Pennies from Heaven

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN

OUR "THANKS FOR Clearing That Up" Award this week goes to 1010 WINS, for their account of a bias crime in New Jersey.

Frances A. Stiles of Lakewood was arrested on Thursday after allegedly encouraging the three children she was driving in her SUV to chuck pennies at the Orthodox Jews on the sidewalk.

Stiles, who's being charged with bias harassment and "employing a juvenile to commit a crime," admits the children were throwing things out the window as she drove, but denies encouraging them in any way.

For the benefit of those readers who couldn't quite figure out what was going on, the following explanatory paragraph was tossed in near the end:

"Some Orthodox Jews wear distinctive clothing, making them easy to identify. Police said throwing pennies stems from a negative stereotype of Jews being miserly."

We could've used more of an explanation about the part of the book that prohibits employing a juvenile for a crime. Those damn lawmakers think of everything!