New York City cab driver makes public appearance (with Mayor Bloomberg) after stabbing (Graphic)

[Turborama]

Source: Newsday

By Anthony M. DeStefano Newsday -

Visibly in pain, Queens cabbie Ahmed H. Sharif stood quietly at City Hall Thursday as Mayor Michael Bloomberg slammed the vicious slashing attack that left the driver with 45 stitches.

"Violence and being disrespectful to each other is not why America was born," said Bloomberg of the assault allegedly carried out by Michael Enright. Bloomberg said he gave each of the 43-year-old Sharif's four children and wife various items such as "I Love New York" T-shirts and NYPD caps.

Police said Enright, 21, a visual arts student who recently returned from Afghanistan where he was making a film, entered Sharif's cab on Third Avenue in midtown Manhattan late Tuesday and then attacked the driver after asking him if he was Muslim and then blurting out "this is a checkpoint."

=snip=

Outside City Hall, Sharif walked slowly to a stand of news media microphones to thank Bloomberg and the city. "After I see the mayor and all his support and award this city must safe for everyone and respect for all these religion ... now I feel a little better than before," said Sharif. "I feel a lot safer and better than before."

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/crime/ci_15905170

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Video: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3096434/vp/38868497#38868497



The stiched neck of Ahmed Sharif, 43, a taxi driver from Bangladesh who was attacked earlier this week due to his religious faith, is seen during a
news conference outside of City Hall on August 26, 2010 in New York City. Photos: Seth Wenig/AP. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Slashed Muslim Taxi Driver Speaks After Bloomberg Visit

By PEI-SZE CHENG, JENNIFER MILLMAN and HASANI GITTENS

NBC New York

Thu, Aug 26, 2010

=snip=

The shockingly brutal assault made international headlines as it seemed to be connected to the angry atmosphere that clouds the debate over a proposed Islamic center two blocks away from Ground Zero.

Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, spoke at City Hall with Sharif, and placed blame for the attack on the "Ground Zero mosque" controversy.

"Fear mongering lead to this crime," she said. "Fear mongering is at the heart of what happened to Ahmed Sharif."

She added later, "We feel really strongly that the debate has been really out of hand, that there's been so much fear mongering and so much ignorance and misinformation."

Full article: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Slashed-Muslim-Taxi-Driver-to-Visit-Bloomberg-101548128.html

Ahmed Sharif, Muslim cab driver stabbed by bigot, says he was targeted because of his religion

BY FRANK LOMBARDI
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

=snip=

Bhairavi Desai of the Taxi Workers Alliance blamed politicians for whipping up anger and fear.

"While they can hide behind a podium and bully pulpit, its the ordinary working person on the street that faces the consequences," she said.

Desai called it "absolutely unacceptable" to see fear-mongering in multi-cultural New York.

"This is the capital of the world! This isn't Arizona, this is New York City!" she said, to cheers from cabbies assembled on the steps of City Hall.

Full article: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/26/2010-08-26_ahmed_sharif_muslim_cab_driver_stabbed_by_bigot_says_he_was_targeted_because_of_.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9020811">US Muslim Group: Cabbie Slashing A Warning On Anti-Muslim Rhetoric - Fox News Has Blood On Its Hands



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[wookie72]

1. A Modest Proposal...

A few days ago there was a report about construction workers refusing to work on the Park 51 project.

I'm wondering... might it be a good idea for Muslim (or even "Muslim-looking") cab drivers to not pick up white people?

I'm just sayin'...

[Codeine]

2. Yyyyyyeah, that's sure to calm shit down. nt

[wookie72]

3. What are they going to do about it? nt

[Javaman]

5. Perhaps hold counter demonstrations? nt

[JI7]

4. Bloomberg deserves the Title of America's Mayor

far more than that scumbag Ghoul.

[No Elephants]

6. Bloomberg's been a Profile in Courage on this, one of very few.

He was great on the Daily Show last night.

[Turborama]

7. He absolutely has!

Thanks for the heads up.

I didn't know he was on the Daily Show. I just checked and it's online now, will give it a watch later: http://www.thedailyshow.com/

BTW in case you missed it, I posted clips of his Ramadan Iftar speech at Gracie Mansion and the full transcript in the videos forum: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x498947