Remembering Marcelo Lucero

His last name means star. By all accounts he was a quiet, hardworking man, younger looking then his real age of 37. But his light has been snuffed out. Most of a year has gone by since Marcelo was viciously murdered by seven young men for no other reason other than the color of his skin,and his being Hispanic. In what is supposed to be a safe suburb.
In America.
"Why? How can it be?" some have exclaimed. Others will question the upbringing and background of his killers, blame the parents , blame the schools,wring their hands, blame the system.
They will all be wrong.
This happened because we let it happened. This is the America that is emerging, because we do not stand up and hold accountable those who have fostered this climate of suspicion and blame and hate. Where seven bored kids can feel free to hunt down another human being and beat and stab him to death. Where a county executive has no qualms dismissing a heinous murder as a "one time event" while adopting policies that foster hatred towards immigrants.
For SHAME.
One of his killers has seen fit to plead guilty to his crime. But Patchogue County, NY still does not feel like a safe place for its Hispanic residents. Or a welcoming one.
We need to change our ways, America.
If you do nothing, if you do not speak up, Marcelo's life is rendered meaningless.
And you stand with the haters and the killers.
Speak up. Act now.
Remember Marcelo.