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Apologies and explanations are now coming from the 23-year-old (now fired) catering hall waiter who played Arabic chants over the PA system during a Jewish wedding. Stephen Buttafuoco, who attends Queens College, told reporters, "The actions I took were not very well thought through, but they were definitely not meant to be malicious in any way, shape or form," and apologized for any "fear or harm" he caused. He added, "I feel horrible."
Buttafuoco was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment as a hate crime for playing chants of "Allahu akbar" (God is great) over the Woodbury Jewish Center's PA system as the wedding of David and Amanda Zar was winding down. According to Newsday, the Nassau County police say the chants were played from the DJ booth, but Buttafuoco claims he was just playing the recording—made when he attended the pro-Palestine rally in Times Square the day before—in a nearby room for a friend. He said he had no idea it could be hear by wedding guests, some of whom worried there was a terrorist attack. Buttafuoco also explained why he went to the rally, "Basically, I would just like to see peace in the Middle East."
While court papers say Buttafuoco "admitted he did this with the intent of disrespecting the [Jewish] religion," his lawyer, who earlier said his client was rebelling against his pro-Israel, preacher father, characterized him this way, "He did a foolish and impulsive act. He's not a radical. He didn't even know they were on the air. He feels absolutely horrendous." And his father Dan Buttafuoco is especially upset, "We have nothing against any other religious background, especially the Jewish people. We love them." Both father and son want to apologize to the wedding couple.
However, the newlyweds don't seem as ruffled. David Zar told the News that he didn't press charges against the young man and doesn't know who did. He added to the Post, "I'm still celebrating my wedding and I really don't want to think about this."
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Good for the wedding couple being above all this nonsense.
Agreed, it's refreshing to see something like that.
Thank god for that happy couple. May they stay in their blissful state for many years and decades to come.
What do you expect with a last name like Buttafuoco?
I'm sure Uncle Joey is proud!
Uncle Joey? I love Full House!
The malice was there and his lawyer smoothed it away.
wish we could be creative in our punishment for dumbasses like him
"...Buttafuoco claims he was just playing the recording ... in a nearby room for a friend. He said he had no idea it could be hear by wedding guests..."
Oh yeah? Has his "friend" corroborated on that story?
I think the entire statement is a cop-out. At 1:30AM, a typical Jewish wedding is winding down (usually it is the period of time when the band stops playing and attendees are reciting Grace after Meals). Given that the band has relinquished the mic, it's the perfect time for someone with premeditated and malicious intentions to broadcast harmful statements over the loudspeaker. With Buttafuoco's experience as a waiter at many Jewish affairs, he clearly knew that the timing was perfect for him to intervene. He probably did not realize, however, that his actions would cause him to be fired *and* arrested, and he's trying to act all apologetic to cover it up. I doubt if he'd feel sorry for his actions if he didn't get caught.
Agreed. He should just admit it was done on purpose, but we all know his lawyer made up some cheap cover story.
I think the couple has a civil case for the guy ruining their wedding, but I can't understand how playing a recording that says "God is great" could be considered a hate crime. There's a first amendment issue here.
I'm guessing you think it'd be funny if someone just went to Poland or France and starting playing recordings of "Sieg Heil!" After all, it just means "hail victory." Who wouldn't want to hail victory?
The First Amendment stops the Federal Government from limiting free speech. That means nothing regarding a private event in a private business.
Buttafuoco, Buttafuoco, Buttafuoco.
The name is as funny now as it was then.
FYI this mook is no relation to the infamous Joseph Buttafuoco of auto body and adultery fame.
Though wouldn't it be great it he was?
"I can't understand how playing a recording that says "God is great" could be considered a hate crime."
I can't understand how anyone hearing this recording could really fear that it meant an impending terrorist attack. At a wedding on Long Island at 1:30 AM. Come on, seriously?
I think it's safe to assume you're not Jewish. Ever been to southern Israel? If you ever spend time around suicide bombings and falling rockets perpetrated by people who are sworn to kill you, you'd change your tune. All the school shooting incidents like Columbine or disgruntled employees going postal show it doesn't take more than one or two people to create mass chaos at a gathering.
"Ever been to southern Israel?"
If that had been where this happened, then I might "change my tune."
And... tell me, which of those incidents were prefaced by the attackers playing a recording over a PA?
Bottom line: it was disrespectful to the wedding party and guests, and yes, to their religion. Therefore, someone decided to play this "could have been a terrorist attack" in order to get the strongest response possible.
Are you people serious?
Its a fucking tape recording of God is Great.
Slap him on the wrists and get over yourselves.
Those rockets are in Israel NOT Woodbury.
Yeah, nothing ever happens in the US, right? So tell me again exactly why we have to go through so much security theater at the airports, courthouses, government buildings, etc. Or why so many schools have metal detectors and forbid alumni from visiting except during homecoming.
Look up Schenck v. United States.
After this I suppose no one will ever be allowed to play similar music or chants within earshot of a Jewish person or they will be convicted of making terrorist threats.
I give up. You and jaycjay are hopeless. Obviously, you didn't look up Schenk v. United States, or you would know I was referring to Justice Holmes's now-famous opinion that created the axiom about yelling fire in a crowded theater. You're more interested in having an opinion and sticking to it than learning anything.
This is not nearly the same thing as yelling "FIRE!" in a movie theater.
Maybe if he had yelled "Suicide Bomber" over the PA at the wedding I would share your view.
But he didn't.
Fire him and slap him on the wrist legally. Some community service at a Jewish organization etc.
Convicting him of a hate crime or anything like that is WAY overboard.
And you can stick your personal accusations.
"Apologies and explanations are now coming from the 23-year-old (now fired) catering hall waiter"
Wow, amazing what the threat of Jail Time *and* possible Civil Penaltie$ will do.
Personally, I hope they throw the book at him on account that he is a complete and utter Moron.
Perhaps some Yiddish would be apropos?
SCHMUCK!
"I can't understand how playing a recording that says "God is great" could be considered a hate crime."
"Allah Akbar" does not mean mean "God is great" any more than "Islam" means "Peace" ("islam" means "SUBMISSION"...)
"Allah Akbar" = [Our] God is Greater".
" I can't understand how anyone hearing this recording could really fear that it meant an impending terrorist attack."
"Allah Akbar" is what is shouted before EVERY jihadist attack.
"At a wedding on Long Island at 1:30 AM. Come on, seriously?"
Or at the WTC on a clear weekday morning?
"And... tell me, which of those incidents were prefaced by the attackers playing a recording over a PA?"
Yeah, we know jihadists would never use low-tech...
Here's a thought - lets have it broadcast on the PA at your school or job, and see how many people wet their pants/dive from the windows.
"Slap him on the wrists and get over yourselves. Those rockets are in Israel NOT Woodbury."
Keep giving jihadists & their supporters a pass and they WILL be in Woodbury - they are already desecrating synagogues in Chicago -
http://www.wbbm780.com/Vandals-Deface-Three-Synagogues/3636522
And enough of them have been caught in the USA last 9 years trying worse.
God help us with the new appeasement administration.
Boy, that's one way to twist to the truth to your convenience.
As opposed to the current, 'free pass as long as you bring about the apocalypse and Jebus back'?
Since "jpeditor" sounds like he/she is hysterical about this topic (in written form at least), I doubted that the translation of of "Allah[sic] Akbar" was accurate. "[Our]God is Greater" sounded like wishful editorializing. Sure enough:
"The takbīr or takbeer (تَكْبِير) is the Arabic name for the phrase Allāhu Akbar, الله أكبر. Usually translated "God is great" or "God is [the] greatest," it is a common Arabic expression, used as both an informal expression of faith and as a formal declaration."
That is, it's not a statement of comparison, (i.e., "our God is better than your God), but rather a simple declaration of how awesome they think their God is.
jpeditor is similarly misleading (i.e., contextually), although technically accurate in that Islam does mean "submission", but, more accurately, "The word Islam means "submission", or the total surrender of oneself to God (Arabic: الله, Allāh)."
It took me 2 seconds to find this information online (both Wikipedia links).
I'm not even going to bother with the other hysterical nonsense in that comment.
-they are already desecrating synagogues in Chicago:
Who gives a crap....
"Who gives a crap...."
Yeah, its just joos... /sarcasm off
Call us when your crack/whore house gets bombed by jihadists and we'll see if we're busy.
""Allah Akbar" is what is shouted before EVERY jihadist attack."
Every one? Really? So unless you hear that phrase, you can be assured that a jihadist attack is NOT going to happen? Good that they give themselves away so simply!
In any case, it's also said much more often on occasions that are NOT jihadist attacks. Hearing it simply doesn't mean an attack is imminent. Hearing it at 1:30 AM over a PA system on Long Island doesn't mean an attack is imminent. If people thought so, it's sad that some of us have become so paranoid... that was my real point.
"At a wedding on Long Island at 1:30 AM. Come on, seriously?"
Or at the WTC on a clear weekday morning?"
Right. Exactly the same thing. OK.
HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAH! this couldn't have been played if BOTH of those two sides are not as orthodox as they are. Fear driven religion makes idiots.
Religion makes idiots either way; fear creates motivated idiots.
Jpeditor and Spirtof you guys have lost your minds. A 23 year old American kid with an IQ of about 63 did a stupid prank - thats it. Very disrespectful, yes - someone should have taken him out back and beat him.
Relax with the 9/11, columbine and Israel references.
Yeah, like I'll take you seriously while you defend Hamas. Here's a hot tip re "forced to live in apartheid within a wall..."
The "apartheid" is IN THE ARAB CONTROLLED LAND(S).
NO JEWS RE ALLOWED TO LIVE IN ARAB CONTROLLED AREAS OF "PALESTINE" (nor in most arab "real" countries).
1.5 MILLION ARABS LIVE ON THE JEWISH SIDE OF THE "WALLS", which have lowered homicide bombings by almost ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.
Speaking of burning down embassies, recall any jews doing that when arabs blew up restaurants, nightclubs and bars filled with Jewish teenagers?
And any time you want to explain Jordan and Kuwait kicking out out almost half a million "palistinians" as "apartheid", we are all ears...
PS- "A 23 year old American kid with an IQ of about 63 did a stupid prank - thats it."
He had just come from a "KILL THE JEWS AND PUT THEM IN THE OVENS" Hamas "peace rally" - he thinks its cool, just like you and the other useful idiots of jihad and Intl. cAnswer (who support North Korea & Iran having nukes....)
So the point is not only was he an AHOLE for playing his little recording at a Jewish wedding, but he is a walking example of the brainwashing by the U.S. left who prey on the unintelligent and rebellious young (he doesn't get "props" from his pro-Israel-minister father, bwa-hah..) and drum up support for terrorist scum who will be happy to put leftist jinos and gentiles alike in the ovens as soon they are done with the "Joos".