Sad, unfortunate corollary to the Trolley Square tragedy
(Trolley Square is a shopping mall in Salt Lake City, UT; on Monday evening, approximately 7pm, an 18 year old Bosnian legal immigrant shot 9 people, 5 of whom died; and was himself killed by SLC police assisted by an off-duty Ogden police officer.)
There is no question that my heart bleeds for the victims and their families. The stories about those killed and wounded in Trolley Square on Monday are enough to bring tears whenever I think about them.
But the worst travesty may be yet to come: the shooter’s family and other Bosnian immigrants are now being vilified simply due to the fact that “one of their own” was the motive agent in this horrible tragic circumstance.
People, just STOP. THINK. 18 year old men of families whose ancestors arrived on the Mayflower do horrific unthinkable things with guns every day. Just because this boy was a Bosnian of Muslim background (whose family emigrated LEGALLY, unlike so many, to this country 9 years ago) does NOT MEAN that Bosnians, Muslim or otherwise, or Muslims as a homogenic group are terrorists or more likely than others to go on a killing spree rampage.
Please. Think. Or the original tragedy may escalate to a point of no return.
02/14/07, 9:29 PM |
You’ve got that right. These people who left Bosnia, most likely when the trouble there was at its worst, need our compassion, not more of what they were running away from.
02/15/07, 9:45 PM |
Y’know, I’ve never cared for Rocky Anderson much…. he’s done some really dumb stunts as SLC’s mayor over the years….
But boy, I have to give him a lot of credit for an absolutely OUTSTANDING speech at the public memorial gathering in the main library tonight.
Wow. Makes me wish he was the Prez…. it’s amazing…. he doesn’t have a speechwriter, he does it himself (with his wife’s help I’m sure….)
Class act tonight, all the way.