Dylann,
On that faithful June day, you entered a place of worship. This place had done no harm to you, nor did it affect you in any way shape or form. On June 17th, you entered this church with aspirations of starting a race war. Unbeknownst to you, you did just the opposite for the state of South Carolina. Because of your acts of anger, you actually brought the people of the Palmetto state closer than they had been in years. There were no acts of anger towards opposing races, only acts of love and support for those who had lost love ones. We as a state lost a senator who had done so much good for our state, not only as an African-American, but as a Christian.
Dylann, you are not much older than I am. As someone who has grown up in a Christian household, and has served in numerous leadership positions throughout my schooling, I have seen what anger and violence has done to America. Your intentions were nothing but hate, pure hate. You intended to tear that city apart, you intended to tear this state apart but you failed. We, not only as South Carolinians, but as Christians stood strong and backed our brothers and sisters who lost their lives during your violent acts. At only twenty, I could never imagine taking someones life, much less someone that I don't even know in hopes of starting a war...but you did.
To you, Dylann, I only have a few things to say:
- You tried to be a hero for "the whites," but you failed.
- You tried to start a race war, but you failed.
- You tried to make a name for yourself, but as a hero, and you failed.
- You tried to win the hearts of many people, but you failed.
- You tried to take "justice" into your own hands, but you failed.
I may never understand why you did the things that you did. As someone who has still not completely come to terms with the ways of this world, I don't understand how you could try and take "justice" into your own hands. You took so many things from people. You took a father, a son, a husband, a wife, a pastor, a friend, a confidant, a homemaker, a senator, from so many people but most importantly you failed at taking the spirits of these people from this earth. These nine lives left so much more on this earth than you took away. Yes, they may be gone, but their love for Christ and their personalities and hopes and dreams will never fade away.
Now I know where you have been. To be ridiculed, bullied, laughed at, mocked, picked on is no fun. I have been there. I have been that person who has been laughed at and made fun of behind my back, but that my friend will never end. In this world, you have to pick and choose your battles, and to me fighting back is never the option. I get back at these bullies by proving them wrong. Showing them how far I have gone while they sit on their butts back home and do nothing. I am a 20 year old senior in college who has worked for three summers with special needs kids, who volunteers in her spare time, who is a full time student and holds a full time job. I never see my family because I work for what I have. I have had to grow up and learn so much not because I was forced, but because I saw what needed to be done and I did it. I have been apart of student council since I was in seventh grade. I have mentored girls younger than me, I am consistently that confidant that they can come to because of how much I care about others. I always get told I have a heart that is too huge for others to fathom, I am wise beyond my years, and that is why I chose to write this letter.
Though you may never read this, you must know that you didn't win. You, Dylann, did not succeed in your hopes. You made me proud to be a South Carolinian because you showed this state what it could do in the face of adversity. We came together, as South Carolinians, as Christians, and as brothers and sisters. We took back what was ours and showed you that we were better. We could have been like other cities and turned to violence like you had hoped, but we didn't. We won. We showed the country, the world, what we could do, and who we were. Ultimately, you gave those nine the best gift of their lives. Though they were taken far too soon, you gave them the gift of meeting Jesus. That gift that was well deserved for their courageous acts, and their faith in Him. They won. On that day, Jesus got to see nine of His children come home to Him. He got to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." He got to love on them, and give them a pain free life and a new adventure. He won. Do you see the theme here? Everyone won, while you failed.
All I can say is thank you. Thank you for bringing hope back to this state. Thank you for bringing a sense of belonging back to these people. Thank you for showing this state that we are still a family. And thank you for showing us that at the end of the day, we are better. I hope and pray that one day you come to peace with your actions and pray to God for forgiveness, because ultimately He is the only one who could grant you peace. You are better than this. You deserve an eternity of golden streets and endless love. We are all sinners, and deserve nothing, but thanks to God we are blessed and fortunate to be given an eternity with Him.
Whether you see this or not, I pray for you. I pray that you can repent for your actions and show the world that you are better than June 17th, 2015. You are not alone, Dylann, but because you failed, we won.
Lauren.
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