Local communities send messages of love after Dallas shootings
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Friday has been a day of reflection and searching for answers to this week's tragedies in parts of the country. Through the darkness, though, many are hoping to send a message of love.
North Carolina NAACP President the Rev. William Barber set the mood Friday morning when he denounced this week's violence and asked the community to show more love.
READ MORE: NC NAACP calls for nonviolence after Dallas shooting
"The sounds of bullets, pictures of death and violence. We're seeing it too much," Barber announced. "Rather than love and humanity, we're seeing hate and inhumanity."
That message of love was echoed this afternoon at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh, where parishoners gathered to reflect on a week littered with violence.
"This is so useless. All of this division and it's just useless. Because we're God's creatures. That's what we are," said Peggy Taylor, who attended Friday's Mass. "And when we die, that's what we'll be. We won't have any color, we won't have anything. We'll just be God's creatures and all He'll want to know is how we loved each other."
READ MORE: TRIANGLE AREA LAW OFFICERS, OFFICIALS REACT TO DALLAS AMBUSH
Bishop Burbidge issued a statement today, which was read in his absence. That message focused on reflecting on the lives and families of the fallen Dallas police officers, as well as other law enforcement across America. Friday's Mass attendees were simply trying to make sense of it all.
"I just don't understand why people feel one group of people is more important than another," said Tom Maher, from Apex. "I understand their point. Their lives are important. But, everybody's lives matter. It's just that simple. Not just one group."
A 26-year-old man, named Dylon, just moved to Raleigh for work. After being incarcerated, he's wanting to turn his life around. He understands the Black Lives Matter movement and says he is scared for his son.
"I'm scared, as far as my kids," Dylon said. "I don't want my son to become the next hashtag, the next 'Rest In Peace,' or anything like that when it comes down to anything going on today."
Friday evening, community groups and Raleigh residents held a vigil in Moore Square for the officers killed in the ambush in Dallas.
