Man Charged With Hate Crime For Stabbing Muslim Cabbie

With all this hate, bigotry and divisiveness on the news everyday this doesn't surprise me one bit. Expect more attacks like this if the media continues to fan the flames.

I posted this in response to another article put I think it fits here, so I'll repost it:

In my view, Rupert Murdoch & Fox News are more dangerous to the United States of America than the terrorists themselves. The fear mongering, bigoted "news" the present is tearing this country apart. Rupert Murdoch's numerous media outlets yields too much power in this country and his use of this power to promote divisiveness is really, really dangerous.

I'm not scared of terrorists, if I have to die at their hands someday then so be it, that's fate or destiny, but until then I refuse to walk around scared of the boogey men everyday, that's exactly what they want so fuck them! Remember "a coward dies a thousand deaths, the brace only die once!"

However Rupert Murdoch's Fox News scares me. They are tearing this country apart and pitting Americans against Americans everyday with their fear mongering, race baiting and divisiveness. Everyday adding fuel to the fire of angry Americans with their propaganda, disguised as news. Attacking immigrants, blacks, poor people, muslims and whatever other villains they find convenient and these American are absorbing this hateful rhetoric on a daily basis. How long until these disgruntled Americans feel that protests are not enough and they need to take their country back, by any means necessary?

And too many Americans don't realize Rupert Murdoch's vast media holdings. So they don't realize that when they hear the same message echoed throughout the media, it's actually coming from the same source. Look at Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. companies here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_News_Corporation Everything from local newspapers to magazines to cable channels to websites to book publishers and everything in between. Any message or ideology this man wants out will be all over the world, in every type of media, tomorrow. That is too much power for one person or company to have and judging by Fox News it's dangerous. When the largest media conglomerate and disseminator of information in this country is partly owned by a man named Al-Waleed bin Talal, who according to the anti-mosque crowd is a bad man with questionable ties, then I would say that even someone like you might have something to worry about.

So yes I feel they are more dangerous than even the terrorists. Even if the terrorists pull another attack and kill thousands that won't destroy this country but Fox News is destroying is this country by dividing us and going against the very principles this country was founded on, on a daily basis.

With that being said, sadly we'll probably see more senseless attacks like this.

but Fox News is destroying is this country by dividing us and going against the very principles this country was founded on, on a daily basis.

No, WE are destroying this country by dividing ourselves along ethnic, racial religious lines, political affiliations, etc.

Part of it has to do with upbringing, tho' I'm not into the whole "blame the parents" thing either. At some point you have to take responsibility for your own actions, learn to turn off the TV and put down the paper and go outside and LEARN something.

And if you've been following this story, as it was pointed out above this guy wasn't your archetypical right-wing Teabagger. My personal take? The guy is bipolar or paranoid schizo or something. To paraphrase Chris Rock (re: the Columbine massacre), "Why are we blaming their parents? Why are we blaming their style of dress or the music they listened to? Haven't you ever heard of just plain CRAZY?"

Hey, I hope they put this nutjob away for life as much as the next guy does, and I'm no fan of the mainstream media, but blaming Enright's actions on Fox News is pretty much like blaming teen violence on hip hop or heavy metal music. A convenient scapegoat, but not much else.

"No, WE are destroying this country by dividing ourselves along ethnic, racial religious lines, political affiliations, etc."

Absolutely! I agree with you 100% by why? Who is the biggest instigator of these divisions?

Whoever doesn't see the correlation between who the media is choosing to demonize and physical attacks, simply doesn't want to see it. Do you honestly think that it's a coincidence that immigrants became public enemy #1 earlier this Summer and there's been a rise on attacks on immigrants? You don't think that with the media coverage this has been receiving and all the hate that's been cast on muslims by the media that this guy was influenced by this in anyway?

But I will agree to you some people are crazy and those are the people we need to worry about. I can watch Fox News all day and it won't make me do anything but some people, who may have a few loose screws takes in all the venom and might decide to act on it. Which, coincidently, is exactly how I think these terrorists probably develop as well, it takes a particular kind of crazy to give up your life for some fanatical ideology.

Don't underestimate the power of propaganda, it's been scientifically proven to work. Look at how far it got Hitler. If you have time look into some of Edward Bernays' fascinating but dangerous work, hopefully that will give you a better understanding of the danger of Fox News' propaganda campaigns.

Edward Bernays and the Art of Public Manipulation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiKMmrG1ZKU

I don't underestimate the power of propaganda, nor am I denying that the current hateful climate is enabling violent bigoted thugs to feel as though they can come out of the woodwork... but I also believe (and I know this is a pretty unpopular view both on the right and the left) that the answer to propaganda is information, not censorship. I think it's intellectually lazy to blame this all on the ubiquitous Rupert Murdoch or Fox News (not necessarily accusing you directly), in the same way I get frustrated with parents who blame all society's ills on rap music or video games. Sure, a lot of entertainment aimed at kids is violent and offensive -- and let's face it, this is what sells, even in the news business -- but it's up to us as individuals to educate ourselves and each other, not just look at where to point the finger.

Oh, and as far as the "ental disorder" issue goes... I've dealt pretty extensively with paranoid schizophrenics and people w/bipolar disorder; not saying I'm an expert but based on what I know firsthand I AM taking an "educated guess" as to why a guy with a profile like Enright's would do something so seemingly out-of-character.

I agree and I wish everyone was as smart as you but unfortunately they're not. They're listening to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and all the other talking heads and take their word as gospel. I would hope that most people realize that they have an agenda and they spin the news to fit that agenda, that's not unbiased news reporting. I'm not for censorship either but we should have never allowed these mega media conglomerates to exist, it's too much power for company or person to have and it's dangerous.

For example, if News Corp decides to run with the idea that Obama is an alien and disseminates that throughout it's vast media holdings, I guarantee that by next week if you hold a poll a majority of Americans will swear the Obama is in fact an alien.

And I disagree with your assertion that music, video games and the media is not to be blamed.

Look at this classic psychological experiment:

Albert Bandura, Social Learning and his Bobo Doll experiment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCETgT_Xfzg

The truth is that we learn to be aggressive, we learn to hate and Bandura's work proved that.

And yes it is our personal responsibility to do our due diligence and analyze the messages we get from the media but too many Americans are not doing this and the media is using that to bypass reasoning and touch on their raw emotions.

All in all I think we agree more than we disagree. Accept for the fact that I think the media is largely to blame for much of our society's hysteria and irrational fears and I believe they are doing it purposely and its getting very dangerous.

But how is blaming it on an hypothetical mental disorder any less of a scapegoat. The further details that have emerged from this story note that the kid had a journal full of anti-Islamic passages. Trying to pin the blame on his mental state or booze, and pretending that it was just some random outburst where the target happened to be Muslim, is irresponsible.

We have created a political climate that is antagonistic towards Muslims (And I don't entirely blame the right for this, even if they have been the noisiest on the downtown mosque. Many liberals have pandered to anti-Islamic sentiments). It's foolish to try and pretend that this attack is not a result of that climate.

OK, Einstein where did you copy & paste it from? DailyKos or DU? HuffPo has better writers, so it could not have been a source.

You have your CBS, NBC, ABC, PMSNBC, CNN, WaPo, NYT, LAT etc, but the FOX rules the country? Violence? You have your SEIU thugs biting off fingers of people they disagree with & beating black Tea Partiers, Russ Carnahan's office firebombed by one of his own goons, lefty Amy Bishop going on her killing spree (her victims were non-white) etc. There's so much violence coming from the right Bloomberg had to wish Time Sq. bomber was someone unhappy with Obamacare to balance the books.

No that's all my jibberish. I think you can tell by my shameful typos, I meant to say "brave" not "brace", lol. But I appreciate the fact that you think it might be the work of a quasi-professional writer, I'll take that as a compliment, so thank you.

Yes, there are other media outlets but look at where most of these divisive stories are originating. News Corp. starts it and because of their reach people start talking about it then the other members of the media follow up on the stories.

About your "stories" I have yet to hear of SEIU thugs biting the fingers off of anybody or Tea Partiers getting beaten by anyone so I really don't know what you're referring to. Russ Carnahan's office firebombing seems to have been committed by a disgruntled employee that was recently fired ( http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_f588fa5f-df4b-5869-b3f3-075c49057e8f.html) and Amy Bishop was also a disgruntled employee who shot her employers after being denied tenure. These cases are irrelevant to what we're talking about so my question to you is, "What the fuck are you talking about? Do you have any idea what you are talking about?"

John L... YOU are so right!! You summed up exactly how I feel this morning, having read the headlines in today's papers!! I am OUTRAGED AT THE MEDIA! This is their doing! They are breeding HATE among us!

I don't know much about this story, but from the little I read I think the stabber was drunk or sick.

You mustn't have read anything at all, because all the reporting clearly states that he was indeed really drunk.

Did anyone else hear what the attacker allegedly said?

Remember the Abner Louima case when Al Sharpton told him to lie about the cops saying "it's Guiliani time" in order to smear the Mayor and politicize the case?

Heheh, yeah, if you don't like it, it's probably not true. Better hold out for the videotape, don't rush to judgement!

It was probably just a stabbing over something else, like the fare or something. That sounds logical.

You forgot to add that it's the Cordoba people's fault for, like, being here and trying to build a victory mosque on your dad's ashes. And the 9/11 hijackers, it's their fault too.

Hah. I knew it wouldn't take long for one of you to start a campaign to smear the victim.

Last time I checked, the accused is presumed innocent until convicted. Last time I checked, a "hate" crime like any other requires proof for a conviction. As I pointed out as well, it has been known to happen that the circumstances of a crime has been twisted and used for political a political agenda. Why is that such an impossibility? Ah, because it doesn't fit your politically correct world view.

You checked? Really?

You're such a silly instigator.

...and then you read my point about "what the fuck ELSE was it about"?

Maybe the cabbie slashed his own throat to pin it on the white kid.

Thank god we've got you here to stand up for due process, Ides. Not that your position isn't blatantly aligned with your own political preferences and more than a little ridiculous considering the facts reported thus far.

"the accused is presumed innocent until convicted."

Unless they're trying to build a mosque, in which case they are presumed extremist terrorist supporters until proven innocent.

From the Village Voice:

"Michael Enright of Brewster, New York, who was booked on charges of attempted murder and assault with a weapon as a hate crime, is listed on Facebook as an employee of the New York City-based Intersections International, a “global initiative dedicated to promoting justice, reconciliation and peace across lines of faith, culture, ideology, race, class, national borders and other boundaries that divide humanity.” And a few weeks ago, they announced their support for — you guessed it — the Cordoba House, better known to many as the “Ground Zero Mosque.”

he's from rural brewster, has a friend in the service, probably a Republican. or raised a Republican.

What do you have against Republicans??

Oh right, most of them are a-holes.

Sure. He was a member of National Boxcutter Association which gives money to Republicans. Other members included Mohammed Atta.

that and he's a Republican, too.

strawman.

All white people are Republicans to you.

No, but I'll say this kid is or was.

That must be it!

I've known plenty of these guys, they're all in college and vote straight Republican only because that's how they were raised even though they're usually apolitical and smoke pot.

If you've known one, then you know them all.

You've known plenty, so I'm certain your prejudices are warranted.

And, he looks like a duck.

There's more to it than him just being a racist right wing hick from upstate. In fact, he worked for an interfaith, multicultural agency that promoted peace. He went to Afghanistan and was embedded with the Marines and shot video of military exercises there. This isn't some goombah from S.I. who gets all his propaganda from Fox News and The Drudge Report, like assholes in the mosque protest video. Of course I'm in no way equivocating what he did. I'm just saying the rush to paint him as an ignorant teabagger is totally off base. This guy is well educated and experienced. Which makes this story all the more troubling and compelling.

it's the right guy, it's all over the news. his father came down from brewster, he look's scared and his lawyer is asking for protective custody.

Ignorance is on the rise.

reread the articles, and it says he's 21, so thats probably him. What an animal.

And here I thought it was 2010. I hope this little POS never sees the light of day again. Absolutely disgusting.

"Ey, yo! Dese, dems, and dose is all freakin' terrorists your honor! Palin and Gingrich came to meez in a dream and tolds me so. Badabing!" said the low-brow, knuckle-dragging, troglodyte, orc.

Somewhere in America, a fascist, ratings-hungry talking head and a right-wing, tax-payer-perqed politician is looking at their feet and mumbling, "Not my fault".

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Enright/546564905#!/profile.php?id=546564905

note the link to tea bagger greg ball

http://www.flickr.com/people/msenright/

Greg Ball was removed, just sayin. Maybe he is a Liberal.

stabbings this close to ground zero are insensitive.

This poor guy probably has no health insurance. I wrote to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance to see if they will set up a fund for him.

Could this be the asshole in question?:

http://jukebox.lohud.com/photos/popup/index.php?town=brewster§ion=daily&offset=129

I'm going to go with not the same guy. Here's why.

Article says he was 24, and article says that the person in the photos graduated HS in 2007. Unless he was left back until he was 21, a 24 year old should have graduated high school in 2003 or 2004.

Article quote: "A cab driver picked up a 21-year-old fare yesterday..."

He's 21 not 24 according to what I've read.

Yes, after I posted that, I reposted a reply to it, that didn't work out as a reply. When I read it I guess I picked up on the 24th st as the age by mistake.

Jeez, he looks like a nice kid, not a stabbing animal. I guess you never can tell.

The Village Voice has established some evidence that it is the guy in that picture... and has dug up some other interesting points about him:

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2010/08/was_the_muslim.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogs/runninscared+(Village+Voice+Blogs:+Runnin'+Scared)

Pretty good chance.

I'm sure he's a good kid, blah blah blah...

this is just the pre-fight till Sunday.

6:14 pm is pretty early to get hammered enough to cut someone

"...lock Enright in the backseat, and wait till police arrived."

Awesome that cabbies are able to do that. I hope this bastard rots in Jail.

i was just gonna say, that was some seriously quick thinking on the cabbies part.

i'm sure the muslim prison population will treat this disgusting perp to a nice stabbing in one form or another.

this sort of thing was going to happen eventually

Disgusting. The worse part is, i feel that things are only gonna get worse before they get better.