Dylann Roof Summary

For many, religious buildings are viewed as a sanctuary: a place to seek refuge from this wild and confusing world, to be at peace with your soul, to find and develop a connection with a higher being, and to be in a state of mindfulness to absorb religious teachings in an attempt to understand life. Religious buildings are a safe place for people to worship alongside others, or they can be a safe place for people to pray and focus on their individual relationships with a higher being. Last year, someone violated and desecrated one of these sacred places, leaving an entire community and country scarred and mourning: Dylann Roof. Last year, nine African American parishioners were shot and killed by Roof during a Bible study at a church in Charleston, …show more content…
Emile Durkheim’s functionalist approach gives us an explanation into crime’s function in the structure of a society. According to Durkheim, a function of crime is to increase social solidarity (Bierne and Messerschmidt 2015, p. 83). This horrific hate-crime/massacre allowed our nation to come together in support of the victims, in support of minorities, and in support of the church that was targeted. In an increasingly hostile environment for minorities due to historical race relations as well as this year’s fiery, controversial election, maybe the solidarity gained in support of these victims could give people the platform to stand up and speak out against injustices in order to prevent this from happening again. Maybe a speck of good can come out of such a horrific, seemingly unforgiveable offense, which is something to keep in mind as Roof’s January trial could lead to an increasingly traumatic experience for the victim’s loved ones and for the survivors of this brutal