In a shocking display of bigotry, a former Obama administration official has been arrested after he was caught on camera spewing racist remarks at a food cart vendor in New York City. Stuart Seldowitz, who served as acting director for the National Security Council South Asia Directorate from 2009 to 2011, was filmed repeatedly harassing the vendor with Islamophobic slurs and threats.
The disturbing videos, which quickly went viral, show Seldowitz questioning the vendor's citizenship status, English-speaking abilities, and Islamic faith. He also makes reference to the Prophet Muhammad in a derogatory manner.
In one particularly disturbing exchange, Seldowitz asks the vendor, "Did you rape your daughter like Muhammad did?" The vendor, clearly shaken, asks Seldowitz to leave.
Seldowitz then proceeds to threaten the vendor, saying he will send his picture to "friends in Immigration" and Egypt's intelligence agency, the Mukhabarat. He also claims that the Mukhabarat would torture the vendor's family by removing their fingernails.
In another video, Seldowitz asks the vendor if he has a permit to sell food on the street and if he has a visa. When the vendor asks him to leave, Seldowitz accuses him of supporting Hamas.
"You support killing young children," Seldowitz says.
"You kill children, not me. Go," the vendor responds.
"I didn’t kill children… If we killed 4,000 Palestinian kids, it wasn’t enough," Seldowitz responds.
Seldowitz has since expressed regret for his actions, saying he "regrets the whole thing happened" and is "sorry" for saying things he "probably shouldn't have said."
However, he also attempts to defend his comments by claiming he is not "an Islamophobic guy" and has "spoken up for equal treatment of Muslims on numerous occasions."
Seldowitz, who was employed as a consultant at New York City-based lobbying group Gotham Government Relations, has been let go following the incident.
The firm has issued a statement condemning Seldowitz's behavior, calling the video of his actions "vile, racist, and beneath the dignity of the standards we practice at our firm."
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the pervasiveness of racism and bigotry in society. It is important to remember that these types of hateful words and actions have real consequences, causing fear, anxiety, and emotional distress to those they are directed at.
We must all speak out against racism and bigotry whenever we encounter it, and work to create a more inclusive and tolerant society for all.
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