The shooting at Emmanuel AME in Charleston, SC has been on my mind a lot over the past few days. So I am going to give my point of view on this tragic shooting.
I have heard a few people say that Dylann Roof doesn't deserve a trial because he committed such a heinous crime. I will have to disagree with this opinion. In the United States if someone commits a crime, then they are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law; there are no stipulations on which crimes warrant a trial and which crimes do not. This is the law of the land and it has to be obeyed; if it isn't obeyed, that would be just as bad as Roof's actions.
I would like to commend Emmanuel AME for forgiving Dylann Roof for the murders, these people are doing the right thing by forgiving him. There is a big difference between revenge and justice, this church is clearly seeking justice. Seeking revenge would as much of a sin as the murders in God's eyes. We as Christians are instructed to forgive others even when it is difficult. Jesus forgave us for our sins so, we need to forgive others as Jesus did. We can all learn from this church.
I'm going to call it like I see it: there is never an excuse for the murder of anyone. No one deserves to die because they have a different skin color. This country has come too far for people to be murdering others because they are of a different race. I know that prejudice will always exist on this world until the end, buy that doesn't justify it. This shooting is not a gun problem, this is a heart problem. And Jesus Christ is the only answer to a heart problem.
I am asking everyone who reads this post to pray for the families of the victims and for Dylann Roof. There is still an opportunity for Dylann Roof to turn to Christ and He is the only one who can truly save him now.
Murder is a crime that warrants the death penalty. If Roof is found guilty, then I do think the death penalty is the only punishment that fits. I believe the death penalty is the only way to make sure future generations understand that every crime has a penalty and that murder is never a solution to any problem.
