A mass shooter killed 49 people and wounded 53 on Sunday, June 12at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The venue was targeted because of its standing as a gay club.

This tragic loss of life has spurred support for the LGBT community all across the nation and has also brought the issue of gun control to the forefront of political debate.

I have very strong feelings about the mass shooting epidemic that has swept the United States, but I don’t blame gun control. I blame entitled weirdo’s with bruised egos and a thirst for vengeance, whose last cowardly attempt at power and respect comes by wielding a gun in the face of the innocent. But my hatred for them is for another article.

This particular shooting was different. The shooter, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to ISIS prior to the attack, and the terrorist group took responsibility for the shooting after the fact. This was not just another mass shooting. This was a terrorist attack.

Gun control is not the issue here. I don’t deny we need better communication between departments and regulation regarding firearm purchases. Mateen was under investigation by the FBI in both 2013 and 2014, but was not deemed a threat. Despite being on a watch list, he was allowed to hold a position as a security guard and legally purchase guns. That doesn’t make any sense to me, and for this reason, I agree that regulation regarding gun ownership needs to be stricter.

However, I think the real issue surrounding this attack, which our government is so hesitant to acknowledge, is terrorism and national security.

ISIS has been a growing threat that our government has not dealt with properly, and it’s time that we start recognizing the gravity of the situation. America has become embarrassingly weak, as we have come to value political correctness over solving issues. We’re pathetic, whiny, and completely out of touch with reality in many situations. I see this, especially in my 20-something peers.

Twitter has become a breeding ground for bleeding hearts to spew their kumbaya, love everyone BS - unless of course, you hold mainstream middle-America values. Then, for some reason, you're a bigger threat than Radical Islam.

After the shooting, I saw numerous tweets about how people are so quick to recognize Radical Islamic Terrorism when a Muslim shoots up a club, but no one recognizes Christian terrorism when a white guy goes on a rampage. Seriously? Do you even know what terrorism is? Mateen’s shooting was called Radical Islamic Terrorism because that’s exactly what is was. He pledged his allegiance to ISIS, a non-governmental organization that seeks to push political and religious views through fear and violence.

James Holmes, Seung-Hui Cho, and Adam Lanza didn’t commit their crimes in the name of the Presbyterian Church. Their acts are just as condemnable, but that is not Christian terrorism.

And if you’re referring to the KKK, the Crusades, or the Inquisition as Christian terrorism, those issues are not as relevant today. While the KKK does pose a domestic threat to some individuals, it is hardly global jihad. If you’re more concerned about that than increasingly widespread terror threats, you need to reevaluate your view of the world.

It is tweets and comments like that, that make me very concerned. I don’t understand why people are taking this situation and turning it into a way to criticize our own country and our own people. It should be the exact opposite. Attacks like this should unite us and bring us together. We should stand against our enemy, and yes they are our enemy. You can actually say it. If that offends you, then you need to face reality.

Take a look at what's happening in the Middle East. The brutality. The destruction. The murder and mayhem. No one should be shocked that they shot up a gay nightclub in Florida when they throw gay people from roofs in the Middle East. This is what is making its way to our shores.

The attitude of "everything will be okay and everyone should just love each other" is exactly what they want from us. It's easier for them if we are spineless. We need to realize that everything won't always be okay and sadly, our country cannot always be at peace. It is necessary to defend ourselves and bombs are louder than words.

This is a dark time for America and darker times are coming if we refuse to acknowledge the threat that is looming over us. ISIS should have been squashed a long time ago and I’m tired of waiting to see what will happen next. We are America. That means something to me and I hope as a nation we will start to remember who we are.

Hate doesn’t drive out hate, but neither does ignorance. Wake up, America.