Hate incidents occurring in our own backyard a shock
This weekend Wadea-al Fayoume, a 6-year-old Plainfield boy, was killed after being stabbed 26 times by his 71-year-old landlord. Why? Because he was Muslim and Palestinian. His 32-year-old mother is recovering after being stabbed more than a dozen times.
As stated by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, “The child’s Palestinian Muslim family came to America seeking what we all seek — a refuge to live, learn and pray in peace. This horrific act of hate has no place in America, and stands against our fundamental values: freedom from fear for how we pray, what we believe and who we are.”
As a resident of Naperville, it shocks me this tragedy took place a mere five miles from my home. Yet, just before this hate crime, an Islamophobic event involving the alleged burning of the Holy Quran surfaced, having been committed by an Indian Prairie School District 204 student, the same district I attend.
The district’s Muslim Student Alliance has been unable to take any active measures beyond an infographic on Instagram explaining misconceptions of Islam in fear of otherwise being characterized under a false pretense of being prone to retaliate in violence having endured such stereotyping since 9/11.
While it used to seem that Generation Z would serve as the catalysts to fix some of our society’s issues, such instances have made me question my generation will instead by the catalysts of issues themselves. I used to believe that living in a liberal state and a fairly developed suburb would serve as protection against such things.
Despite being a child of immigrants, I have never experienced racism nor have my parents, something for which I suppose we are fortunate. Yet the past two weeks have been illuminating, suggesting we have merely been shielded behind the facade of living in a diverse and “inclusive” community.
Sanvi Maganti, Naperville
We must fight the hate that led to detestable crime
My Will County Board district, which includes Plainfield Township, experienced a devastating tragedy last weekend. A 6-year-old was killed and his mother left severely injured at the hands of someone they should have been able to trust. Their landlord acted upon deep-rooted hate and bigotry against his Palestinian-American tenants.
This unconscionable, detestable act is now being investigated by the FBI as a hate crime.
More Top Picks Best Portable Saunas For Home
Wadea Al-Fayoume and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, were at home in the place they should have felt safest. Moreover, they lived in the United States, where everyone should be able to freely practice their religion, celebrate their cultures and traditions, and live their lives free from fear.
It is up to us, as a community, to confront hate and racism. We must welcome all religions, races, identities and cultures. Our words matter. Our actions matter. Our decisions matter. Even our social media posts matter.
As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East and we recover together from this tragedy, remember that your neighbors might be suffering, mourning or scared. My prayers are with this family and extend throughout our community.
I encourage you to support one another during this time and feel empowered to report any threatening or suspicious behaviors to local law enforcement by calling 911 or the Will County Sheriff’s Office at 815-727-8575.
Mica Freeman
Will County Board, District 8
Deadline rule limits public comments at meetings
There was a lot of talk at Tuesday’s Naperville City Council meeting about public participation and government transparency. However, one of the more interesting parts of the meeting was when the council moved and voted to allow a speaker to make public comment after the 4 p.m. sign-up deadline.
While the speaker’s comments were moving, and I am pleased he had the opportunity to speak, it raises concerns about how many others may have refrained from engaging with the council publicly because they were unaware of this loophole.
In light of the Tuesday vote by Mayor Scott Wehrli and council members Jennifer Bruzan Taylor, Paul Leong, Josh McBroom and Nate Wilson to repeal the Naperville ethics ordinance, the purported justification for the 4 p.m. deadline is no longer relevant. A 4 p.m. deadline, which is three hours prior to the meeting, appears to be an unnecessary and arbitrary barrier to public participation.
Moreover, if there is a process to bypass this deadline that only a select few people know about, it creates a system of privileged access to the council and a public forum for some, while denying access for others.
I propose the council allow public speakers to sign up to speak at meetings right up until the moment the meeting begins. However, if the Naperville City Council insists on maintaining the 4 p.m. deadline, the rules governing its enforcement or exceptions should be made public knowledge and applied equitably.
The council should be upfront, transparent and consistent with their public comment policies. The goal should be to make it as easy as possible for people to participate in public meetings and engage with our elected officials, rather than creating unnecessary barriers.
Mary Gibson, Naperville
Share your views
Submit letters to the editor via email to [email protected]. Please include your name, address and town of residence for publication. We also need your phone number and email address for confirmation. Letters should be no more than 250 to 300 words.