'This is my America!': Taoist man takes photo of Jewish couple sitting next to Muslim mother and child

Jackie Robinson found himself at the centre of a scene that for him summed up America

Andrew Buncombe
New York
Tuesday 18 April 2017 15:36 BST
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The image was clicked on Easter Sunday
The image was clicked on Easter Sunday

A busy Sunday on New York’s subway. Who wouldn’t give up their seat for the couple travelling together?

But it was only after Jackie Summers got to his feet, that he realised he was front and centre of a scene that rather wonderfully encapsulated the diversity of New York, and indeed, the diversity of America.

Mr Summers, who is Taoist and works as a model, clicked the image in front of him - an orthodox Jewish couple, and a Muslim mother bottle-feeding her baby.

“A Taoist (me) gives up his seat so a Hasidic couple could sit together. They scoot over so a Muslim mother could sit and nurse her baby, on Easter Sunday,” Mr Summers wrote beneath the image, which he posted on Facebook.

He added: “This is my America: people letting people be people."

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Mr Summers told The Independent the moment had played out very ordinarily. "I did not think about giving up my seat for the couple; the couple did not think about moving along to make room for the mother with her child," he said.

"We live in a time when race, sexuality and religion have become divisive...But we have more important things to worry about than the colour of someone's skin, or how they worship God."

Typically enough, the post received a lot of positive feedback.

“THIS is what makes America great and these days I’ve been struggling to find ways to feel good about America,” wrote Lisa Smith Zwart.

“We, the people...Thank you for restoring a little of my faith in humanity today.”

Mr Robinson wrote: “The point is: this isn't a Muslim nation, a Jewish nation, or a Christian nation. This is America. People can and should worship how they please and mind their own business.”

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