Donate to the Ahmed Sharif Family Support Fund…because it’s the right thing to do and we are not a nation of animals… yet. 
[click this link to donate without reading my jibber jabber; make sure to add a note that the money is for Ahmed Sharif]
As most of you probably know, last Tuesday, Ahmed Sharif, a New York taxi driver, was viciously attacked by a 21-year-old film student named Michael Enright simply because Sharif is Muslim:
“He start yelling at like 39th Street and 3rd Avenue,” Sharif told the local ABC affiliate. “‘This is a checkpoint, this is checkpoint, motherfucker, I have to put you down.’”
“I saw the knife coming through my neck right here,” Sharif told FOX, showing his wounds. “Once I see his face, is so much anger and mad at me, I don’t know, and hate. He have to kill me. And I ask him, ‘Please don’t kill me, why you have to kill me, what I did?’”
“Then again he hit me, then I’m trying to fighting for life, protect myself, but still he cursing and yelling,” Sharif added.
On Tuesday night, Sharif was allegedly stabbed by Michael Enright, a 21-year-old film student. Enright has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime.
Sharif met with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Thursday and expressed his love for New York City despite the vicious attack:
The cabbie stabbed by a drunken passenger ranting about Muslims says he’s scared, but still loves his adopted city.
“This city must be safe for everyone,” he said. “All color, races, all religions. Everyone. We live here side by side, peacefully. Lovely.”
Sharif, who emigrated from Bangladesh 25 years ago, was stabbed in the neck, face and arm Tuesday by a crazed passenger who asked him if he were Muslim and then reached around the partition with a pocketknife.
Sharif was able to trap Michael Enright in the vehicle and escape before police made the arrest at E. 42nd St. and Third Ave.
There is so much going on right now (flooding in Pakistan, the situation in Haiti is still horrific, the 5-year anniversary of Katrina) that Sharif’s story seems to have already been forgotten. It has been eclipsed by more fearmongering by Glenn Beck and his Cabal of Crapfaces, more yelling about the Mosque, mostly by people who do not live in New York City, who have never been to New York City, and who couldn’t locate lower Manhattan on a map with a magnifying glass while wearing a houndstooth cap.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sharif has four children (aged 10 months, 5, 9, and 11), is the sole breadwinner in his family, is unable to work (his union representative estimates that he will be out of work for four months) and the money raised thus far is barely enough to cover the expense for his ten month old’s baby formula:
New York cab driver Ahmed Sharif cannot bring himself to talk about the young man who allegedly cut his throat and nearly killed him last week, a taxi union representative said Sunday.
“Ahmed is a strong man, but mentally he has limits,” said Bhairavi Desai of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. “The trauma he’s experienced will last for a long time.”
Desai spent time this weekend with Sharif. She said his most pressing worry is how he’ll provide for his wife and four children — including a 10-month-old –without a job. Sharif is receiving 2/3 of his salary, about $30,000 a year, in workers’ compensation. Union members do not get health insurance or disability payments, Desai said.
“My guess is that he’ll be unable to work for at least four months,” Desai said. “He can’t even pick up his baby because of the wounds to his arms. He can’t turn his neck.”
There’s been so little money raised over the past few days for Sharif that it would “barely cover baby formula,” said Desai who, along with Sharif, held a widely publicized press conference Friday announcing the union was creating a fund for the family. The union’s website indicates how to mail a donation or give online.
“We’re pretty shocked that it’s been such a low amount,” Desai said.
Times are tough for a lot of people. A lot of people have been whipped into a frenzy over this Ground Zero mosque business and likely don’t give a shit about some brown cab driver who lives in a tiny apartment with his wife and four children and is simply trying to make a living and put food on his table. But those of us who have the means, and those of us who still care about our fellow citizens should donate money to Mr. Sharif’s fund.
I just did. Won’t you?
Donations can be as small as five dollars. Five dollars, if you can afford it, goes a long way.
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance website has more information about the attack, about legislative efforts in New York regarding safety for taxi drivers (many of whom are some shade of brown and are likely in danger if more wackos decide to act like… well… wackos). Just click this link — Ahmed Sharif Family Support Fund — and give what you can.
While Sharif himself does not blame the mosque frenzy for the attack, I do. People are losing their minds. I find it alarming that people are so quick to attack one another based on differences in religion, ethnicity, or politics1. We’re all people, people. But some of us aren’t acting like it. Like the asshats who torched a mosque in Nashville, Tennessee this weekend. The Islamophobia is getting out of control.
What I find most shocking about the Sharif attack is that Michael Enright doesn’t seem like the type to commit such a horrible hate crime:
Michael Enright is a film student at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and has been working with the Intersections International, an interfaith and multicultural effort which seeks to promote justice and peace. The project’s website is strongly supportive of the Cordoba House project in lower Manhattan and videos of its leader, Imam Faisel Rauf, are posted on their website.
The 21-year-old aspiring filmmaker had been to Afghanistan recently, working on a documentary on a Marine unit his high school buddy served with. His earlier efforts to embed with his friend were the subject of a profile in the local paper.
If this guy is all riled up about Muslims, a guy who is working to promote justice and peace, then what are the crazies doing? The white supremacists? The ultra-right-wing evangelicals? I don’t even want to know.
For now, I’m going to do what I can and try to raise some money for Sharif and his family. So, lend a hand. Forego that trip to Starbucks and float the dude five bucks. He deserves it and he needs it.
And if you can’t afford it, at least do your part by treating others with respect and dignity.2
1Oh hush. When I “attack,” I do it with words and I do it respectfully…usually. At least I try to. And I’m still working on it.
2Yes yes, I know. Hypocrisy, much? But some people are asshats and I will call them out as such. But at least I won’t, you know, STAB THEM.
[via Talking Points Memo and Gawker; Image via New York Daily News]
I saw this story on the news the other day and it still makes me sick to my stomach. I can’t believe that in 2010, I still have to see stories like this. I hope this kid rots in hell, and I will definitely send some money Mr. Sharif’s way.
Yeah, I’m going to have to pass on this one, let me explain before you throw verbal rocks at my head!!!! If I donated money to every stabbing/shooting victim, I’d be working like 60 plus jobs just to donate money. It’s unfortunate that this happened, but I don’t see where he is any more special than say, the 49 year old gay man who was called hateful slurs and beaten just for being gay. Or the 16 year old Chicago boy that was beat to death with 2x4s and what not. Anyway, my point is it would be unfair to help this family over other’s who’ve endured hateful crimes. Also, not to be funny, but if you have a problem with Muslims, you should probably never take a NY taxi. On a related note, that is the WORST union ever if they don’t have health benefits or disability pay. What the hell exactly does his union do then? On a completely unrelated, but sort of related note, I don’t get the whole don’t build a Mosque on Ground Zero BS. Maybe that’s just because I *don’t do* religion, but I sure as hell would rather see a Mosque built than a superstore monstrosity, like Walmart, erected. At any rate, I work in a highly Muslim-populated area, and they’re some of my best customers. It’s white people who can suck it. My gods, white people are fecking freeloading cheap asses, but that’s a whole ‘nother rant.
I agree that there are certainly tragedies that happen every day. My point was just to highlight this particular tragedy that happened to this particular guy who is struggling to feed his family. A lot of people didn’t hear about the story, so I wanted to post it and see if any people would be willing to and can afford to donate.
You certainly don’t have to (and couldn’t possibly) give money to every unfortunate soul. But I feel for this particular unfortunate soul in this particular Islamophobic environment.
But to paraphrase Cartman: Whatevah! You do what you want!
Oh, and on a funny note, THE WORLD DOES NOT NEED ANOTHER F*CKING “ASPIRING FILM STUDENT” !
Donated and reposted.
I see your point Natalie. I do must add I’m a Christian and would be way more offended if they built a WalMart or McDonald’s there instead of a mosque. Or a Madame Tusseau’s. That shit is creepy.
they should build a wax mosque. and then when people try to torch it, it’ll melt and get EVERYWHERE.
That clean up would be a nightmare. Imagine how sticky and gooey melted wax is. There’d be humans and animals alike freaking out because they were stuck in the wax. You know someone would reenact the wicked witch of the west (or was it east?) ‘I’m melting, I’m melting’ scene from Wizard of Oz.
natalie, I loved that dead-on comment (excepting any ‘Mosque’ commentary, since my opinion is irrelevant on that).
It’s a tired argument, but there are simply too many overwhelming catastrophes striking entire nations and hundreds upon millions of hopeless people dying from, and struggling to survive, massive floods, earthquakes, raging fires, crushing dictatorships and mass slaughter; devastating air pollution exacerbated by unprecedented heatwaves in Moscow that is killing hundreds of their own citizens every day; telethons for Haitian Relief, Afghanistan Relief, media pleas for donations to feed the starving in India and [insert country here] and we’re STILL finding new rallying cries for a nearly-bankrupt nation’s PERSONAL funds to support single entities who just had some bad fuckin’ luck.
“Sorry about little Bobby’s cancer, but the weekly $25 neighborhood fund donated out of my already-inadequate paycheck is needed for helping Entire Foreign Nations get their shit together, much like WE did on our own when 9/11 and Katrina shat on us – so, my philanthropic self is being urged from on high to attach a bit more precedence over our own ‘Evil Country’, as so many outside of it seem to perceive. Sorry!”
This NYC cabbie could have been Muslim, Indian, Asian, Cherokee, Ben Affleck-white, Sidney Poitier-black, or Johnny Winter-albino…
HE’S A GODDAM NYC CABBIE, FOR THE LOVE OF GODFREY CAMBRIDGE!! If the man didn’t take the proper precautions to keep attacks like this from his ‘customers’ occurring, he’s one of those clueless ignoramuses who are missing a vital component in their brain that allows them to pass a driver’s test, yet fails to intervene in the crucial “decision” to become A GODDAM NYC CABBIE!!
Hey, person of no discernably identifiable race/religion/trace of common sense: y’ wanna be a cab driver?? Pssst, come closer – ply your trade IN ANY OTHER F*!#ING CITY EXCEPT NEW YORK, you fuckin’ unsolved murder-waiting-to-happen.
Charity for all who suffer fates they can’t control- good luck to the rest who choose their own.
Oh, almost forgot! Hope to see you all giving generously to ‘Jerry’s Kids’ this Labor Day weekend – omigod, they’re THISCLOSE to finding that cure, people!!!
Oh, shit, ABL, you gotta be kiddin’ my fat white ass!
I went back up to re-read the article and saw Desai’s comment :
“The UNION’S website indicates how to mail a donation or give online’…
So comforting to see the worker’s own UNION stepping up to – solicitations from others. What the fuck excuse is that.. they don’t give health insurance or disability benefits???
The ‘New York Taxi Workers Alliance’ oughtta have their asses sued to infinity – I’ll donate for THAT
He’s getting 2/3 of his pay, which is standard for disability leave. That’s what I got when I went on medical leave. But his salary his 40K, and he’s got 4 kids and is the sole breadwinner. So he’s a lot worse off than I was. That’s an understatement, actually.
ABL, I’m sorry to be such a pissant tonight – I did my best to rustle up at least another dozen votes for you at work today – but now, after voting 4 more times tonight, I’m worried about possible recriminations from these ladies that I imposed my ‘Vote for ABL’ email upon today.
It brings up possible “who the hell does this [verb-of-choice] think he is, recommending a Black site to a Black woman” type of response; I foolishly forgot to mention your somewhat ‘liberal’ use of language that some very religious ladies, also co-workers I highly admire and respect, might take offense at.
I won’t know what, if any, negative response I might get tomorrow from the group I emailed today – but if Yoami, or Delania, or Akina, or Marva, or Denise, or Tonya, or Thelma, or the other Thelma, or Felicia, or Cherlyn, or Emily, or Aretha, or Vernice, or Juanita feel offended that I selected them to send my email to…
Please help provide me with a fully-well-intentioned response that adequately addresses my sincere regret for sending this link to the ladies who did take offense. I haven’t got any feedback yet, but I’ll keep you posted.
p.s. – 40K a year would have the entire Walton clan living high and Depression-free in their cost-of-living mountains of Virginia- and for that matter, 80% of the entire population of my home state, South Carolina, will never see a 40K-a-year salary – and they’ve got kids, too.
So I’m voting four more times tonight before bedtime, and you can thank your own humanity for that. Whether I totally agree with you or not doesn’t make any difference in my wanting to read what’s currently on your mind.
For now, you have my full support- I can’t say I won’t totally ditch this site if you don’t win any Black Weblog Awards, but that’s how I roll, baby.
Best of Luck and Proper Recognition,
Tony
thanks a bunch, tony!
YOU FuCKING RACIST AL SHARPTON-LIKE IDIOTS.
hahahahahahaha.
thank you for the morning laugh. i really needed it.
moslems maim rape and MURDER Christians buddhists Hindus and Jews all over the planet and all you IGNORAMUSES worry about is this stupid cab driver who is in the best of health after a minor attack by a passenger.
If it FEEEEEELS good it must be LIEberalism!
LIBERALiSM IS A CRIME AGAINS SANITY
your existence is a crime agains [sic] sanity.