Tragedy Shouldn't Be The Destruction That Brings Us Together

[Stacyzee]

On June. 12, 2016 in Orlando, Florida, a day that started off like many at the popular gay club Pulse, would eventually become a crime scene for one of the most deadliest mass shootings in U.S. History. Omar Mateen, a security guard who possessed a gun license for the virtue of his work, legally purchased a handgun and assault rifle a week prior to the horrific event. The lethal weapons he purchased would leave fifty three people injured and fifty dead.

According to Mateen's ex. wife he was physically abusive and mentally unstable during the course of their fourth month marriage in 2009. Omar's Father also confessed that his son was a homophobe, who openly expressed his disagreement towards gays. In the months leading up to the attack, Mr. Mateen was described by one of his co-workers as angry with the world.

I share great empathy with the families and friends who no longer can hear the voice of their loved one because they were taken away due to another's ignorance, inhumanity, and sick mind. My heart breaks for them. I wish I had the ability to undo the attack and bring every one back. The people that survived the attack, "seemingly untouched" have left the encounter with internal wounds.

I can't imagine the devastation of having to crawl over dead bodies to make it out.

I can't imagine fearing for your life, running to get away, in hopes to see another day.

I can't imagine having to cross someone's path who's clinging to life, screaming out,

"Can you help me?"

I can't imagine how loud the sound of the gunfire must have been.

I can't imagine seeing a once clean floor, now filled with blood and empty gun shells.

I can't......

That is a devastating memory the living survivors will carry with them forever.

It has been several days since the Florida massacre and I can't help but notice that many of us are standing together as if we are activists, demanding rights and fair treatment for those who do not share the same sexual orientation (heterosexual) as we may. All I ask, is why? Why the pretense? I feel that is even just as bad as some of the crimes that has been committed against gays because you stand the full potential to stab those in the back that do not deserve it. One moment, you'll be "for" those people and then the next you will be "against" them. So, which is it? Stay true to the side you choose.

Why wait for tragedy to strike to suddenly hold this firm belief that gays and lesbians are deserving as people, and do not deserve discrimination?

My older article: The Disliking Of Gay Couples (in the comments section) shows a glimpse of the hate that is still out there towards those are not heterosexual.

Those of you, that have always been for peoples rights despite their sexual orientation; I salute you!

It's one thing to disagree with someone lifestyle.

It's another to act as if they deserve the hate that's thrown in their faces.

Together we all stand as people with miles separating us, feeling empathy for each and every family closely affected by this.

We will always be held back as a people if we wait for destruction to occur, before putting both of our front feet forward to make a change!

For live interviews from victim survivors please see next take: Victim Survivors From The Orlando Shooting Speak Out

[Oxi112094]

The Orlando shooting was an act of pure hatred. And those people who think we shouldn't talk about gun control now are ridiculous in my eyes. So many shootings have happened in America... it needs to fucking stop. When 9/11 happened, they made it harder for people to get on planes. But when guns are involved, they don't see the connection at all and refuse to talk about it. I don't think guns should be taken away, I just think it should be extremely HARD to own one and for people who shouldn't own a gun, have the chance to. No one should have such an easy opportunity to purchase a firing rifle that could easily wipe out a full room of people. America needs to wake up and change their policies, otherwise, our President will just have to deal with making dozens and dozens more press conferences on tragic mass shootings...

[madhatters4]

agree tragedy shouldn't be the catalyst to rally behind a cause but it so often is

[madhatters4]

ex. pearl harbor and america entering world war II

[bloodmountain1990]

There's many things fucked up about this story.

The shooter's wife said she tried to "talk him out of shooting". How about calling the fucking cops?

I also heard that the shooter was a closet homosexual.

I fully agree that we should be united no matter what and not wait for an attack to do it.

[Stacyzee]

There's so much stories going around about the shooter his intent and who he was , I don't even know what to believe.

[Luci92]

That entire massacre was disgusting, and while I don't hold out much hope, I really do hope something like this never happens again, even if the likelihood is high.
What I don't get is discrimination about sexual orientation, at the end of the day, it's just one person liking another person, who can argue with that?

[Shyguy_1988]

It was a terrorist attack by a radical Islamist. Call it what it is. This guy through his radical religious beliefs thought it was justified. Just like the attacks in Paris and Belgium. Also, it wasn't an "Assault rifle" It was a semi automatic rifle made my Sig Sauer which is a mystery in itself how he purchased one considering he was on the FBI watch list for Condoning the Boston bombing and other terrorist attacks. You will get rejected for domestic violence when it comes to backround checks, so why was he cleared? It wasn't the gun dealers fault because he wasn't the one the cleared him, our government did.

[99percentangel]

The killer deserves to rot in hell. What he did was unbelievably screwed up. Just because he had a problem with gays doesn't mean he had the right to kill them. I hope he gets the death penalty.

[Stacyzee]

Gladly he was killed by police on the same day he committed the crime.

[99percentangel]

@OP yeah I'm not sure if you mentioned that in the take but I was incredibly pissed off (not at you but the killer) I couldn't read the whole thing.

[bcromartie]

Americans do not act until it is too late and then their only action is blame. Nothing has changed. True enough though that I wish there were more proactive agents but at the same time if I am unwilling how can I demand that of others? Because that is the problem; everyone is waiting for someone else to do it.

[Maxemeister]

Shootings still happening? Surprise, surprise, America! Why do u think that is?

I thought this was gonna be another ignorant take that was stupidly and wrongly written, but it's right.

[RainbowFanGirl]

The shooter was a disgusting human being and it appalls me that there is still so much hatred in the world.

[RationalMale]

Honestly, I was just dang glad it wasn't some white christian male.

[QuestionMan]

How does that make a difference?
Murder is murder.

[RationalMale]

@QuestionMan you *really* have to have it explained?

[QuestionMan]

I honestly don't give a shit about SJWs and their war on White people.
What I care about is when someone commits murder regardless of who it is.

[Maazin]

US of A is in some deep shit, there is :
Trump
Their baby ISIS gone rogue
Putin's threats
and that evil laugh of Clinton takes the cake :)

[Anonymous]

It shows that diversity does not have common sense.

[Anonymous]

What's making young men so violent?