A Message to the El Paso Shooter

From My Hometown Community in El Paso:

Dear shooter,

We would have embraced you. We would have shown you the ways of our city. We would have shared our food, our drink, and dance. We would have taken you on a tour to see the downtown district, the view from scenic or the sunset from Transmountain. We would have introduced you to our family, blood [or] not.

Our grandmothers would have cooked for you, our uncles would have talked cars with you. You would have been adopted into the family that is El Paso way of life. We would have given you the love you are so obviously missing from life.

This is what El Paso does, we embrace our differences and we thrive because of them.

Instead, you drove 10 hours with an angry hate-filled heart. You took the lives of innocent people for no reason other than your own hate. You did not know them, you do not know us. At least you didn’t. You will know the entire weight of this amazing city as are forced to stay here through your [trial].

We will show you we cannot be broken by your hate. We will show you the love and resilience this city has as we embrace each other and begin the long healing process. I hope in the days, months, and years to come our love of life [overpowers] the hate in your heart and you are forever haunted by what you did.

Sincerely,

The entire city [of] El Paso