Ex-Obama Admin Official Arrested for Islamophobic Harassment in NYC
A former national security adviser in the Obama administration, 64-year-old Stuart Seldowitz, has been arrested for harassment and stalking.
But what makes this story even more shocking is the reason behind his charges – anti-Islamic statements made to a food cart vendor in Manhattan.
According to the New York Police Department, Seldowitz approached a 24-year-old vendor at his workplace multiple times and made derogatory comments about his religion, leading to charges of second-degree aggravated harassment and three counts of stalking, one of which is considered a hate crime.
This despicable behavior was captured in a series of videos posted on social media, showing Seldowitz verbally abusing and taunting the vendor with obscene and racist remarks.
In another clip that appeared to be shot in daytime hours, Seldowitz called the vendor a terrorist and said, "If we killed 4,000 Palestinian kids, you know what? It wasn’t enough."
But this is not just a story about one man's disturbing behavior – it's a disturbing example of the rampant hypocrisy on the left.
It is no secret that the Obama and Biden administrations have been quick to label any criticism of Islam as Islamophobic and racist. But when one of their own is caught on camera spewing hate and bigotry towards a Muslim man, suddenly there is silence. Where are the calls for accountability and condemnation from the left?
In the videos, Seldowitz can be seen asking the vendor if he has raped his daughter "like Mohammed did," calling him a terrorist, and accusing him of supporting the killing of innocent children. He even went as far as to tell the vendor he had no right to be on the sidewalk, displaying a sense of entitlement and superiority over his victim. This is the type of behavior that is not only unacceptable but dangerous in today's increasingly divided society.
A person on X, the platform formally known as Twitter, posted video of Seldowitz taunting the cart operator on the Upper East Side. In one clip that appeared to be shot at night, Seldowitz asked the vendor if he had raped his daughter "like Mohammed" did.
While Seldowitz may try to defend his actions by claiming he was making "small talk," it is clear that he was motivated by his own prejudices and bias. And disturbingly, this is not an isolated incident.
Law enforcement officials across America have expressed concern about tensions in the Middle East leading to an increase in hateful acts towards Jewish, Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Americans. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 388% increase in antisemitic incidents following last month's terrorist attacks, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations reported a spike in requests for help and reports of bias against Muslims.
New York City Council member Julie Menin, who represents the neighborhood where these incidents took place, reported Seldowitz's behavior to the police and issued a statement denouncing it as "vile hate speech and harassment."
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Similarly, the lobbying firm Seldowitz consulted for, Gotham Government Relations, has terminated their association with him and called his actions "vile, racist, and beneath the dignity" of their standards.
In a country where freedom of speech is cherished, it is important to remember that this freedom comes with responsibility. It is never acceptable to use hateful and discriminatory language towards anyone, and those who do must be held accountable.