Iraqi Family Escapes to US and Mother is gunned down in Binghamton Shootings..

[KoKo]

(CNN's Alan Chernoff did an interview with the family....what a tragedy for all those who died...and even more of a tragedy was that it was a fellow immigrant from Vietnam who killed them...(he lost his job at IBM) I wondered what makes a fellow immigrant kill one of their own because they lost a job at an American Company who has outsources jobs to other countries. What Maddness is THIS? :shrug)

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BINGHAMTON, New York (CNN) -- Layla Khalil escaped the bombs that rocked Iraq during three years of insurgent and sectarian warfare, only to be gunned down while trying to learn English in her adopted hometown, family and friends said Sunday.

Khalil, 57, was buried Sunday afternoon, two days after she and 12 others were shot to death Friday at the American Civic Association, an immigrant service center in Binghamton. Before coming to the United States in recent months, she narrowly escaped suicide bombings and a kidnapping in Baghdad, Iraq, where she worked as a librarian.

"The situation in Iraq is dangerous, everywhere dangerous," her 17-year-old son Mustafa told reporters after the funeral. "But we came here, and we hoped we'll get better lives."

He said his mother's death has not changed his feelings about moving to America. But, he said, "The situation has changed. Everything has changed. This is life. You have to expect everything."

"I'm 17 years old. I lose my love, my mother, emotion," he said. "I wish that anyone doesn't lose that."

Also buried Sunday was Parveen Ali, a 26-year-old Pakistani-born woman who was one of the 13 killed. Her brother, Nader, said she was "the base of our family" and a "martyr." Video Watch relatives remember one of the other victims, Roberta King »

He said that Friday morning, as his wife of 31 years was getting ready to leave, he urged her not to go to the center every day -- but she wanted to make up for time she had missed earlier, and enjoyed interacting with people at the center.
Samir Khalil said the killings don't change "the main core of Binghamton -- its reputation, its people, its hospitality to other people.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/05/binghamton.victims/#cnnSTCText

[geiger]

1. We take so many things for granted in this country, and

if we don't all start to do our part, we could go down the same path of tribal strife that left the Iraqui country vulnerable to a dictator and then a despot of our own making. It's time to get off our duffs. It seems these days that our new President is the only one willing to get out in front of any of our crises. I'm disgusted with Congress' apparent willingness to throw him under the bus, long-time Democrats questioning his motives, and idiots like the ones complaining about the cigarette tax.

Not to mention the organized, "so-called" conservative apparatus apparently poised, ready and already trying to roll him like they did Clinton. Any American should be revolted and ashamed.

[KoKo]

2. Yes...it does seem like what happened to Clinton/Carter. It's a terrible thing about the shootings

where an immigrant kills other immigrants looking for a "chance."

[geiger]

3. I only hope they have all found a better place.

It's not pretty on earth in certain people circles right now.