Muslim hero breaks up train beating

[Alex+R 0]

Buses get quite full in Minneapolis.

Anyway, having been in NYC for only 5 mos, I still have to say I think people here are really, genuinely friendly for the most part. At least they are genuine! It's actually much warmer socially than Minnesota, which we always remark on. Our first day, with a moving truck, some very friendly and helpful construction workers reorganized what they were doing so our truck fit on a street and then took time to give us directions. Since then, native New Yorkers (less so than transplants like us) have been so friendly. We often remark on the "small town feel" of our neighborhood. Sometimes you run into really rude people, but it's not the usual passive-aggression that always made me totally paranoid about everyone in Minnesota. If someone here has a stick up their #######, you're aware of it. I'll take this attitude over "Minnesota nice" any day.

[simple_male 1]

He is truly a brave man, a great Bangladeshi.

The Good Samaritan who tried to stop the Christmas-versus-Chanukah subway beating has two black eyes and a sore nose - but no regrets.

"I did what I thought was right," said Hassan Askari, 20. "I did the best that I could to help."

Askari, a Bangladeshi Muslim studying at Berkeley College in Manhattan, was on a Q train headed to Brooklyn late Friday when he came to the aid of young women confronted by a group of 10 thugs.

Fearful for the women's safety, he pushed one of the men away - and was then pounced on by the group, he said.

"They grabbed me and punched and beat me up," Askari said.

"They punched me first. I didn't get a chance to punch him back."

Askari, all of 5-feet-7 and 140 pounds, said he was left with a swollen face.

He said he didn't go to the doctor because he's too busy working two waiter jobs and doesn't have the money for medical care.

He was mystified as to why the men became so outraged when the women and their male friends wished them a "Happy Chanukah" while they were yelling "Merry Christmas" on the train car.

"I don't understand," he said. "They were just being nice."

One of the Jewish victims, Walter Adler, expressed amazement that Askari took the risk to try to help.

"That a random Muslim kid helped some Jewish kids, that's what's positive about New York," said Adler, 23, who suffered a broken nose and required four stitches to close a lip wound.

Askari's interference allowed Adler to pull the emergency brake, which alerted police to trouble on the train.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2..._beating-1.html

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It's actually much warmer socially than Minnesota, which we always remark on.

Actually, it's just warmer. Not many places are colder than Minnesota. Or so I'm told.

[Alex+R 0]

It's actually much warmer socially than Minnesota, which we always remark on.

Actually, it's just warmer. Not many places are colder than Minnesota. Or so I'm told.

I deliberately used the word "socially" to avoid that comment, and let's just say I had an idea of who might make it.

[mawilson 2,133]

I deliberately used the word "socially" to avoid that comment, and let's just say I had an idea of who might make it.

Can't sleep?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

What a great person!!!! He truly is a hero

And those hooligans need to be locked the hell up.

...the word savage didn't come to mind though, eh? Interesting.

[Caladan 19]

"Say 'MERRY CHRISTMAS!' or I'll kick your a$$!" ....that's the spirit.

Hats off to the guy for standing up like that. A hero indeed.

And here I thought the war on Christmas turning "Merry Christmas" into "Merry Christmas, screw you" was just hyperbole!

NYC is awesome. Alex is right. New Yorkers can be brusque and a little aloof compared to parts of the country where overt niceness is part of the culture, but no one should mistake it for unfriendliness or unhelpfulness.

[trueimage 0]

Wow! Awesome story............

[Fandango 1,439]

What a great person!!!! He truly is a hero

And those hooligans need to be locked the hell up.

...the word savage didn't come to mind though, eh? Interesting.

I notice 'innocent til proven guilty' didn't spring to yours!

[Fandango 1,439]

Buses get quite full in Minneapolis.

Anyway, having been in NYC for only 5 mos, I still have to say I think people here are really, genuinely friendly for the most part. At least they are genuine! It's actually much warmer socially than Minnesota, which we always remark on. Our first day, with a moving truck, some very friendly and helpful construction workers reorganized what they were doing so our truck fit on a street and then took time to give us directions. Since then, native New Yorkers (less so than transplants like us) have been so friendly. We often remark on the "small town feel" of our neighborhood. Sometimes you run into really rude people, but it's not the usual passive-aggression that always made me totally paranoid about everyone in Minnesota. If someone here has a stick up their #######, you're aware of it. I'll take this attitude over "Minnesota nice" any day.

I'm a native NYer *cue song* and all I can say is that I think NY is one of the greatest places in the world. NYers are nice and helpful and your friends there will do anything for you. The only friends I've ever kept long term (throughout my life) are my NY friends....and I know that even if I don't speak to them for years, I could still call them up at 3am for help if I'm ever in trouble.

Of course, there's no shortage of crazies there....but NY in general is the kind of place where a Muslim kid will step in to help a Jewish kid. There's a different solidarity there.

[SteveLaura 0]

Interacting with other human beings in NYC is dangerous.

There are human beings in NYC?

ouch! that one was below the belt...lol, just kidding...i know its hard to believe sometimes...but yes, there are human beings in NYC!!

..actually, when i read your comment, i remembered a study i read about a couple of years ago.....they wanted to see which state had the "nicest" people[i guess]....they put a pregnant woman on crowded public buses and subways around america and they found that in NYC, more people offered their seats to her....

In other cities, that pregnant woman would be the only passenger on the bus. Seats aplenty. That's really comparing apples and oranges.

i guess you have a point..haha...but actually, i'm sure when conducting the study, they made sure they put her on a crowded bus or subway... just a thought...

Where'd you find one, though? All the cities I've lived in have empty buses running around. It would sometimes seem more cost effective to just hire those few passengers a cab. Seriously.

I've travelled on many a packed Milwaukee bus. Which cities have you lived in?

[derekkj 0]

"That a random Muslim kid helped some Jewish kids, that's what's positive about New York,"

Buses get quite full in Minneapolis.

Anyway, having been in NYC for only 5 mos, I still have to say I think people here are really, genuinely friendly for the most part. At least they are genuine! It's actually much warmer socially than Minnesota, which we always remark on. Our first day, with a moving truck, some very friendly and helpful construction workers reorganized what they were doing so our truck fit on a street and then took time to give us directions. Since then, native New Yorkers (less so than transplants like us) have been so friendly. We often remark on the "small town feel" of our neighborhood. Sometimes you run into really rude people, but it's not the usual passive-aggression that always made me totally paranoid about everyone in Minnesota. If someone here has a stick up their #######, you're aware of it. I'll take this attitude over "Minnesota nice" any day.

As another native NY'er, I think the bolded section says it all. After having lived in the south now for many years, I still get frustrated with the phony politeness down here.

Oh, and the buses and Metro are packed here in DC. And I have seen very few people offer to give up their seats here to either pregnant women or the elderly.

[JODO 2]

Nothing like beating someone into the Christmas spirit

Good for him! These goons need to be locked up for a long, long time.

[almaty 19]

wow, praise for a Muslim.....on vj ..????

...

[sereia 0]

Buses get quite full in Minneapolis.

Anyway, having been in NYC for only 5 mos, I still have to say I think people here are really, genuinely friendly for the most part. At least they are genuine! It's actually much warmer socially than Minnesota, which we always remark on. Our first day, with a moving truck, some very friendly and helpful construction workers reorganized what they were doing so our truck fit on a street and then took time to give us directions. Since then, native New Yorkers (less so than transplants like us) have been so friendly. We often remark on the "small town feel" of our neighborhood. Sometimes you run into really rude people, but it's not the usual passive-aggression that always made me totally paranoid about everyone in Minnesota. If someone here has a stick up their #######, you're aware of it. I'll take this attitude over "Minnesota nice" any day.

I'm a native NYer *cue song* and all I can say is that I think NY is one of the greatest places in the world. NYers are nice and helpful and your friends there will do anything for you. The only friends I've ever kept long term (throughout my life) are my NY friends....and I know that even if I don't speak to them for years, I could still call them up at 3am for help if I'm ever in trouble.

Of course, there's no shortage of crazies there....but NY in general is the kind of place where a Muslim kid will step in to help a Jewish kid. There's a different solidarity there.

well said, lisa! people in NY are much more warm, friendly, helpful, and GENUINE than where i am from in CA by far! I encountered a lot of crazzzzzzzzy people there too...but I think the mess of cultures makes it so much more interesting!

I saw this story on the news a few days ago. The poor guys had black eyes and all! The people were screaming they killed Jesus and attacked them. That whole concept is ridiculous to me but thats for another topic I guess....