Reader’s Share: A Story of Forgiveness

This story was shared with me this week by a teacher & friend of mine in working towards equity with the message: “What kind of “work” are we really doing and what are we wiling to give…”

In the video, Rais Bhuiyan recalls the story of how he became a victim of a hate crime after the events of September 11th, 2001. He recounts how he survived his attack and went on to advocate for clemency for his attacker, who had been placed on death row.

Mark Stroman, the person who attacked Rais Bhuiyan was executed in 2011. Here’s a news story from 2011 discussing Rais’s story and campaign to save the life of Mark Stroman:

Sometimes, when we feel as if we’ve been wronged in some way, in our response in an attempt to “right” that wrong, we can sometimes find ourselves doing the exact wrong thing that was done to us to someone else. 

“Hate doesn’t bring a peaceful solution to any situation. Hate only brings fear, misery, resentment and disaster into human lives. It creates obstacles to healthy human growth, which, in turn, diminishes society as a whole….Hating others can never being peace, and lasting satisfaction.”—Rais Bhuiyan

Forgiveness and compassion are traits of the strong. What a powerful story.

To learn more about Rais and his efforts to work against hate and to end the cycle of violence, you can visit his website at World Without Hate.Org

Ubuntu,

From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins, MSW

—————————————————————————————————————————

(N.A.H.) is advertisement-free and reader supported. If you enjoy my notes, consider supporting (N.A.H.) with a one-time donation or by becoming a monthly patron.

—————————————————————————————————————————

Get New Notes in Your Inbox

Enter your email address to have new notes delivered to your inbox.

Written by

I'm a Social Justice Educator and Aspiring Humanitarian who is interested in conflict resolution, improving intergroup relations, and building more equitable and inclusive communities. "Notes from an Aspiring Humanitarian" is my blog, where I write about issues of diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. By exploring social identities through written word, film & video, and other forms of media, I hope to continue to expand and enrich conversations about social issues that face our society, and to find ways to take social action while encouraging others to do so as well in their own ways.

You may also like...

Share Your Thoughts: Leave a Comment