One Hundred And Three.
One hundred and three sons, daughters, siblings, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Fifty of which will never be reunited with their loved ones. The other fifty-three will never again trust the world the way that they once did.
One Hundred And Three.
On Saturday, June eleventh, roughly between 2:22 a.m. and 3:58 a.m. a man barged into a night club and terminated many innocent lives. Exclaiming allegiance to ISIS and carrying out this act of terror and hate is yet another excruciating tragedy brought upon countless lives of Americans.
A "Hate Crime" is defined as: "A crime motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudice, typically one involving violence." Although we categorize these instances into different groups such as sexual orientation, hate sees no boundaries. Those that commit these crimes offer to pinpoint their behavior to a specific race, gender, or sexual orientation, while in all actuality, it is an illness. Faulty thinking that "causes them to act out" on a specific undeserving group.
While this tragedy in Orlando is recorded as "the deadliest mass shooting in the United States and the nation's worst terror attack since 9/11," it is not the only major hate crime that has nearly destroyed this great nation.
1993, Brandon Teena was raped and murdered by two men after it was discovered that he was anatomically female. June 1998, James Byrd was murdered by a group of three white supremacists, decapitated, and then the lifeless body was left on the front steps of an African American church. Four months later, Matthew Shepard, a university student was tortured and murdered by two men because he was homosexual. This list could go on all because of the ignorance and intolerance of these individuals pledging to such groups.
When will we accept one another freely? When will we stand firm for these minority groups? When will we act as One Nation, the way that it was intended?
In this time of tragedy, we shall unite as one. Stand together hand in hand and overcome this obstacle. Be inviting of these groups. Ask questions. Become educated instead of assuming information about these individuals. They are human beings. They deserve the love and respect that everyone else receives, but because they are perceived as different, they rarely obtain it.
Many celebrities have posted on their social media accounts sending up prayers for those lives lost. Ruby Rose, of Orange is the New Black, posted an image that read: "Why would you rather see two men holding guns than holding hands?" President Obama reported with: "The shooter targeted a nightclub where people came together with friends, to dance, sing, and to live. The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub, it is a place of solidarity and empowerment where people can come together to raise awareness, speak their minds, and advocate for their civil rights. This is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, is an attack on all of us. And on the fundamental values of the quality and dignity that define us as a country. No act of hate or terror will ever change who we are, or the values that make us Americans."
Well said. But to do so, we must act as one. Do not allow yourself to just see color, religion, or sexual orientation. Accept others as you wish to be accepted.
One Hundred and Three. That could be the number that brings this behavior to a screeching halt. One hundred and three.
Send up prayers or good thoughts to Orlando and everyone else affected by this tragedy.
Remain strong. Remain unbroken.
