What was meant to be an act of hatred, a heinous mass murder aimed at punishing a specific race of people, turned out to be a tragedy that sparked not only a conversation about racial intolerance, but about love. Love and forgiveness.
Before 21-year-old white supremacist Dylann Storm Roof walked into the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Love Emanuel) in Charleston, South Carolina, a haunting manifesto was posted on a website registered to Roof, LastRhodesian.com, unleashing a diatribe against African Americans, Jewish Americans, Hispanic Americans, East Asians and military personnel. The 2,000-word rant even expressed disappointment with other white supremacist groups, specifically the Klu Klux Klan and skinheads, who were criticized for lack of participation in the movement. Roof allegedly wanted to start a race war, becoming fueled with anger after the Trayvon Martin case. The manifesto said Roof was taking it upon himself to do what they were failing to do.
“I have no choice. I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country. We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet,” the writing said. “Well someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me.”
And it was him, police say. Roof allegedly walked into the church Wednesday night, sat amongst the parishioners for more than an hour, then pulled out a gun he purchased with money received for his 21st birthday and aimed and shot, over and over and over again.
He left a bloody scene as he walked away, and nine victims laid in his deadly path.
The parishioners who were killed were Susie Jackson; 87; Rev. Daniel L. Simmons Sr., 74; Ethel Lee Nance, 70; Cynthia Hurd, 54; Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49; Rev. Sharonda Singleton, 45; Myra Thompson, 59; Tywanza Sanders, 26; and Pastor Clementa Pinckney, 41. Pinckney became a pastor at the age of 18 and was first elected to the state’s House of Representatives at age 23. In 2000, he was elected to the state Senate.
“It broke our hearts in Charleston, but it’s also broken hearts in America,” Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley said of the tragedy.
And in what has become a shocking turn of events, in times where racial tension appears to be at its highest after multiple police shootings and hate crimes, an overflow of love and unity began to unfold across the nation.
After Roof was captured and appeared before a judge for a bond hearing, the victims’ families were allowed to address him. Those who were strong enough, echoed the same sentiment as a stoic and immature-looking Roof stood before a video monitor. While they would miss their loved ones, they repeated the same phrase to Roof. “I forgive you,” … “I forgive you,”…. “I forgive you.”
So how do you forgive?
Forgiveness is how many tragedies end, with a victim or family of a victim deciding to forgive as a way of taking back the power that was stripped away. It is a self-healing method, fueled by faith.
“Forgiveness is definitely an internal act that is received externally. But the power of forgiveness is liberating to the forgiver. As he forgives, the reflection is on his God, who inclined forgiveness unto him or her through Christ Jesus, and so forgiveness becomes the lifeline of the believer’s existence,” said Bishop Michael Forney, Lifestyle of Christ Church in Pearland, Texas. “The word of God says try the spirit, by the spirit, to see if it be of God.”
Instead of dividing the community with hate, many across the nation joined with Charleston in support. Thousands linked hands to form a “Bridge of Peace” as a sign of solidarity when Mother Emanuel church reopened for the first time after the deadly shootings. Rev. Norvel Goff delivered a powerful Sunday morning sermon on faith, love and the strength of the community.
“It has been tough, it’s been rough, some of us have been downright angry. But through it all God has sustained us,” Goff said from the pulpit. “I’m reminded of some news media persons that wondered why the nine families all spoke of forgiveness and didn’t have malice in their heart. It’s that the nine families got it. Lots of folks expected us to do something strange and break out in a riot. Well, they just don’t know us.”
Bells tolled across the city for nine minutes; one minute for each of the nine victims. Bells also tolled at the church where the alleged shooter’s family worshipped.
“We’re in solidarity with the nine families who lost loved ones,” said Rev. Herman R. Yoos, St. Paul Lutheran Church. “We stand in amazement at the gift of forgiveness that they’ve already expressed in such an open way.”
And even with the power of forgiveness, there can still be the desire for justice.
“God says I have to forgive him,” said Melvin Graham, brother of one of the victims. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to expedite the meeting between him and God.”
Where the love steps in….
Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard traveled to Charleston to attend a prayer vigil for the victims. Howard, whose father is a retired police officer and mother is a retired educator, is on a mission to help the country heal, and has started a #BreatheAgain campaign to unite the people and end racial tension.
“My sadness has grown deeper as I watch people firmly plant themselves on one side or the other, usually based on race. We need new perspective, a new life. We need to Breathe Again,” Howard says of his mission. “It is time for us to look past color, ZIP codes, the problems and look toward the causes and solutions. All of us know that we can’t continue going down this road. If we continue to separate ourselves along these lines, our society will break apart.”
Howard spoke to Click2Houston.com about the need for trust and love in order to move past the shooting massacre.
“The only way we are going to recover is we start to trust one another. Trust is the foundation of any relationship. As a nation, we have lost that foundation of trust with each other. We say ‘In God We Trust,’ but do we really? As humans we need that trust. That’s where the love and respect will come from,” Howard said.
And as the prayers continue across the nation, protests erupt over the removal of the Confederate flag and the president prepares to deliver the eulogy for Pinckney, some people feel that this terrible tragedy has brought us closer, despite its intended purpose.
“My grandfather loved Charleston and to see what an example they have been to the nation, his heart would just be so full, said Alana Simmons, whose 74-year-old grandfather was killed in the church shooting.
And just as Love Emanuel opened their arms and hearts to Roof before he decided to end so many lives, Goff said the doors of the church will remain open for those in need.
“The doors of the church are open,” Goff said at the end of his service. “No evildoer, no demon in Hell or on Earth can close the doors of God’s church.”
