America's Voice Blog

Posted 04/06/09 at 07:17pm By Jackie Mahendra

Remembering Those Lost in the Binghamton Shooting

dandelionsOn Friday we reported on the brutal shooting that took place at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, New York, which left thirteen people dead and many wounded. Members of the Sanctuary blog also did a roundup of reactions to the tragedy. They wrote:

We are concerned with the immigrant community given our lives, our collective function and the fact that the shooting was reportedly done in a room of people testing (or taking a practice test) for their citizenship. It is especially heartbreaking that the dreams of so many were ended in such a violent way, and so very close to their fruition.

A local CBS news station carried the story of a man whose wife, Delores, was studying English inside the center:

Waiting outside a Catholic Charities office where counselors were tending to relatives of victims, Omri Yigal said his wife, Delores, was taking English lessons when the gunman attacked. He had no word on what happened to her.

"They told me they don't have much hope for me," the Filipino immigrant said before going home to wait for a telephone call.'

Another man lost his mother, Roberta, a volunteer English teacher, at the center:

Dr. Jeffrey King, speaking at the Catholic Charities office, said he was certain his mother, 72-year-old Roberta King, who taught English at the community center, was among the dead.

Authorities read a list of survivors and his mother's name wasn't on it, he said.

King, one of 10 children, described his mother as a woman brimming with interests ranging from the opera to the preservation society to collecting thousands of dolls. He recollected a recent conversation in which he told her to enjoy her retirement.

"I said, 'Mom you're in your 70s,'" King said. "She said, 'What? You don't think I enjoy working?'"

They were talking about taking a trip to the Jersey shore this summer.

Members of America's Voice grieve with all of the families who lost loved ones during Friday's unspeakable tragedy.

Posted 04/03/09 at 05:17pm By Web Team

America’s Voice Laments Tragic Loss of Life at Binghamton Immigrant Advocacy Non-profit

grieving

Today members of America's Voice grieve with the victims of a tragic shooting at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, NY. The organization provided services and support to members of the immigrant and refugee population in the small town in Upstate New York. We cannot imagine the heartache and pain that family members of the victims are currently experiencing, and we extend our deepest sympathies to all those wounded in the deadly attack.

While we wait to hear more details about today's tragic turn of events, we hope that no one will try to take advantage of this tragedy by engaging in despicable political maneuvering that would only serve to distract the public from the real, chilling loss of life at this community center.

It seems that many of the victims of today's horrific shooting were on their way toward becoming full citizens of our nation. In honor of their memory and their families' grief, as well as the men and women who work every day to make sure that our values as a nation of immigrants are upheld, we hope that the discussion around this unspeakable tragedy centers on the tragic loss of life and how best to serve the families and communities who have been brutalized by it.

We should focus on the tragic and shocking deaths of the immigrant men and women who were reportedly taking their citizenship tests (or studying for these) inside the center-a poignant moment for those who have sacrificed and toiled to become full participants in our great nation. We hope that the grief and suffering of families who lost loved ones today is not amplified by callous statements and actions of extreme groups whose primary purpose is to stir up bitterness and resentment toward the most vulnerable members of our society.