CNN: Dad faces son's alleged killer; sees 'normal' youngster

[varkam]

Link

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Jamiel Shaw Sr. thought he'd see a "monster" in court when he turned up to see the gang member accused of gunning down his son just yards from his home.

But instead, the father said, the teenager accused of the killing looked just like a "normal" youngster. Pedro Espinoza, 19, who police say is a member of the notorious 18th Street Gang in Los Angeles, made a brief court appearance Tuesday.

...

The father says he can't forgive the man who allegedly killed his son. But he says his son's death has given him a new calling: to try to bridge the divide between blacks and Latinos in Los Angeles.

"I figure something good has to come out of this," he said.

I wanted to post this because it struck me. It's people like this that give me hope. People that are able to take a gut-wrenching tragedy and use all that hate and anger as a force for peace. It's beyond me how he's able to do it, but I say more power to him. My hat is off.

[Richard Steele]

1. K&R

[NewJeffCT]

2. I wish him the best of luck

I hope more people read the story.

[kdmorris]

3. K & R

I don't think I would be able to do the same thing. He is a better person than I am, but he's what I aspire to be one day.

[Devlzown]

5. I thought exactly the same thing.

K&R

[truedelphi]

4. Amazing what some people can do when their life has

been challenged beyond belief.

Good luck to this man.

[FloridaJudy]

6. I remember I once had to pull my car over

And cry after hearing a news story on NPR. A nine-year-old Palestinian boy had been mortally wounded and was declared brain dead after a bullet shot by Israeli troops had ricocheted and hit him in the head. His father came on the news and declared that he wanted his son's organs to go to whatever child most needed them, regardless of religion "So that maybe some good can come of this".

Just about the time I'm ready to give up on humanity, someone does something like this to convince me that the species just might be worth saving.

[mzmolly]

7. Bravo to this good man for not letting his son die in vein.

Thanks for sharing this Varkam.

K and R

[malaise]

8. He's my kind of human being

Bravo Jamiel Shaw Sr.

[LaurenG]

9. K and R nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Powerful story