Orlando, FL -USA

In the early morning hours a lone gunmen went into a club in Orlando, Florida and shot an killed at least 50 people. Many others were injured. This is the largest mass shooting in my country's history. I do not live in the state of Florida but my hurt hearts for the families of those killed & injured. Can we please support them with all of our EV love? Thank you!

The entire situation is disgusting and beyond words... On top of the tragedy these families are suffering, Trump had to go and congratulate himself for being "right about Muslim terrorists"... really? That's all he has to say? What nonsense... I'm having trouble containing profanities over all of this.

This really isn't about politics...
It's about the families that have been torn apart, those who's lives have been lost, those who are currently suffering in the hospital, and the loved ones left behind to morn.
All of those affected are in my prayers, as well as my country as a whole.
God bless those hurting, and God bless the USA.

Note how I said: entire situation, on top of and over all of this. The only thing I stated that was remotely political was a Drumpf tweet. I said nothing insensitive or anything alluding to a lack of compassion and empathy towards the victims and their families. Don't be rude.

Last edited on 2016-06-12 at 16:37:12 by ｖｏｓ ♚

I agree with Vos. As an LGBT person with a huge amount of pride for this community, Trump's tweet did a lot more harm than nothing to those families and the victims.

It IS political. There have been 7 shootings THIS WEEK ALONE in the U.S. LGBT rights and treatment has been political since the outcry at the Stonewall Riots in 1969, aka the reason we celebrate Pride every summer. Until we can live peacefully, it's about the politics. People like Trump need to stop enabling people to kill us.

Anyway, to have people in "our country" so adamant about invading some of our only safe spaces is terrifying. The fact that people can buy MACHINE GUNS legally and carry them, but gay men can't even donate blood to the victims, is terrifying. And Trump is using this tragedy to boost himself - THOUSANDS of people are commenting hate on the posts about how they want us all dead or this and that.

My heart goes out to all my sisters and brothers in the LGBT community who suffered directly from this shooting. Jeffree Star donated $20k to the cause, I just saw, and thousands are lining up to donate blood to people injured, so the world isn't all bad sometimes. But this never should have happened and should never happen again. I'm not proud of our country right now.

Exactly, Zell.

I wish I could be in Florida, but I don't know if they would accept my blood. My boyfriend's mother and sister are going for some sort of vacation (bad timing, but...). Unfortunately they also can't donate because they lived in England for quite a while and there's still that thing about Mad Cow.

I think the whole thing about gay men being excluded is entirely idiotic. Being gay doesn't make you a walking HIV bomb... if you don't have it, you don't have it. It's not as if gays are the ONLY people contracting it... *sigh*

Not to mention they literally run extensive tests on ALL donated blood to rule out which is safe or not anyway. Including all HIV. Only a fraction of donated blood usually makes it in because of this. It's literally no different from a straight person with undiagnosed HIV?? ugh.

I have been in shock all day from this. It is amazing that humans are capable of creating so much beauty and so much wanton destruction, and even more amazing that many people choose the latter. So many families have been devastated by this. Even if people believe that we LGBTQ+ people deserve this, our families don't. So many people are dead and injured not just because of the actions of one person, but because too many people still agree that killing innocent people is somehow ever okay. Trump was entirely out of line. What religion someone believes in doesn't matter, whether it's Christianity, Islam, or anything else. Blind devotion to a religion, or to almost anything, only breeds hatred for that which is not accepted in that culture, and serves as an excuse to commit unbelievable acts of violence. So yes, this is political. Nothing can escape politics, not even the terrible tragedy that this horrendous event is. It is terrible that our people's suffering must become a political struggle, for it is so much more than that, and nothing can ever compare to the loss of so many human lives, but it cannot escape it. The world is actually a much more peaceful place than it ever has been, but it is not enough. It will not be enough until we stop killing each other over inconsequential details such as our sexual orientation, gender, sex, race, religion, or any other way we differ from each other. It will not be enough until we stop murdering our fellow people at all.

I am lucky enough not to have lost anyone I know in this event, but far too many have. Our country and our world are suffering from this. We must do something to stop these horrible acts of pure violence and hatred. I wish so badly I could do anything to ease the sorrow of those who have lost friends, family, and lovers. Words cannot express how much they have lost this day. But while we cannot bring back the dead, we can do everything in our power to ensure that these attacks cease. We can honor the families of those killed by doing our part to spread kindness and compassion rather than hatred of anyone who is different, or goes against our code of ethics. We must do something. It will be a long struggle, but we must keep going, until these terrible acts become a thing of the past.

While I have no personal ties to anyone in the shooting, I do have a friend who works with me on the local Humane Society Board and he has not heard from 2 of his loved ones who were at the club. It's a very heart breaking situation.

I think people need to put politics, sexuality, and gun rights aside right now and really just do anything, even if it's just praying, to help the victims and the families and loved ones of the victims. Yet when I turn on the news, what I see is Obama, Trump, gun rights, negativity about the LGBT community. My comment to that? Shut up. We can focus on those topics when the scene has gained a little more control, when loved ones have been reunited, when more information about the shooter has been released.

My heart is shattered. I've been following a mom since yesterday who was waiting to hear from her son but she learned this morning he was among those who perished.

People lost their sons, daughters, wives, husbands.... 103 peoples lives were forever changed in Orlando. 53 people will now have to live with those images forever burned in their minds.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to donate blood due to past history of cancer, but I will be donating my money where it's needed.

Evil is among us and it's truly scary. But I will say this, seeing our country come together the way they have during this tragedy does make me proud to be an American.

Last edited on 2016-06-13 at 04:36:20 by Gaia.

My friend is holding an event in my hometown to collect money and bring awareness to the problem. She's not LGBT+, but she feels we're all equal. I'm hoping to attend.

I literally just heard about this last night, (due to know wifi or cable) and it makes me so sad that people can see that we are equal even if we believe different.

Here's my two cents. :)

I just couldn't believe what I heard yesterday, yet could at the same time. Nobody deserves to be murdered just because they are different from the rest of us. I really disliked what Obama was saying; think about how people are feeling instead of pushing your agenda!!!! D: Gun control will never work, bad people will always be able to get guns.

Personally, that was the one time that Trump should've kept his big fat mouth shut. *rolls eyes*

I feel horrible about what happened and am praying for the families of those who were either murdered or injured during that massacre yesterday. D:

Last edited on 2016-06-13 at 05:57:26 by ♥ Feathered Gold ♥

As someone who lives in the general Orlando area (the ACTUAL Orlando city limits are quite small, and a lot of the surrounding areas get called "Orlando" because it's more known, so no this is not me revealing where I live, just saying that because it's a little too close for comfort for me), I am heartbroken. I completely second what Gaia said. This isn't about politics right now. This is about the lives that were lost, and healing a wound that has just been inflicted on our community.

Personally, I am PROUD of how the community has come together. From the moment I first heard about it, my Facebook has been crowded with love and prayers for Orlando and the family's affected by the shooting. One bad person shouldn't make us ashamed to be a part of a community that is coming together like this. One of my friends posted that the blood banks are jam packed, but that they are in need of waters, so if you happen to live in the area, if you know of anyone in the area, or if you can somehow get water to the blood banks near here, please do!

I've heard a few choirs in my area are going to be recording a song in honor of the shooting, and I'll probably share it here once it gets posted.

I feel for all effected by this. I believe in being kind and friendly to everyone I meet. I often wonder why others can't do the same. Our differences are what make life so interesting. We should celebrate them. I'm glad our EV community is so supportive and warm. This is a safe place for all of us when we need one.

I wish this hadn't happened. )':
Just before that happened a singer was killed and then the guy that killed her killed himself.

As an LGBT person I am hurt that this happened. Friends of mine lost people close to them.

I am also hurt that this is politicized on a horse sim game where many children come.

I'm hurt and ANGRY that ANY politician would stand on the backs of the dead, lead constituencies around by the nose, engage in cultural appropriation by using the term "largest mass shooting in history" - a LIE btw. That title belongs to those who died at Wounded Knee.

They. Are. Using. Us and Our Dead.

Whitewashing the motivation of the shooter too.

I've said my piece and signed up with Pink Pistols.