To whom it may concern:
I feel that what I have to say in this letter needs to be brought to everyone's attention. I am speaking on the behalf of all the people of this community who are innocent and have been taken advantage of in some way. Why is it that within this community people think they have the right to hurt so many others? Why is this ok? Why aren't bullies in school punished? Why are innocent people being killed and the crime goes unpunished?
Marcellus Anderson, a 19-year old, gay, African-American was brutally attacked and killed in Waterloo, Iowa. A truck full of people pulled up to where Marcellus was and began screaming obscenities at him for being gay. The mob then proceeded to beat this 19-year old to death. The Waterloo Police refuse to treat this as a Hate Crime and will not even investigate his murder.
In the city of Waterloo, so many bad things have happened to innocent people. What is wrong with people in the world today that they feel the need to hurt people and take authority into their own hands to punish the unjust? I would really like to know the answer to that question. Young people are being taken advantage of, parents are cruelly hurting their own children, mobs of people are constantly committing HATE CRIMES that get covered up and no one is doing anything to stop this. Why is it that all this hate lingers within our community?
We live in a diverse community. Whether you are black, white, Indian, Mexican, Bosnian, or even gay, we are all the same and should respect each other. Only people of ignorance feel the need to belittle others to feel better. If your life is so bad that you have to hurt people to feel good, you should consider getting help because that is NOT normal and definitely not okay. People that behave like that are what is ruining our community. Don't we the people of this community have the right to be safe and not worry about being attacked, either physically or mentally? Most of the victims that are brutally attacked and or murdered are people just like you and I. They have a family, friends, a job, possibly even children. How could anyone think they have the right to take all of that away from a person?
This community has suffered a lot and no one seems to be stepping up to the plate to reach out to the people of this community. I am just one person, but I believe I can make a difference. I believe that people within this community can also make a difference and make Waterloo a better place to live. If you want to make a difference, reach out to someone you know and help them. Even a simple smile can make a difference in someone's day.
I hope these words I have written will be heard and people within this community will reach out to one another. Like I said, I am just one voice, but I am screaming to be heard and hope to move at least one person to reach out and do the right thing. Maybe someday that will be you or your child that needs someone's help, you never know. Reach out to someone and make a difference. Don't let people hurt you, your children, or an innocent bystander. Please, try to make a difference. If we all did one nice thing a day, the world could be a better place.
Thank you
We are asking everyone to do everything they can to bring this to attention. The police are NOT doing their job and people should not get away with murder!
Ashley Winning
