DEARBORN – Despite
heavy rains resulting from a thunderstorm just prior to the event, a
rally was held on behalf of Shaima Alawadi, an Iraqi American Muslim
woman who was killed in her El Cajon, California home, attended by
about 30 people in front of City Hall.

The
killing of Alawadi, who was found brutally beaten in her home last
week with a note left by her saying, “This is my country, go back
to yours, terrorist,” according to her daughter, has caused many,
especially Arab Americans, to question the relative lack of coverage
and protests in response.

TIME
Magazine even published an article titled, ‘Where Are The Protests
Against the Killing of Shaima Al Awadi?”

“Honestly,
this was a tragic incident that took place not just for the Iraqi or
even Muslim communities, for every community it is a shame,” said
young demonstrator Ali Al Najjar.

“The
same killer of Trayvon (Martin, who was shot and killed while wearing
a hoodie by a neighborhood watch member in a Florida incident that
many have called racial profiling-related) is the killer of Shaima.”

Imam
Husham Al-Husainy of the Karbala Center
in Dearborn, which held a vigil for her a few days earlier, noted
that President Barack Obama has mentioned the Martin case but hasn’t
brought the same attention to the Alawadi case. He and the other
demonstrators want to make sure the case is thoroughly investigated
and stays in the hearts and minds of the public so that justice can
be served.

He
led the crowd in chants of, “America believes in human rights!”
and “Shaima and Trayvon are the same, the only difference is the
name!”

While
some nationwide ‘Hoodies and Hijabs’ rallies have been held, the
Martin case has received much more attention and many believe that
more awareness is needed for Alawadi’s case.

The
group tentatively plans to be back, perhaps along with other civil
rights leaders and community members, with another demonstration on
Friday at 3 p.m., organizer Rashid Baydoun of the Arab American Civil
Rights League said at the rally.

“We
will go every week until they capture the killer,” Al-Husainy said.