Hassan Askari, New York Hero

Via Five Feet of Fury, here's something to give you hope as you're ushering out Hanukkah, getting into the Christmas spirit, gearing up for Eid al-Adha, or just ruminating on the human condition, as the case may be:
Daily News - Muslim Hero Breaks Up Train Beating

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. ...

This is the incident you might have heard about, when a group of young people had the temerity to say "Happy Chanukah" on the Q train.

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.

Go read the whole article at the link. More here.

The three friends who suffered multiple bruises and cuts allegedly at the hands of Jirovec and his group have no doubts the attack was religiously motivated.

"They said, 'You dirty Jews, you killed Jesus on Chanukah, you should all die,'" said Maria Parsheva, 23, a Baruch College student.

Apparently these classy characters are historians too. (You do remember that the Last Supper was eaten over latkes, right?)