#OurThreeWinners Died Because of Hate

This is going to be a very short post. Not because there isn't a great deal to say about the three young individuals in Chapel Hill who were senselessly profiled and murdered for their Muslim faith - there is plenty than can be said. It is going to be short because it thoroughly disgusts me to have to write about these young people in this past tense. They had their whole lives ahead of them. They should still be here, but their stories have been cut short. I don't want to have to write about someone else's murdered children in the past tense. Our society CANNOT ignore or excuse hate crimes as a "quarrel over a parking spot." That is not only nonsense, it's extremely disrespectful to the grieving families. The culture of hate that exists in our nation is what allows such events to continue to occur. It will not stop unless we make it stop.

Photo credit: colorlines.com

Please consider sending a message of support to the two families of #OurThreeWinners. Here is the contact info (given in a Facebook post earlier today):

"Notes of consolation may be sent to

The Islamic Association of Raleigh
808 Atwater Street
Raleigh, NC 27607

You may wish to address your note to the Barakat and Abu-Salha Families."