TO THE EDITOR:
Deah Barakat, a dental student at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, was murdered Tuesday night along with his wife and sister-in-law. Deah Barakat was born Muslim. I was born Jewish. Regardless of our heritages, we became good friends.
Deah enrolled in dental school at UNC so he could provide dentistry to poor children without dental care. He didn’t wait to finish dental school to live his vision. While still in school he recently volunteered to provide dental care to underserved children in North Carolina. He also planned to travel to Turkey to provide dental care to Syrian refugees. He was a lovely, compassionate human being. Every time he saw me, he gave me a hug and a smile. He knew I was Jewish; I knew he was Muslim. It didn’t matter.
The recent murder of Jews in Paris saddened but did not surprise me. Our people have a long history of persecution and murder. Muslims have a similar history including one of recent genocide in Bosnia. People of all faiths are individuals. Some of them, like Deah, are loving, caring individuals who seek to make the world a better place. Others use religion as dogma to rationalize and gain support for their own agenda of hate.
I plead to my fellow American and world citizens to recognize people as individuals, not as stereotyped Muslims, Christians, Jews or political party advocates. Blame or praise individuals, not organizations, for their actions. Deah had a life of service, family and caring ahead of him. The world will suffer by his not being here.
Jay Mosesson
Physical therapist
UNC Hospital Spine Center
