Heroes Stand Up To Bigotry
Three men stood up to another man who was harassing two Muslim women in Portland, Oregon while they were riding the MAX train. The alleged killer (who will not be named in this article to deny him any fame he does not deserve) reportedly drew a knife and stabbed the three men – killing two.
“Get off the bus, and get out of the country because you don’t pay taxes here,” said Evelin Hernandez to KATU News in Portland, “[he said he] doesn’t like Muslims, they’re criminals,” she continued. The two women the suspect was harassing are reported to have been wearing hijjabs, traditional Muslim headscarves. Although we have made the decision not to name him here, he is a well-know white supremacist in his community.
The third man stabbed received non-life threatening injuries. According to OregonLive, the suspect has a record which includes convictions of kidnapping, felony robbery, and prior weapons convictions.
CAIR Responds To The Murder
CAIR (The Council on American-Islamic Relations) responded to the incident shortly after the news began to broke. Stating that anti-Muslim incidents in the United States have increased more than 50 percent since 2015. Nihad Awad, the National Executive Director of CAIR commented:
President Trump must speak out personally against the rising tide of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry and racism in our nation that he has provoked through his numerous statements, policies and appointments that have negatively impacted minority communities.
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The Trump administration officially states there issue is with Islamic militants, however, the inclusion of Chief Strategist Steve Bannon to the White House, along with the President’s rhetoric towards the Muslim community raises the alarm for a number of activists and critics.
City of Portland Responds
Commissioner Chloe Eudaly released a statement on behalf of the Portland City Council:
The city of Portland has a heavy heart right now, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the deceased and injured.
This is an especially sad and disturbing incident. People lost their lives or were injured because they stood up to hate.
We need to offer our heartfelt support to the two women and others who were targeted. The courage of the people who stood up for them is a reminder that we as a city need to stand together to denounce hate.
Thank you to the courageous witnesses who helped police locate the suspect before more people were hurt; thank you to the first responders and medical personnel who arrived quickly to administer aid; and thank you to the police for apprehending the suspect.
These are troubling times across our city, our country and the world. We cannot let this divide us. We need to unite against all forms of violence and hate. Our differences should be a cause for celebration, not something that foments hate.
I’m asking everyone to reach out and connect with your families, your friends and your neighbors. Let’s all stand together.
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Photo Credit: Corry Young/KATU NEWS
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