# NYC cabbie stabbed for being Muslim. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 25, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428 "2010-08-25T18:22:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/1 "2010-08-25T18:22:54Z")
[Story here](http://www.mediaite.com/online/cab-driver-stabbed-by-passenger-who-asks-are-you-muslim/) > [@](#): > > Police say the passenger asked the driver, “Are you Muslim?” When the driver said yes the passenger pulled a knife and slashed him in the throat, arm and lip. and > [@](#): > > The one cab driver that has stayed seared in my mind, that haunts me even now, was an older man, a Muslim, who had been a U.S. citizen for over 20 years. His accent was thick and his patriotism fierce. He loves this country, he is an American citizen. He told of the dozens of times since 911 he has had passengers, fellow Americans, scream at him, tell him to go back to the Middle East, call him names, slander him, curse him, spit at him, blame him. > > ``` > To be driving on 911 and witness what happened to a city that was his home for over 20 years, to be treated like the enemy by his fellow countrymen was demolishing. But he was not bitter. He was not full of hatred. He quietly said, “This is my home. This is my country. They just don’t understand. They may never understand. I pray for them.” > > ``` For the sake of humanity and reason please let’s stop breeding intolerance, bitterness, and resentment. The debate? Is it inevitable that we will experience these kinds of events to finally confront our own inner fears and bigotry and to test our resolve concerning our founding principles and American Character? Can we curb the profit driven controversy and the dishonest inflammatory language that feeds this beast? How much blame do the fear mongers deserve. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/2 "2010-08-25T18:27:48Z")
As it’s already happened, I’d say it’s inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/3 "2010-08-25T18:32:02Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > As it’s already happened, I’d say it’s inevitable. the word was events, not just this event, smart guy. Will we experience a few of these, or many more? Will we take action to curb the fear mongering? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/4 "2010-08-25T18:33:22Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Is it inevitable that we will experience these kinds of events to finally confront our own inner fears and bigotry and to test our resolve concerning our founding principles and American Character? > Can we curb the profit driven controversy and the dishonest inflammatory language that feeds this beast? How much blame do the fear mongers deserve. This has nothing to do with “American character” or Societal Implications or the Noble Fight Against Bigotry and Intolerance. It has to do with a crazy motherfucker who stabbed a guy. Such creatures always have and always will exist, irrespective of the level of enlightened fuzzy-wuzzies achieved by a culture. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/5 "2010-08-25T18:43:52Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > > [@begbert2](#): > > > > As it’s already happened, I’d say it’s inevitable. > > the word was events, not just this event, smart guy. Will we experience a few of these, or many more? Will we take action to curb the fear mongering? Is this really the first muslim who has been attacked in america for his muslimness? (Muslimity? Muslimication?) I don’t follow the news as well as I ought, but I would be honestly surprised to learn there haven’t been others since 9/11. And I contest your thesis that actions like this will lead us to confront our own inner fears and bigotry and to test our resolve concerning our founding principles and American Character. The people who are doing this think they _have_ resolve concerning our founding principles and American Character - they just think that “American Character” means “not muslim”. (Among other things.) And, what action _could_ we take to curb actions like this, that we aren’t already doing? He’s already been arrested and charged with a pile of things, including hate crime. What more should we do? Confiscate all knives? Profile and preemptively imprison bigots? What? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/6 "2010-08-25T18:44:37Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > This has nothing to do with “American character” or Societal Implications or the Noble Fight Against Bigotry and Intolerance. It has to do with a crazy motherfucker who stabbed a guy. Such creatures always have and always will exist, irrespective of the level of enlightened fuzzy-wuzzies achieved by a culture. The whacko crazy people do indeed exist regardless of what is going on in the world. The whackoes are on the right and left and in-between. The problem is letting these people become emboldened in their views. When the atmosphere becomes distinctly hostile to muslims (in this case but could insert any group) then the crazies will, naturally, feel vindicated in their views all along and may take action they otherwise would not have. Unfortunately you can never tell when a crazy motherfucker does what he (or she) does because of the environment encouraging it or if they would have done it anyway. Still, the barrier to “going there” is certainly lowered to some extent. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/7 "2010-08-25T18:47:58Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Is this really the first muslim who has been attacked in america for his muslimness? (Muslimity? Muslimication?) I don’t follow the news as well as I ought, but I would be honestly surprised to learn there haven’t been others since 9/11. There have been others. One guy killed a liquor store owner who was a Sikh. The killer was too fucking stupid to know the difference and thought that he must be a Muslim because he wore a funny hat. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/8 "2010-08-25T18:53:53Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > > [@begbert2](#): > > > > Is this really the first muslim who has been attacked in america for his muslimness? (Muslimity? Muslimication?) I don’t follow the news as well as I ought, but I would be honestly surprised to learn there haven’t been others since 9/11. > > There have been others. One guy killed a liquor store owner who was a Sikh. The killer was too fucking stupid to know the difference and thought that he must be a Muslim because he wore a funny hat. Yeah, the Hindu temple in my town was defaced shortly after 9-11 (thankfully nobody was hurt). Apparently they also couldn’t tell the difference between it and the mosque down the street… ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/9 "2010-08-25T18:59:12Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > > [@cosmosdan](#): > > > > Is it inevitable that we will experience these kinds of events to finally confront our own inner fears and bigotry and to test our resolve concerning our founding principles and American Character? > > Can we curb the profit driven controversy and the dishonest inflammatory language that feeds this beast? How much blame do the fear mongers deserve. > > This has nothing to do with “American character” or Societal Implications or the Noble Fight Against Bigotry and Intolerance. It has to do with a crazy motherfucker who stabbed a guy. Such creatures always have and always will exist, irrespective of the level of enlightened fuzzy-wuzzies achieved by a culture. I agree to an extent, but there is a real element of feeding the fire of latent fear and bigotry. When the pervading atmosphere becomes one of tension and conflict think the % of those likely to commit violence, whether it’s a stabbing or just a fist fight, increases. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/10 "2010-08-25T20:03:59Z")
Wouldn’t that apply all over the place, though? The OP condemns this attack as a sad indication of anti-Muslim bigotry. Perhaps this is so - hard to tell from an incident when it has just happened. But incidents like the Fort Hood shooting - the OP seems to condemn that but laments that this might also bring about anti-Muslim sentiment. [Link.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12827067&postcount=533) Now, surely I don’t wish violence or hatred upon anyone - but the OP seems to bend over backwards to ensure that Muslims are never fully responsible for their actions. And far from a just treatment, this is an infantilizing and insulting argument. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/11 "2010-08-25T20:08:35Z")
I would remind you all, too, that things are not always as they seem at first glance. We all remember, or should, the census employee “murdered” in Kentucky for being a “Fed.” Turns out he just hung himself in the woods. We don’t know the motives for this crime all the way through yet, even if early indications are present. Just because the limbs are on the tree doesn’t mean you have to shimmy to the end of them. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/12 "2010-08-25T20:15:04Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Now, surely I don’t wish violence or hatred upon anyone - but the OP seems to bend over backwards to ensure that Muslims are never fully responsible for their actions. Precisely what “actions” is this cabbie guilty of? What, exactly is he supposed to “take responsibility” for? ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/13 "2010-08-25T20:25:16Z")
Y’know, in various parts of the world, Muslims are being killed for being Muslims, Hindus are being killed for being Hindus, Buddhists are being killed for being Buddhists, Christians are being killed for being Christians, Animists are being killed for being Animists… People are killed for being the wrong color, tribe, sexual orientation or the fan of the wrong sports team. Is there some sort of universal pattern … hmm … no, it’s just America that sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/14 "2010-08-25T20:27:58Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Y’know, in various parts of the world, Muslims are killed for being Muslims, > Hindus are killed for being Hindus, Buddhists are killed for being Buddhists, Christians are killed for being Christians, Animists are killed for being Animists, etc. People have also been killed for being the wrong color, tribe, sexual orientation or the fan of the wrong sports team. > > Is there some sort of universal pattern … hmm … no, it’s just America that sucks. The OP was obviously talking specifically about America, America’s supposed ideals, and about a patriotic Muslim American cab driver. What does or does not happen in other countries is besides the point. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/15 "2010-08-25T20:38:18Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Is there some sort of universal pattern … hmm … no, it’s just America that sucks. No, it’s not just America’s problem. The thing is, we ascribe or aspire to being better than the average. Being comparable to various benighted places, or even only slightly better, is nothing to be proud of, or defend. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/16 "2010-08-25T20:41:58Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Now, surely I don’t wish violence or hatred upon anyone - but the OP seems to bend over backwards to ensure that Muslims are never fully responsible for their actions. And far from a just treatment, this is an infantilizing and insulting argument. What the fuck are you talking about? Where did the OP say that? What was this cab driver “responsible” for, and could you please give an example of the OP saying that any individual anywhere should not be held responsible for his actions? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/17 "2010-08-25T20:44:26Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Y’know, in various parts of the world, Muslims are being killed for being Muslims, Hindus are being killed for being Hindus, Buddhists are being killed for being Buddhists, Christians are being killed for being Christians, Animists are being killed for being Animists… People are killed for being the wrong color, tribe, sexual orientation or the fan of the wrong sports team. > > Is there some sort of universal pattern … hmm … no, it’s just America that sucks. Who said that it’s just America, and how is that an excuse in any event? This angle is inane. Rape goes on in every country, therefore why should anyone care about rape in America? ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/18 "2010-08-25T20:46:45Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > > [@furt](#): > > > > Is there some sort of universal pattern … hmm … no, it’s just America that sucks. > > No, it’s not just America’s problem. The thing is, we ascribe or aspire to being better than the average. Being comparable to various benighted places, or even only slightly better, is nothing to be proud of, or defend. We are waaaay better than the average. Miles beyond. But we are not perfect, and it id foolish to expect that. IMO, the idea that people are supposed to be immune to the laws of human nature because they hold a US passport is part of the problem. We have the same DNA as people in those “benighted” places you expect us to be so much better than. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/19 "2010-08-25T20:50:34Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > This has nothing to do with “American character” or Societal Implications or the Noble Fight Against Bigotry and Intolerance. It has to do with a crazy motherfucker who stabbed a guy. Such creatures always have and always will exist, irrespective of the level of enlightened fuzzy-wuzzies achieved by a culture. Quoted for truth. Nutjob crazy looney tries to kill someone is not a shocking turn of events. The fact that the someone happened to be Muslim says nothing about America’s character. What it says is that we need to be on the lookout for nutjob crazy loonies. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428/20 "2010-08-25T20:54:56Z")
> [@furt](#): > > > [@spark240](#): > > > > No, it’s not just America’s problem. The thing is, we ascribe or aspire to being better than the average. Being comparable to various benighted places, or even only slightly better, is nothing to be proud of, or defend. > > We are waaaay better than the average. > > IMO, the idea that people are supposed to be immune to the laws of human nature because they hold a US passport is the problem. We have the same DNA as people in those “benighted” places you expect us to be so much better than. People are entitled to basic human rights, regardless of their religion. Handwaving murder as “human nature” is just deflective bullshit. Humans also founded America, invented democracy and wrote the US Constitution, you know. That’s human nature too. That’s the human nature I care about preserving. What is with this nihilism you’re espousing. Is it really that bitter a pill for right wingers to just admit that a Muslim was wronged without having to shit it up with some kind of deflection or tu quoque? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-cabbie-stabbed-for-being-muslim/551428.md?page=2)