Our hearts are sickened and saddened by the senseless violence and killings over the weekend at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
Shock. Disbelief. Anger. Despair.
How do we respond to such reckless terror and hate? And perpetuated upon the LGBT community that has suffered such prejudice and malicious intent from so many, for so long (even Hitler during WWII.)
Everyone has their opinions – more gun laws (probably a very good idea to ban assault weapons & make stiff sentencing for those who use guns in acts of violence) or should more folks procure more guns to protect themselves? Or should we focus on strengthening the battle against extremists (remembering that they do not represent a whole religion of over a billion people!)
It’s a complicated issue requiring complex thought – not name calling and more divisive antics that push our fractured country even further apart. At a time like this we don’t need more Democrats or Republicans to divide us, we need AMERICANS to unify us.
As a groupie of late nite host, Stephen Colbert, I was moved by his challenge that we can change the script as these acts of terror continue. Here’s a video (it’s just 2 minutes to watch..)
Love gives us hope that change is possible.
Love gives us the courage to act.
Love is a verb.
My heart and prayers are with all who are suffering the loss of loved ones, struggling with injuries, with the city of Orlando in the aftermath of this violence, and especially the LGBT community in our country and all over the world.
“Love gives us hope that change is possible…“
grace, peace & love
Virginia
p.s. here are links to two moving tributes, one from Lt. Governor Spenser Cox, a ‘white, straight, Republican politician’ in Utah, and the other from CNN’s Anderson Cooper reciting the names of the victims, (so many so young!) I was particularly moved by the name Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, aged 49, the mother of 11 children,* a two-time cancer survivor, who was at the nightclub hanging out with her gay son. What a cool mom! Her son survived.
(*my father was one of 11 & I am close to her age…)
Here’s Lt. Governor Cox: My Heart has Changed (click below)
And click below for Anderson Cooper’s moving tribute:
CNN Anderson Cooper: Tribute to Orlando Victims
