R.I.P. over 50 of my Brothers and Sisters in Orlando.

Such a tragic event, it's hard to know what to say.  Why is there so much fucking hate?  RIP to all who lost their life today in Orlando. 

 

I'm sitting here remembering the joy and pride I felt about this time last year, standing with Colin, Brent, Shelly, Claire and others, as we watched the Gay Pride parade in San Francisco, just days after the Supreme Court announced it's decision on gay marriage. I couldn't stop tearing up (Brent too), as I watched something I never believed I'd witness in my lifetime. I couldn't help but think we'd turned a corner. 

Tonight I'm wrapping my mind around the fact that this nation's deadliest mass shooting incident has targeted gay men and women in Orlando. Over 50 gay men and women dead, massacered while celebrating gay pride, in a gay nightclub. A place where we generally feel safe, accepted and at ease. The sadness in my heart is almost overwhelming. It again feels like one step forward, two steps back. I can reason that this is the act of one deranged individual, but it feels like I let my guard down. It does comfort me that this time we have a President that will stand up and condemn this an act of hate against the gay community.

It's no surprise that Donald Trump is already using the tragedy to re-emphasize his message of hate against the Muslim community, and that enrages me! I should probably refrain from using this event to express my own political views, but how many more mass shootings are we going to have to endure before we make some real changes in the way we offer up weapons for these assholes to use to slaughter us?

Just so, so sad, and so disappointed right now.
 

Well put Steve.    I feel that the US has come such a long way in the last 25 years and then something like this happens. 

Edited June 13, 201610 yr by shellylh

Ditto on the "well put" Steve.  Shelly, we have come a long way.  Hopefully one mentally disturbed person won't set us back.

I, too, am at a loss for words.  RIP to my fellow countrymen and -women.  I hope we figure out a response to this psychopathy soon.

compassion is the only response that works

Self-defense is also an option.  Christina Grimmie's brother showed that.

So sad reading the paper this morning... no words.

RIP

^ this

It's saddening to see that hate and intolerance can lead the lives of so many people around the world. It's specially sad when this happens in civilized and developed countries ending with so many human lives. We have a long way to go yet. 

This surely is a fucked up world we're living in.  50 confirmed in Orlando.  Jeez.  Out of a clear blue sky.

Europe is far from immune. The Charie Hebdo killings in Jan (12 dead) and the mass attacks in Nov (130 dead), both in Paris last year, show that.  And we're not immune in the UK either - last attack was the London bombings (52 dead), and that was 12 years ago - time's ticking for us too.  

Let's not forget the Madrid train bombs in 2004 (191 dead), the Mumbia attacks in 2008 (157 dead), in the Phillipines 40 separate terrorist bombings in the last 16 years (720 deaths), and the worst of all 9/11 (2977 dead).

All numbers not counting many, many thousands of injured, or terrorist deaths.  Absolutely all Islamic extremists, alas - a tiny, tiny minority of right minded Muslims, but boy do these bastards get the lion's share of publicity, may they rot in hell.  And pretty much all home grown.

I am still too stunned for words. After each tragedy lately I say to myself "it can't get any worse" and yet it does.  This is an act of insanity though not mutually exclusive with hate, there are far too many crazies willing to go out and kill as many people as possible. We have a worldwide mental health crises involving people more willing than ever to seek out mass murder.

I am just sickened by people.

Holy shit dude.

I just found out a woman I worked with at Amherst College 10-12 years ago was one of the victims in the Orlando shooting: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/06/kj_morris_drag_performer_with.html#incart_river_home

This is a point where most would post accolades about their former friend, but I am (in the parlance of our times) going to keep it real.  Kim was a piece of work, in a good and bad sense.  As a coworker, she was decidedly flaky and her scatterbrained nature gave me a fair number of headaches and eventually cost me money.  That said, she was utterly hilarious.  She had a "I can't stay mad at you" personality.  It was genuine, as well.  She knew that you knew she was getting out of the shitstorm she'd almost created by dropping the ball by making the entire room chuckle.  I saw her do it, in front of Very Important People at AmhCol.  Amherst College trustees are not known for their humor.  

Kim was also what I'd call a "ladies' lady."  She had an eye for the women and was ballsy in approaching them to a degree that the most fearless heterosexual womanizer take notice.  Northampton, where lived, is famous as a lesbian capital and Kim was decidedly well known throughout the area.  I knew one of her old girlfriends, who had the look of a worried mate.  I got the impression it was two full time jobs to keep track of Kim and prevent her from straying.  

I didn't see much of Kim during her drag king days, but I did work in the nightclub that held the drag events.  I can imagine Kim, who had both charisma for days and could alternate from a very masculine or feminine presence, absolutely killing it at a drag king.

I really don't know what else to say.  Kim was one of those people who was a complete pain in the ass, but I'm glad I knew here and I'm terribly sad that she was murdered.

Sorry to hear you lost someone you knew in Orlando, Knucks.

Hard to think what to say in the face of all this senselessness, especially after Steve's thoughtful comments. Mostly I wish that I could believe this was the last act of hate or terror for even this horrible year or month or week or just one day, but the fucktard from Indiana arrested on his way to the Hollywood pride parade yesterday with a bunch of guns and maybe IED makings was an extra punch in the gut. WTF people.

Sorry Knucks. I raise my glass to Kim!

This is all so sad and infuriating. Dammit.

Sorry Knucks.

Knucks, I'm so sorry to hear.

Al, I didn't even hear about the Indiana fucktard. Fuck that guy.

Aside, Zoe is going to a candlelight vigil for Orlando with her mom tonight. She just went through all her clothes and found her Apple Pride shirt I was able to get her at the SF Pride Parade last year; it made me think of our crew last year. Have you talked to your friends that we hung out with then, Steve?

**BRENT**

Sorry to you and those that cared for Kim....and for all those affected by this shit.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Watching Anderson Cooper on CNN right now. He is clearly choked up as he reads off the names of those killed, which is choking me up all over again. Just so sad.

RIP Ron Mason.

 

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2016/06/michigan_state_community_mourn.html

Went to a vigil for the Orlando shooting victims at the local lgbt center. It was very moving. I know a lot of people are afraid of going to these and going to pride because of safety. I think it is more important than ever to be out and proud (or support the lgbt community) and not let the haters win.

^This. 

X infinity!

Good for you Shelly!

I think the haters will find that this tragedy will bring people together like never before.

Still, very very sad.