July 18, 2008 5:15 PM
Some things in the immigration debate are just sickening and this is one of them. Luis Ramirez, a father and fiancee who was an immigrant, was beaten to death by high school kids in Philadelphia.
The sickest part of all:
"On Dillman's (his fiancee) fireplace mantel hangs a medallion of Jesus that Ramirez was wearing the night he was beaten. Ramirez had an imprint of the medallion on his chest, marking where an assailant stomped on him, she said."
And this somehow isn't a hate crime?
This incident sent shivers up my spine because I know in my heart that an incident like this on Long Island is just as likely to happen. There is an atmosphere of hate and intimidation right now, especially in Suffolk County, where some very mentally unstable people might think violence towards someone that looks different than themselves is acceptable.
Just a note. Luis was actually murdered in Shenandoah, Pa., not Philly. Shenandoah is less than 20 miles from Hazelton, the epicenter of anti-immigrant hatred in Pa. In fact it is the first big town to the SouthWest of Hazelton.
By Pat Young July 18, 2008 11:16 PM
My bad Pat....the story was on Philly.com
By Lisa Votino-Tarrant July 21, 2008 01:52 PM