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Last Wednesday, police reportedly found the bodies of three young African American men who were killed “execution style” in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
No, it’s more than that. Last Wednesday, the world lost three boys who were so great that I could write about them until all language breaks. Last Wednesday, mothers mourned over their dead sons. Last Wednesday, dreams were replaced with funeral plans. Last Wednesday, tears competed with rain to flood oceans. Last Wednesday, my heart forgot how to beat.
Last Wednesday, three young black Americans were murdered and the American public’s silence has never been so deafening.
The victims were Muhannad Adam Tairab, 17; Adam Kamel Mekki, 20; and Mohamedtaha Omar, 23. They were Sudanese Americans, each having split oceans only to flee the same violence that tragically ended their lives. They were already victims before they were murdered. Mohamedtaha and Muhannad had escaped genocide in Darfour and Adam had fled the ethnic cleansing in the Nuba Mountains. They all were American citizens. More importantly, they were good people.
According to local police, all three deaths were identified as homicides. Muhannad, Adam, and Mohamedtaha were each shot multiple times, “execution style”, and their bodies were found in an abandoned residence they often spent time at and had every right to be in. Muhannad and Mohamedtaha were Muslim and Adam was Christian. None of the boys had any gang affiliations or had any trouble with the police in the past. Based on the number of victims, police strongly believe there had to be multiple people present. These are the facts.
Three innocent black American young boys were killed “execution style” in a home they had every right to be in. We have no right to assume anything more than what we know.
As I ululate the names of these three beautiful young men, tears falling down my face with every syllable that is now etched on their graves, my mind is filled with questions: Why is it that local officials were so quick to say “with all certainty” that this was not a hate crime yet just as quickly implied that there was some sort of gang relation or drug activity involved even though they have just as little evidence for the latter assumption as the former? Why is it that authorities never suggest gang relations when Caucasians are killed in America? Why is it that this needs to be a hate crime for us to care? Why is it that our America first looks at the skin color and religion of those who are killed before deciding the importance of their death and news coverage? Why is it that the bodies of innocent blacks keep dropping like leaves in the Autumn and our nation does not seem to care? Why is it that people keep trying to replace #BlackLivesMatter with #AllLivesMatter when we are constantly reminded by tragedies such as this that black lives in America are not treated the same as all other lives?
We must demand that local authorities complete a full and comprehensive investigation and that the media closely follow this story, but not to see if there was any gang relation, or if these boys were up to trouble, or to see if they are worthy of our tears. We demand this because but no black American should ever be killed in America without their senseless killers being held accountable and brought to justice. We demand this because nobody deserves to be executed. We demand this because we would immediately do so if they were our brothers or sons. We demand this because that is part of what it means to be human.
For the same reasons you do not have to be starving to care about world hunger, be sick to hurt for cancer victims, or have a child to be devastated by school shootings, you do not have to be black or Muslim to care about #OurThreeBrothers.
I am Muhannad. I am Adam. I am Mohamedtaha. I am every pain associated with their names, each pain so severe that it makes my body forget how to stand. I am every syllable in their name and every letter in their story. Their pain is ours and we must do everything we can to help bring them justice.
We as human beings have an obligation to care for human suffering, regardless of race or religion, and this is our opportunity to do so.
Here is how you can help:
1) Sign this petition urging the Fort Wayne Police Department to conduct a full investigation into these murders.
2) Download, sign, e-mail, and mail this letter to the elected officials of Indiana below.
Contact Information:
Indiana Governor, Mike Pence:
Mail: Office of the Governor, Statehouse, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797
Email: http://www.in.gov/gov/2333.htm
Fort Wayne Mayor, Tom Henry:
Mail: Citizens Square, 200 East Berry St., Suite 425, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Email: http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/contact-the-mayor.html
State Representative, Philip GiaQuinta:
Mail: 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204
Email: h80@iga.in.gov
3) Support the families of Adam, Mohamedtaha, and Muhannad.
4) Contact your local news media stations and mainstream media outlets and ask them to cover this story. Tweet your local news reporters and those of major new media outlets.
5) Use your social media platforms to share these links and spread the word to as many people as possible.
Be the change you wish to see in the world.
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