Don’t lose sight of heroism, compassion in tragedy

The following is from the (Portland) Oregonian.

The sadness, anger and confusion engulfing the community since last Friday began with this moment in time: a threatening passenger on a light-rail train launching into a racist and anti-Muslim tirade. Two teenage girls, one who is African American and one who wears a hijab, sitting in fear. And three men – strangers to the girls and one another – stepping up to intervene.

But it was a moment in which those men, Rick Best, Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche and Micah Fletcher, conveyed a powerful message that has resonated across the country: We will not stand by and let these girls face such threats and intolerance. As Jeremy Joseph Christian continued his menacing rant, the three men stepped forward because their sense of community, humanity and courage demanded it.

This is the moment that we must remember, even as we mourn what happened next: As the men sought to get Christian off the stopped train, he fatally stabbed Best and Namkai-Meche and seriously injured Fletcher, police said. The loss of life, the random aspect of this violent attack and the racial intolerance exposed by the tragedy have many in the community in a state of shock. It is this vulnerability that makes it even more important for Portland and its leaders to guard against false solutions or narratives that will only deepen our divisions.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has said the city will not issue permits for two “alt-right” protests in June. In a strongly worded Facebook post on Monday, he also has called on the federal government to revoke its permit to one of the groups, which planned to hold a protest at a federal plaza. His concern about possible violence – particularly considering how raw the community’s grief and anger are – is understandable. But it is still the wrong move.

Not only will his efforts only legitimize complaints of government suppression of free speech, but he will further push away people – some of whom are likely Portlanders too – who condemn the killings just as much as he does.

The potential for further division is real, and unfortunately, is already intensifying. Christian’s social-media postings, which reveal a befuddling picture of contradictory leanings, provide something for everyone who wants to make a case for which of his extreme views fueled his murderous rampage. Yet at the same time, friends and acquaintances suggest he had mental health issues that went ignored.

It’s worth remembering that three men stood up for Portland’s values, at great personal cost. Their moment of courage was underscored by the incredible humanity that followed: those on the train who tried to help the wounded men. The passengers who chased down Christian after he fled the train. The people who started donation funds to channel grief into assistance. The thousands of people who came out to leave candles, flowers and notes to honor the three men and show that this is a community that abhors the kind of invective that Christian spewed.

Let’s not forget that.