Let Me Say Debrina Kawam's Name

Last week I shared some thoughts about the woman was burned to death on the F train in Brooklyn:

Let us suppose she is soon identified. Now let us further suppose that the victim turns out to be an illegal immigrant herself, possibly homeless. Should this come to pass, I don't think either the New York Post or Fox News will pursue this story with the same vigor as they are now. I suspect that these news outlets will shift their emphasis to crime on NYC subways in general as NY Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul is receiving sharp criticism for stating that crime on the NYC subways is down only hours yesterday morning's incident. Mind you, Hochul is probably right but the timing her of statement struck the wrong chord.

The reason I mention this possibility is because the woman was attacked while she was sleeping aboard the train. In my experience in both Boston and New York, when people are asleep aboard a subway car, they usually have nowhere else to go. Of course, it is entirely possible the victim might not fit this profile at all. Nevertheless, I don't think we can discount the possibility. 

The long and the short of it is this woman died in as painful and violent a manner as you can imagine, and she ought to be mourned with compassion regardless of what her station was in life. 

Today, the woman's identity became public. Her name was Debrina Kawam, a 57-year-old woman originally from Toms River, New Jersey. New York City Mayor Eric Adams noted that Kawam had briefly spent time in the city's homeless shelter system.  

How long Kawam had been homeless isn't clear. According to the AP, she had been employed with Merck from 2000 to 2002 "but her life at some point took a rocky turn." That rocky turn would be met with the most violent of ends. 

Yet somehow, I don't think Marjorie Taylor Greene will be saying Debrina Kawam's name and demanding others do the same as she did with Laken Riley, the University of Georgia in Athens student who was murdered while jogging by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela back in February. Nor do I think the New York Post, Fox News or other conservative media outlets will pursue this horrific crime with the same level of outrage given Kawam's history of homelessness. I cannot imagine a Republican member of Congress introducing an act in Kawam's name as was done with Laken Riley.

I do think these outlets will turn their attention to the lack of safety of the NYC Subway system and not without justification. Just today, a man was pushed onto the tracks at the 18th Street Station and struck by the 1 train. Fortunately, the victim is expected to survive. Nevertheless, given this incident happened less than 10 days after Kawam's murder, fear and anxiety of the NYC Subway system is bound to rise. 

Then there is the ongoing demonization of illegal immigrants which will only accelerate once Donald Trump returns to the White House in just under three weeks. Even if one is favorably inclined towards mass deportations, millions of illegal immigrants cannot and should not be held responsible for the actions of the man who killed Debrina Kawam. 

Naturally, there is much we don't know about Debrina Kawam and the circumstances which led her to her violent death. But whatever those circumstances, we should be prepared to offer her the same level of compassion and sympathy as we would with Laken Riley. 

But if we are not prepared to offer the same level of compassion and sympathy to Debrina Kawam then we must ask why and continue to ask why until we get a straight answer even if it is an answer we might not like to hear. From there, we can figure out how to do better so that others will be spared the fate which befell Debrina Kawam. R.I.P.