Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

UNC: A Tragedy to Bridge Religions

A3
JULIA HENRRIKUS/THE HOYA

Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha, three young Muslim students, were brutally murdered by Craig Stephen Hicks last Tuesday just a few blocks from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill campus. After invading their apartment, Hicks shot each one of them in the head and turned himself in later that night.

It is hard to wrap my head around a tragedy such as this — the unnecessary violence of three young students being killed in their own home. They were students, living as both practicing Muslims and proud Americans, who honored both of these identities through their hard work and community service.

I have been amazed at the strength, courage and fortitude that their families have shown in these last few days. They all have responded positively and have used this incident to dispel stereotypes about Muslims. Yusor and Razan’s father, Mohammad Abu-Salha, said this about his daughters: “This is Islam. It’s not what you hear on the media, and it’s not “American Sniper” movie. This is Islam. These three angels.”

The murder of these three individuals is the antithesis of everything that they represented to this country.
Each one of them devoted their lives to combatting injustice, whether it was through service to others or promoting dialogue over discrimination.

Deah was planning a trip to Turkey this summer to provide free dental care to Syrian refugee students. Yusor was dedicated to showing others that her Muslim and American identities were by no means mutually exclusive. Razan was a frequent volunteer at a nearby soup kitchen. These weren’t just activities that Deah, Yusor and Razan did; they were defining aspects of each of their characters and the people they were well on their way to being.

What does this tragedy mean for this country? It shows that bigotry remains very much alive in this nation.

The fact that it took nearly a day for this story to be reported by mainstream news and that there has been so much pushback to even the characterization of this as an anti-Muslim hate crime is telling.

This same mindset is present in the vandalizing of the Islamic School of Rhode Island following the shooting, in which “Now this is a hate crime” along with other profanities insulting Islam were written all over the school walls. While these responses are unfortunate, this incident has also been one of the first and few major news stories to reach a large American audience that portrays Muslims in an honest and unbiased light.

It’s a shame that the accomplishments of the victims were only honored after their death, but it has nonetheless showed the importance of a commitment to service that so many American Muslims hold.

Muslims and non-Muslims from around the United States and the world have come together to organize vigils for these three outstanding individuals, a hopeful sign that we can rise above this incident and bring about meaningfulchange. The only way that we can honor their memories and everything they stood for is by following in their footsteps.

Deah’s fundraising goal for his Syrian refugees project was $20,000; that figure now exceeds $450,000.

On a page set up to commemorate Deah, one popular post says, “This is definitely not the end of your life’s work. Your charity and humanitarian efforts will live on beyond your lifetime, and I hope that brings some comfort to your family.”

This tragedy has created a bond of humanity that bridges religions. It has hopefully inspired non-Muslim Americans to reach out to their Muslim neighbors, and see that they not only shatter hateful stereotypes, but also contribute to the fabric of American society positively through their faith.

Zahid Syed is a junior in the College and president of the Muslim Students Association.

View Comments (3)
Donate to The Hoya

Your donation will support the student journalists of Georgetown University. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Hoya

Comments (3)

All The Hoya Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • A

    ArafatFeb 23, 2015 at 10:33 am

    It’s nice to know the Hoya editors respect differing opiinions, robust debate and freedom of the press. LOL!

    Reply
  • A

    ArafatFeb 23, 2015 at 9:00 am

    “The fact that it took nearly a day for this story to be reported by mainstream news and that there has been so much pushback to even the characterization of this as an anti-Muslim hate crime is telling.”

    ++

    Actually your insisting it is something that is different than the facts suggest, suggests you are trying to fit the facts into what you want them to be as opposed to what they most likely really are. Not exactly responsible journalism.

    Reply
  • A

    ArafatFeb 23, 2015 at 8:58 am

    “What does this tragedy mean for this country? It shows that bigotry remains very much alive in this nation.”

    ++

    No it doesn’t. The killer’s Facebook page suggested he empathized with Muslims and that the murders were a result of an ongoing dispute over parking places. What this indicates is the killer was a very disturbed person.

    Reply