Shootings at Binghamton immigration clinic

I was on AIM with my aunt as this story unfolded and sirens went whizzing by. She grew up there, and she, my mom, cousin, and grandfather live there now. In fact my grandfather used to go to this building a lot (I can only assume to teach IRish dance classes =) ). My first thought, upon hearing that the nearby high school was on lockdown, was...wait where does Nathaniel (my cousin) go to school? Oh please let him be ok. Please let everyone be ok.

I also think my dad couldn't help but think, as he alerted me to the story, that this is the type of place I will be working this summer. Of course parents tend to worry about their kids. But there is no way I would not work with my immigration clinic this summer. I love that job, I love the people, I love the work, I love the clients.

Why, Mr. Wong? The story says he was upset over his unemployment and frustration over being unable to speak English. Only God knows what drove him to do this.

My heart especially breaks for the immigrants who were there.

A Kurdish woman turned to Ms. Gruss and said, “They fire in Iraq. They fire in the United States.”

“She was almost defeated in a way,” Ms. Gruss said. “She couldn’t find a safe haven. She was one of those who had to walk over the mountains from Iraq to Turkey to escape Saddam. Then they’re shooting at her.”

And then, the touching determination...

Ms. Thach said she would return to [the citizenship] classes. On Saturday morning, in the living room of her small house on Baxter Street, she went to her purse. Her hands shook as she reached for her citizenship manual.