Nobles and Knaves

OPINION:

Noble: Sahiba Gill, the Canton, Ohio-area high-school senior who brought Dining for Darfur to her neighborhood.

Miss Gill told the Canton Repository that she was “appalled” by the genocide in Darfur. She has long been interested in African issues and decided to take action by contacting local restaurants and asking them to participate in the fundraiser. Those who agreed — Corky’s Cafe, Fedeli, Iris Restaurant, Taggarts Ice Cream Parlor and 91 Wood-Fired Oven — offered up 5 percent of their proceeds from Tuesday’s dinner service to Relief International’s Zam Zam Clinic. Taggarts went further: It is donating 10 percent of their entire day’s profits to the organization.

The clinic was opened one year ago in response to a wave of health-facility closures in Darfur which left tens of thousands of refugees without access to any medical treatment. Relief International assembled a group of local doctors and medical professionals along with tribal leaders to create the Zim Zam Clinic, which now treats 800 patients per week.

As Miss Gill noted, the situation in Darfur is appalling. It is remarkable when young people are motivated enough to try and made a difference.

For mobilizing her town to donate money to war-torn Darfur, Sahiba Gill is the Noble of the Week.

Knave: Ruhela Khanom, a British juror expelled for listening to her MP3 player headphones under her hijab during a murder trial.

Miss Khanom has a history of bad juror behavior. She was able to avoid her first two summonses but was forced to serve her third after her murky excuses (“job hunting” and a “nursing school course”) were dismissed by the court. After the trouble she eventually caused, we presume the judge regrets that decision.

During the July trial, Miss Khanom was constantly late, and, according to other jurors, didn’t pay attention to the proceedings. The final straw was the discovery of her inconspicuous headphones tucked under her Islamic headscarf which enabled her to ignore the proceedings. Judge Roger Chapple discharged her from the jury and she was arrested for contempt of court after court officers found the device.

On Thursday it was revealed that no charges would be pressed against Miss. Khanom because of the difficulty in proving her guilt. Her actions nonetheless undermined the legal system and impinged on a man’s right to a fair trial.

For her blatant contempt of the court, Ruhela Khanom is the Knave of the Week.