Saturday, December 15, 2007

Luke 10:25-37

Friday's altercation on the Q train began when somebody yelled out "Merry Christmas," to which rider Walter Adler responded, "Happy Hanukkah," said Toba Hellerstein.

"Almost immediately, you see the look in this guy's face like I've called his mother something," Adler told CNN affiliate WABC.

Two women who were with a group of 10 rowdy people then began to verbally assault Adler's companions with anti-Semitic language, Hellerstein said.

One member of the group allegedly yelled, "Oh, Hanukkah. That's the day that the Jews killed Jesus," she said.

When Adler tried to intercede, a male member of the group punched him, she said.

Another passenger, Hassan Askari -- a Muslim student from Bangladesh -- came to Adler's aid, and the group began physically and verbally assaulting him, Hellerstein said.

"A Muslim-American saved us when our own people were on the train and didn't do anything," Adler said.

Good on ya, Hassan.

8 comments:

Don said...

One member of the group allegedly yelled, "Oh, Hanukkah. That's the day that the Jews killed Jesus," she said.

Ah. A lady and a scholar, I see.

Anonymous said...

Everyone knows Hanukkah is a celebration of early Judeo-Christian Daylight Savings.

Word Verification: nvyjme

Anonymous said...

Are we sure that wasn't originally in The Onion?

You almost can't write that stuff.

Anonymous said...

"That's the day that the Jews killed Jesus." I don't think I've ever understood all the hard feelings on this. If I get the relationship right, somebody had to do it. Why not a trusted broker? Who would you want...the Romans, for Chissakes?

So, if nobody [Nemo] had killed Jesus, where would Christianity be?

staghounds said...

Hassan did what any American ought, no matter what his religion or lack thereof.

I find it interesting that the religious/ethnic backgrounds of the "good guys" in this story are relevant, but not that of the evil ones.

I suppose we don't need to know.

staghounds said...

Answered!

Here's a crime tip- if you're planning to commit crimes, don't post pictures like
these
of yourself and your fellow criminals on your MySpace page.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12122007/news/regionalnews/12122007_thugs/photo01.htm

Jenny said...

Oh dear... "Lord protect me from your followers" indeed. Shameful. :(

Nice to see Hassan step up, yes.

Very appropriate reference.

Anonymous said...

'hounds, so you're saying their religion is "Skank"? Hint: Gothic-letter tattoo on the belly does not equal a vizored helm in your coat-of-arms.

Old advice, seldom taken, still valid: Before you start the pogrom, check your ancestry. Chances are good, if your 'pure nordic' ancestry hails from Prussia or the Pommern (most of mine does; the alternate name is "Poland"), or the wild-west Rhineland, or the old Austrian empire--you're part Jewish, mein freund. Stephen Spender had a lot of fun with that one.