the attack will be a “wake up call” for others to come together and “support our fellow man no matter what God they may worship.”
Hate crimes such as this are becoming all too frequent and, in some cases, acceptable. Last week a young black woman was manhandled and dangerously pushed around at a Donald Trump rally. Yesterday, a black man was punched in the face, out of the blue, at a Donald Trump rally. It would not be surprising to find this attack against Kozen Sampson is an other result of the hateful rhetoric that has been flying out of the mouths of Republican presidential candidates. It seems hate crimes are alive and thriving in America.