This I Why They Call It Hate

We tend to think the "God Hates Fags" people are out there in a world of their own, protesting at the funerals of the fallen, hating people they don't know, you never think there are people like that in our own community. But we have people whose hatred is so intense that they intentionally inflict the greatest pain they can on those whose suffering is already unimaginable.

HYATTSVILLE, Md. - As people's hearts continue to go out to the family of victims killed in Monday's tragic Metro crash, some grieving family members say they're being harassed.

Forty-year-old Ana Fernandez, an immigrant from El Salvador, was on her way to her cleaning job when she was killed in Monday's Metro collision. On Wednesday, her family and friends gathered outside their home where her daughter said they need help but are upset with prank phone calls they have received.

"And I'm serious if you're going to call and leave messages like that, don't call at all," Evelyn Fernandez, the victim's daughter.

"That we're using this to make my cousin legally here… no she was a resident -- all her kids are citizens here, they were all born here," said Thelma Bautista, the victim's cousin.

Metro has set up a $250,000 emergency hardship fund for families of those who lost their lives to provide medical, funeral and other immediate expenses.

"[It's set up to] provide immediate assistance for families that obviously weren't planning for something like this to happen," said Angela Gates of Metro.

"People that are really willing to help us thank you very much and if not don't cause we'll get through this. I have family who cares -- I have people [who] care for my mom. My mom has friends and we're good with that," said Evelyn Fernandez.

Fernandez's six children who were left motherless do qualify but right now, the phone calls have them upset. "OK, that's not nice, they don't respect our pain. They [have to] stop," added Bautista.

Metro says they're in the process of notifying the families about the fund. It is limited, sources say, to families who lost loved ones -- not to people who may have been injured in the crash. Crash Victim's Family Harassed Over Mother's Immigration Status

I said recently that if there is evil it exists in the dehumanization of people, evil is the force that reduces human beings to objects. This is what I was talking about. A family is in such pain and evil people want to hurt them more to make a political point. I hope the callers are identified and punished.