Victim ask for Germany to help save racist killer

[jundp 191]

Rais Bhuiyan long ago forgave Mark Ströman, the man who in 11 years ago nearly shot him dead at a petrol station in Dallas, Texas.

But the 37-year-old had a message for Germany while visiting Berlin this week: Don’t let Ströman die.

On July 20, Ströman is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas for killing an Indian man during a robbery a few weeks after Bhuiyan was shot in September 2001.

But his supporters are hoping an international outcry could prompt the Texas governor or courts to reconsider whether Ströman should be killed.

The protest, they say, should include the German government because of Ströman’s ties to Germany – where his father came from.

They want the government to grant Ströman German citizenship and advocate forcefully for him. But it’s Bhuiyan who is really leading the charge.

He’s circled the United States to call for mercy and is now on a last-ditch tour of Europe to try to get governments here to do something, anything to stop the execution.

The odds aren’t good – Texas has largely ignored foreign pressure against the death penalty in the past. But Bhuiyan is relentless.

“I haven’t thought about what I’ll do on July 20 yet,” he said. “I’m just hopeful.”

A brush with death

The shooting happened in a few quick seconds, Bhuiyan remembers. Ströman stormed into the petrol station, carrying a gun. Bhuiyan, figured it was a robbery.

But then came the question: “Where are you from?”

As Ströman fired, the blast from the shotgun scattered more than 30 pellets across Bhuiyan’s face and head.

Blinded in his right eye and bleeding, he pretended to play dead as, in his head, he recited prayers from the Koran.

After he was apprehended, Ströman said he had shot Bhuiyan and murdered two other men he thought were Middle Eastern in a racist rage following the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks. But though Ströman was arrested and sentenced to death, it didn’t end the pain for Bhuiyan, who endured years of plastic surgery and was told by doctors that he would never see again in his right eye.

Still, he found peace, relying on his Muslim faith.

“I decided that his is a human life, like anyone else’s,” Bhuiyan said. “I decided I wanted to do something about this.”

Last year, he decided to take action. He wants to give Ströman the compassion that he did not provide his victims.

A race against time

Ströman’s supporters know they’re in a race against time. But they hope Germany’s clout might make a difference.

It’s not clear if Ströman might be granted German citizenship, or what that might practically mean.

But the chairman of the Bundestag’s Committee on Human Rights said Wednesday he was calling on the Texas government to stop the execution.

“We’ve written letters to the governor and not gotten a response” said Tom Koenigs. “We’re trying to make contact with them. This is about human rights and we have a mission to promote these values.”

Bhuiyan stood sat nearby as Koenigs spoke.

Did he really think the execution could be stopped?

“I do absolutely believe it,” he said. “It may not have happened in the past, but it can happen now.”

Source

[mawilson 2,133]

It’s not clear if Ströman might be granted German citizenship, or what that might practically mean.

Nothing. Texas has no problem executing foreigners, regardless of their citizenship.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

They want the government to grant Ströman German citizenship and advocate forcefully for him.

That better not be happening. I lost my German citizenship due to an oversight - had no idea I needed to file a "Beibehaltungsantrag" prior to taking on US citizenship. There's no defined way to regain my German citizenship - my German roots be damned. My daughter, on the other hand, can walk into the nearest German Consulate once she's 18 and claim German citizenship because she has German heritage - German grandparents, that is. German citizenship laws and rules are about as fcuked up as it gets.

Oh, and that path they're looking to pursue for the offender isn't very promising. A Mexican national just learned that last night - well, he didn't really. He's kinda dead now.

Edited July 8, 2011 by Mr. Big Dog

[mawilson 2,133]

My daughter, on the other hand, can walk into the nearest German Consulate once she's 18 and claim German citizenship because she has German heritage - German grandparents, that is.

Can you do the same and apply on the basis of your parents/grandparents' citizenship?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Can you do the same and apply on the basis of your parents/grandparents' citizenship?

Nope.

[jundp 191]

That better not be happening. I lost my German citizenship due to an oversight - had no idea I needed to file a "Beibehaltungsantrag" prior to taking on US citizenship. There's no defined way to regain my German citizenship - my German roots be damned. My daughter, on the other hand, can walk into the nearest German Consulate once she's 18 and claim German citizenship because she has German heritage - German grandparents, that is. German citizenship laws and rules are about as fcuked up as it gets.

Oh, and that path they're looking to pursue for the offender isn't very promising. A Mexican national just learned that last night - well, he didn't really. He's kinda dead now.

This is primarily why my husband isn't interested in being a USC (the Beibehaltungsantrag, not to avoid execution).

About the article, though I disagree with attempting to get German citizenship, I find it interesting that it is one of the man's victims who is pursuing this matter.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

This is primarily why my husband isn't interested in being a USC (the Beibehaltungsantrag, not to avoid execution).

Seems a fairly straightforward process - you file the papers, pay your fee and then have it approved before you file the N-400. If I had known about this, that's what I would have done. I was always under the impression that German citizenship is conveyed by one's bloodline. My bloodline hasn't changed one bit so I fail to grasp how I am any less German today than I was before becoming a US citizen. It's even more disturbing that the bloodline is good for my daughter - or any other person with German roots that hasn't ever had German citizenship or may not even ever have been to Germany let alone speak the language or be familiar with the culture. But hey, we Germans are great in doing ####### that makes no sense...

Edited July 8, 2011 by Mr. Big Dog

[peejay 327]

Seems a fairly straightforward process - you file the papers, pay your fee and then have it approved before you file the N-400. If I had known about this, that's what I would have done. I was always under the impression that German citizenship is conveyed by one's bloodline. My bloodline hasn't changed one bit so I fail to grasp how I am any less German today than I was before becoming a US citizen. It's even more disturbing that the bloodline is good for my daughter - or any other person with German roots that hasn't ever had German citizenship or may not even ever have been to Germany let alone speak the language or be familiar with the culture. But hey, we Germans are great in doing ####### that makes no sense...

It's about as screwed up as the notion in the USA of birthright citizenship. I see the young children of Mexican and Latin American illegal aliens here in Texas and they have absolutely no cultural or linguistic ties to the USA what-so-ever, yet they are bestowed with US ciitizenship solely because they are born on top of US dirt. Drop them off back to Mexico or Latin America and they wouldn't miss a beat. This notion that you can't deport the parents because these kids don't speak Spanish is total bullshit.

As far as the topic goes about Texas being pursuaded not to execute this guy because the victim's family doesn't want it...it's too late at this stage of the game.

Edited July 9, 2011 by peejay

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It's about as screwed up as the notion in the USA of birthright citizenship.

I'm not a fan of blanket birthright citizenship.

[luckytxn 2,263]

The thing to remember here for everyone is that if anyone in the WORLD wants to or feels the need to kill in the state of Texas then they just may get the death penalty and TEXAS will carry out the execution no matter where you are from or who you are. If you ignore this warning and decide to do the ultimate crime then we will carry out the ultimate punishment.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Buy him a ticket to Austin TX

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

That better not be happening. I lost my German citizenship due to an oversight - had no idea I needed to file a "Beibehaltungsantrag" prior to taking on US citizenship. There's no defined way to regain my German citizenship - my German roots be damned.

That was the case until a couple of months ago. You should make it a habit to keep up with current events regarding things that are of utmost importance to your situation. If you lost your German citizenship after 1/1/2000 when paragraph 25 Abs. 2 of the StBG was coined, you can open a bottle of champagne now. You can get it back!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

That was the case until a couple of months ago. You should make it a habit to keep up with current events regarding things that are of utmost importance to your situation. If you lost your German citizenship after 1/1/2000 when paragraph 25 Abs. 2 of the StBG was coined, you can open a bottle of champagne now. You can get it back!

Link?

[jundp 191]

That was the case until a couple of months ago. You should make it a habit to keep up with current events regarding things that are of utmost importance to your situation. If you lost your German citizenship after 1/1/2000 when paragraph 25 Abs. 2 of the StBG was coined, you can open a bottle of champagne now. You can get it back!

I thought that only applied to children?