Citizens Fight Back Against Hate After the Brutal Murder of Marcello Lucero

Last weekend, 7 teenage punks murdered Marcello Lucero, because they wanted to go get a "a mexican." It didn't matter who or what or where. It didn't matter that they ended an innocent man's life. It didn't matter that they were throwing their whole lives away. They were apparently consumed with hate and Marcello, an Ecuadorian immigrant, who was on his way to his friend's house to watch a movie, was what they decided to take their hate out on.

Marcello's Father passed away when he was a young boy and took over the role of the man of the house. He moved to the United States 16 years ago. His brother and sister live on Long Island and his mother and younger sister live in Ecuador.

I have spent my week in Patchogue at press conferences and small rallies in memory of Marcello. I have come to know many of the local community people and they are petrified to leave their house without a group of people. I also know that the Patchogue Librarian said she had many calls from her ESOL students saying they weren't coming to class, that they were to afraid to walk there.

And as if this tragedy isn't enough … there are two other hateful incidents this week in Suffolk County. Forty cars were vandalized in Mastic with racial slurs including threats against President-elect Barack Obama. In Islip Terrace, the KKK did an information drop, leaving their newsletter at peoples' doorsteps and mailboxes and also leaving the newsletter on car windshields at the train station.