The father of the murdered Iowa jogger, Mollie Tibbetts, is arguing that the public’s outcry over his daughter’s death is fueled by racism, and should be overpowered by a celebration of “diversity.”

“Do not appropriate Mollie’s soul in advancing views she believed were profoundly racist,” Rob Tibbetts wrote in the Des Moines Register. He continued:

To knowingly foment discord among races is a disgrace to our flag. It incites fear in innocent communities and lends legitimacy to the darkest, most hate-filled corners of the American soul. It is the opposite of leadership. It is the opposite of humanity. It is heartless. It is despicable. It is shameful.

Illegal alien Cristhian Bahena-Rivera, a 24-year-old from Mexico, has been charged with first-degree murder in her death.

The case has become a scandal because the suspect migrated into the United States several years ago, then worked at a dairy despite federal laws barring the employment of wage-lowering illegals, regardless of their origin. Mollie Tibbetts would not have been murdered by the suspect if the federal or state governments had enforced the long-standing and popular laws against illegal migration, or if cost-cutting employers had refused to employ the alleged killer instead of Americans.

However, Tibbetts choose to portray the crime in racial terms, saying:

The person who is accused of taking Mollie’s life is no more a reflection of the Hispanic community as white supremacists are of all white people. To suggest otherwise is a lie. Justice in my America is blind.

He wrote:

To the Hispanic community, my family stands with you and offers its heartfelt apology. That you’ve been beset by the circumstances of Mollie’s death is wrong. We treasure the contribution you bring to the American tapestry in all its color and melody. And yes, we love your food.

The broad effort to racialize the economic, civic and legal politics of the Tibbetts murder has been decried by advocates for the even-handed enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. For example, Bill Gheen, founder of Americans for Legal Immigration Tweeted:

#MollieTibbettss soul & race have nothing to do with this debate it's about US borders + immigration laws. Mollie & her dad might feel securing the border & deporting illegals is racist, but most Americans do not share those radical + dangerous views.https://t.co/oET3jm1pIv — William Gheen (@ALIPAC) September 2, 2018

Tibbetts also used the murder to promote the government-enforced diversity and migration, while completely ignoring the huge impact of cheap-labor migration on Americans and their society:

Instead, let’s turn against racism in all its ugly manifestations both subtle and overt. Let’s turn toward each other with all the compassion we gave Mollie. Let’s listen, not shout. Let’s build bridges, not walls. Let’s celebrate our diversity rather than argue over our differences. I can tell you, when you’ve lost your best friend, differences are petty and meaningless.

Tibbetts is a “marketing principal” at a San Francisco architectural firm.

Tibbetts’ pro-migration politics were praised by immigration lawyers and lobbyists for cheap-labor migration:

From Mollie Tibbetts' father: Don't distort her death to advance racist views https://t.co/riR684TkLU via @DMRegister — David Leopold (@DavidLeopold) September 2, 2018

Powerful read – “As an American, I have one tenet: to respect every citizen of the world and actively engage in the ongoing pursuit to form a more perfect union.” https://t.co/n6ohXrnYVb — Brian Walsh (@brianjameswalsh) September 2, 2018

The New York Times reported on Tibbetts’ letter with a headline saying “Mollie Tibbetts’ Father Ask That Her Death Not Be Exploited to Promote Racism.”