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223
Appendix B – 2003 Spokesman Review Editorial
This is the full editorial from the 2003 Spokesman Review of October 12, 2003 entitled “Faked Hate Crime Merits Punishment; North Idaho Couple Should Face Consequences”
Important portions are emphasized with bold print, not included in original editorial.
Scott and Barbara Zamitalo of Naples, Idaho, deserve no sympathy.
Here we have a multi-racial couple from Randy Weaver country who feigned a hate crime to cover their futile attempt at insurance fraud. By crying wolf, the couple resurrected the specter of racism in a region that was bedeviled by the Aryan Nations for decades. In the process, they victimized North Idaho’s small minority communities again.
The Zamitalos should be prosecuted for filing false police report, if nothing else. What they attempted to do was despicable.
The two planted a cross made of broomsticks in their yard, hand-painted a racial epithet on a small metal horse shelter, tried to start a fire in their manufactured home, and then called the sheriff’s office to report what had the clear appearance of a hate crime.
In fact, they were trying to get insurance money to move back to Wisconsin.
After learning the truth, Grace Siler of the Boundary County Human Rights Task Force said: “It’s sad. I really feel bad that they were… not so much greedy, but desperate.”
Indeed, the Zamitalos seemed desperate after eking out a living on Barbara Zamitalo’s pay and failing to sell their property for more than a year. They were also dishonest, calculating and insensitive to their neighbors and adopted state.
We don’t excuse desperate addicts who steal car stereos to support their meth habits. We shouldn’t excuse people like the Zamitalos who try to take advantage of the region’s brush with racism for sordid gain.
Those most affected by the Zamitalo’s lie are other local-mixed-race couples and minorities. Not only did they suffer the shock of what the Zamitalos tried to pass off as another hate crime, but they have to deal with the cynicism that will come now that the truth has been revealed. Will neighbors believe them if they are the target of a real racist incident? After all, this is at least the second time this year a racist incident has been faked in this region.
Object Description
| Title | An argument for the criminal hoax |
| Author | Pellegrini, Laura A. |
| Author email | user1963@yahoo.com; teachpolsci@yahoo.com |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Political Science |
| School | College of Letters, Arts and Sciences |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-08-20 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-10-13 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Renteln, Alison Dundes |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Wong, Janelle S. Newland, Chester A. |
| Abstract | Hoaxes are part of the fabric of history. While many provide humor and lighthearted joy, the criminal hoax does not. To date, researchers have included aspects of the criminal hoax in larger academic works. This is an original typology that sets forth the criminal hoax as a distinct part of the larger field of law and public policy. This work provides newly created definitions including four distinct categories of hoaxes: the monetary hoax, the attention getter hoax, the hate crime hoax and the racial hoax. It further illustrates these types with actual detailed accounts of hoaxes and provides insights to each one. It makes policy recommendations concerning the four categories of needs: 1. legislative action, 2. a nationwide statistical database of hoax events, 3. media involvement, and 4. law enforcement training and action to deal with criminal hoaxes. Finally, it recommends further research to identify the causes and motivations of vipers. The ultimate goal of this project is to find ways to eliminate criminal hoaxes. |
| Keyword | criminal hoax; hoax categories |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1659 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Pellegrini, Laura A. |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-Pellegrini-2397 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume26/etd-Pellegrini-2397.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 229 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 223 Appendix B – 2003 Spokesman Review Editorial This is the full editorial from the 2003 Spokesman Review of October 12, 2003 entitled “Faked Hate Crime Merits Punishment; North Idaho Couple Should Face Consequences” Important portions are emphasized with bold print, not included in original editorial. Scott and Barbara Zamitalo of Naples, Idaho, deserve no sympathy. Here we have a multi-racial couple from Randy Weaver country who feigned a hate crime to cover their futile attempt at insurance fraud. By crying wolf, the couple resurrected the specter of racism in a region that was bedeviled by the Aryan Nations for decades. In the process, they victimized North Idaho’s small minority communities again. The Zamitalos should be prosecuted for filing false police report, if nothing else. What they attempted to do was despicable. The two planted a cross made of broomsticks in their yard, hand-painted a racial epithet on a small metal horse shelter, tried to start a fire in their manufactured home, and then called the sheriff’s office to report what had the clear appearance of a hate crime. In fact, they were trying to get insurance money to move back to Wisconsin. After learning the truth, Grace Siler of the Boundary County Human Rights Task Force said: “It’s sad. I really feel bad that they were… not so much greedy, but desperate.” Indeed, the Zamitalos seemed desperate after eking out a living on Barbara Zamitalo’s pay and failing to sell their property for more than a year. They were also dishonest, calculating and insensitive to their neighbors and adopted state. We don’t excuse desperate addicts who steal car stereos to support their meth habits. We shouldn’t excuse people like the Zamitalos who try to take advantage of the region’s brush with racism for sordid gain. Those most affected by the Zamitalo’s lie are other local-mixed-race couples and minorities. Not only did they suffer the shock of what the Zamitalos tried to pass off as another hate crime, but they have to deal with the cynicism that will come now that the truth has been revealed. Will neighbors believe them if they are the target of a real racist incident? After all, this is at least the second time this year a racist incident has been faked in this region. |
