“Chris Singleton, whose mother, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, died during the shootingrampage in Charleston, South Carolina, on Wednesday [6/17/15], delivered a powerful message to the world on Thursday evening: No matter how much hate there is in the world, it’s no match for love,” reports the HUFFINGTON POST.

Singleton is a 2nd year baseball player at Charleston Southern University, a faith-based school affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. His coach and teammates stood beside him as he addressed reporters just hours after learning of his mother’s murder. “Love is stronger than hate,” said Singleton. “So if we just love the way my mom would, then the hate won’t be anywhere close to where the love is.”

Singleton’s mom was one of nine victims of shooter Dylann Roof who opened fire in a Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church where she was on the pastoral staff.

“We will get through it. Our church will get through it,” he said. “It’s tough times … Honestly, my knees are a little weak right now, but I’m trying to stay as strong as I can while I press on. … We are mourning right now, but I know we’ll get through it.”

Young Singleton later added, “We already forgive him for what he’s done, there’s nothing but love from our side of the family.”

REUTERS reported that family members of the other victims shared similar expressions of grace and forgiveness, even as they addressed the shooter via video feed at his initial bond hearing on Friday:

"I acknowledge that I am very angry," said Bethane Middleton Brown, who said her slain sister, Middleton Doctor, would have urged love. "She taught me that we are the family that love built," Middleton Brown said. "We have no room for hating, so we have to forgive."

"I forgive you, my family forgives you," said Anthony Thompson, whose relative Myra Thompson was killed. "We would like you to take this opportunity to repent. ... Do that and you'll be better off than you are right now."

Alana Simmons, who lost her grandfather, the Rev. Daniel Simmons, said, “Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof — everyone's plea for your soul is proof they lived in love and their legacies will live in love, so hate won't win," she said. "

“I forgive you!” said the daughter of Ethel Lance. “You took something really precious from me. I will never talk to her ever again, I will never be able to hold her ever again but I forgive you!”

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How different these responses are from the cries of angry mobs that we’ve heard echoing in riot filled streets in recent weeks and months in the wake of the deaths of Michael Brown and, most recently, Freddie Gray.

So what can account for the difference?

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