Muslim Woman Extends Hand To LGBTQ Community
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NORTH TEXAS (CBS11) - Maleeha Usman, 22, reacted to the mass shooting in Orlando like many others. She was horrified.
When she read about the nightclub where the shooting took place, she thought of something else.
"I felt guilty, although I did nothing wrong, "she said.
Usman is a Muslim.
She felt the horror of a killer's actions under a claim of Islamic Jihadism would once again put Muslims in a negative light. Then, she remembered.
Her memory took her back to last November. "I was freezing. I couldn't feel my fingers," she said.
On that November day, Usman watched a peace rally line the entrance to the Irving Islamic Center. People from various religious and ethnic backgrounds came together to stand in solidarity with congregants of the Irving Mosque, after protestors had staged a pro-gun rally a week prior.
"People from the gay community stood with us," Usman said.
That memory triggered a message Usman posted on social media to her gay friends after Sunday's massacre.
"I'm deeply heartbroken and mourn with you. I love you all and wish I could hug each and everyone of you and tell you how sorry I feel," she wrote.
"I know some Muslims and followers of the Abrahamic faiths have condemned homosexuality, but God condemns killing. I just felt the need to say something because I don't think you should stay silent when something like this happens," she said.
Usman said the LGBTQ community stood with followers of Islam on that cold November day, and she wanted to let her friends know that they will not stand alone now.
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