Orlando Tragedy - "Why Does It Bother You So Much?"

[jaycam]

This past weekend is still something that has struck fear into the core of my community, even though I live on the other side of the country. I'm not going to debate about how it could have been prevented, because hindsight is always 20/20. I'm not going to debate it because there are as many different ideas on how to prevent it as there are people who know about it. What I want to do is expose myself, and explain why something that happened so far away from me could affect me on such a personal level.

No matter what you call it, LGBT(Q,+,A), QUILTBAG, or my personal favorite Alphabet Soup Gang... there is a community out there for those of us who don't quite fit the norm. My favorite comes from the fact that we are all a bit alike, all a little different, and we're all floating in this big huge bowl we call Earth. Also the letters change all the time depending on who you talk to and if I am going to offend someone for using the wrong ones, at least I'm going down in style.

I get a little flack at times from the community, at times, for not getting it, because "you pass... no one knows unless you choose to tell them." See, I'm not what most people think of when they think of the LGBTQ. Mostly because I don't get all twiterpatted when I see someone posed in what someone would consider sexual nature. My response tends more towards "Oh... look at that... "and insert interesting bit of biology about their tattoo, a mole, or the muscle structure. I'm someone who dates for romance and companionship instead of physical attraction. I was married when I was younger. I'm Christian. I can easily come off as heterosexual with no time or too conservative to join the local dating scene. Personally I don't care about someone's gender. I date people for being interesting and kind hearted with similar interests. In the community I'm often referred to as panromantic. I don't usually bother with a label though.

At the same time, I've also been on the receiving end of attacks from people mad at me for not being interested in them. Be it because how dare I not be attracted, or because they think I just haven't met the right person yet, or just because I find comfort being around the others with the same experiences. Many of my first experiences out into the world involved going to the local "gay bar" to sing karaoke with all the other people who just didn't feel like they fit society's expectations for them. Going to a friend's place to support them because someone had threatened them.

Our culture, as a community comes from the places and experiences we have been through. We've had the awkward conversations with medical professionals when they ask if we are sexually active and the follow up is about birth control or pregnancy, and we end up outing ourselves to strangers who are not always understanding. We've been bullied for similar reasons. Been told we don't really exist. That we're going through a phase. Sometimes by the medical community itself. We trade names of providers who are "safe" like most people trade the titles of their favorite books.

It bothers me because... those people who were hurt and died... I have a common thread to them. I cried when I found out what happened. Those people were someone's child, parent, cousin, friend... They remind me of my own monkey sphere of people I know. Even if it hadn't been people I know... I've seen the threats towards LGBTQ and Muslim students at my school. I go to an awesome school in a progressive area. We are great and inclusive and that things like that still happen... is scary. It bothers me that media wants to focus on who did it and how, rather than the bright and brilliant people who are lost to the community.

It's something that should bother everyone. It should bother us all. Today it was the LGBTQ community. It's happening in black communities. It happens in our schools. Even if we have no personal connection to what has happened, it should at the very least bother us, because who is to know what the next target of choice will be. If we can't find a way to be bothered that people died because someone's personally held belief was so strong they felt it was alright to kill someone... even if we disagree with the person's lifestyle, they didn't deserve this. No one does, and that bothers me.

[heron, ASN, RN]

Woah. That's a really extreme statement. And unproven. With so much education you should be able to implement research into your statements.

The argument is basically promoting a war of religious dominance, which has a long and honored place in Christian history dating back to the take-over of the pagan cultures of Europe at the point of a sword, thru the crusades and inquisitions of the Middle Ages, leading to hundreds of years of religious warfare after the Protestant reformation and extending to the physical and cultural obliteration of indigenous cultures here in the Americas. It continues even now, in ways that include calling for the death penalty for homosexuals. All of it under the sign of the cross.

Militant Islam vs. militant Christianity. Nope, I just don't see a world of difference between the two.

Now, the hate mongers want to co-opt a grieving community's tragedy to rationalize their war. Shame!

[Skeptic-]

The argument is basically promoting a war of religious dominance, which has a long and honored place in Christian history dating back to the take-over of the pagan cultures of Europe at the point of a sword, thru the crusades and inquisitions of the Middle Ages, leading to hundreds of years of religious warfare after the Protestant reformation and extending to the physical and cultural obliteration of indigenous cultures here in the Americas. It continues even now, in ways that include calling for the death penalty for homosexuals. All of it under the sign of the cross.

Nope, I just don't see a world of difference between the two.

Now, the hate mongers want to co-opt a grieving community's tragedy to rationalize their war. Shame!

If you can't see that Islam is behind many terrorist attacks including bombings and mass shootings, every few months, then you are blind. If you are suggesting that Christians are doing this anywhere near as much, you are just plain wrong.

Regardless yeah both books have hateful stuff, but Christians don't follow it so literally these days, generally speaking. Thankfully for all of us in Christian America and especially the LGBT community.

I suggest that everybody have priorities, Christianity is a nuisance, but not the problem that we call Islam. Think of all the women being oppressed in those countries that are so brainwashed and indoctrinated they would defend that very abuse. This should and needs to be conquered with knowledge, stamping out ignorance one issue at a time.

Mandatory Disclaimer - in no way do I support genocide for a billion people, or the death of anybody.

[future_RN, CNA]

Now, the hate mongers want to co-opt a grieving community's tragedy to rationalize their war. Shame!

That was my original and entire point. People and using this tragedy as a platform to bring up something unrelated. I just don't understand. ONE Muslim man did this.

And to tacticool, if you read the preceding verse to that in the qu'ran, you will understand what it's saying more. I don't need any "proof" from some garbage Facebook hate group. You can do whatever you like, but as said before, stop using this as a way to push your views. I'm not Muslim in the least bit, but you're so livid about a religion and not the subgroups of that religion. I could care less about an opinion of a stranger on someone else's religion. But I'm not going to listen to someone denouncing an entire population of people and saying they are the reason for this event. And you can quote things from the qu'ran all day, I never said anything about the character or rules of the religion that are fair or unfair to anyone, so your quotes from Muhammad don't mean anything to me. I don't see anywhere that says someone needs to shoot up a LGBT club in Orlando. So, like I said, just use something else to talk about your views. This tragedy is not yours to do that to, and is a slap in the face of the people who can actually take it for what it is.

[future_RN, CNA]

And that is the last I am going to say on the matter, so don't expect any further responses. I came in peace and am leaving this post in peace. No sense in discussing things with someone so stubborn. I honestly feel bad that you hold that much hate in your heart, it must be an awful feeling. I hope you know peace one day. (And that is sincere)

[xoCrash]

Why does it bother me? Because regardless of height, weight, gender, race, color, black, white, latino, purple, straight, lgtbq+, alien, Christian, Muslim, pastafarian.. Whatever you identify as.. It was an attack on my home. My friends. Their friends. Their families. My city. The City Beautiful.

Leave the drama, the politics, the religion, the ******** behind and remember the people that lost their lives that night. It could happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime.

[Guest957596]

And that is the last I am going to say on the matter, so don't expect any further responses. I came in peace and am leaving this post in peace. No sense in discussing things with someone so stubborn. I honestly feel bad that you hold that much hate in your heart, it must be an awful feeling. I hope you know peace one day. (And that is sincere)

No hate in my heart at all. Where did I say I hate anyone or anything? Nowhere. I can say something is evil. Didn't say I hated anyone. It's like you want to put words in my mouth.

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[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

Sorry, the Bible and the Quran are totally different. There is a stark difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Nowhere did Christ say to kill anyone. Nowhere did He justify rape as Muhammed did. He told the person who was without sin to cast the stone at Mary Magdalene, the prostitute. No one did. Islam says it's ok to beat your wife. You need to read the Quran, the Hadith, the Sura. Muhammed was a racist against blacks. You cannot compare or equate Christianity with ISLAM. Islam is pure evil.

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Actually it was the woman caught in the act of adultery just to clarify. And you are correct, Jesus never said to kill anyone but it fits an agenda to say it is that way so...Saying that westboro represents all Christians is like saying Trump represents all white people or Barack represents all black people and all gay people are just like ellen but again it fits an agenda. Spouting that I want someone dead or hate them because I don't agree with them is absurd. I disagree strongly with my family and friends at times and GASP I still love them and don't wish them harm.

[heron, ASN, RN]

I think it's doubleplusungood to hijack this thread.

[alodocios]

We as Americans have had the luxury of enjoying a false sense of security for a long time. Now we are suffering terrorism on our shores just as many other countries have for centuries. We are not accustomed to it. It is tragic, it is scary, it has been happening to other countries and now unfortunately we can no understand first hand how it feels to not know if it is safe to go see the latest movie at a movie theater. Is it safe to go to that concert of your favorite artist. It is not right, it is reality thoug and unfortunately that reality is hitting home more often. There are radicals who die and kill for what they believe in, even if what they believe in is considered hate by the majority of us. There are people who unofficially join these groups and then work as individual factions. How are we to know who they are? This is what the rest of the world have been dealing with. Sadly USA is no longer an off limits territory. We live in dangerous times. It is not right, it is not fair, it is horrible sad, but it is the times we are living in. I have empathy for any victim who looses their life during a hate attack. Life is precious and labeling life is useless, life is life and when it is taken senslessly, it is saddening.

Olando, by the way is synonymous with most for Disney world, innocent fun. Now that is tainted. God bless America and all of its citizens, may we be healthy, prosperous and safe!

[didi768]

In all reality, Muslim Extremism all boils down to Ishmael and Isaaic. It's very simple.

[didi768]

"Jesus never said to kill anyone." Nope, but His Father did. He told many people in the OLD testament to "leave no woman, children, or cattle alive." But...He did those things for a very specific purpose each time. I'm tired of non-believers asking how God can be a loving God when He had people killed. Hey, He made us, He can take us out!!! A lot of the rules changed in the New Testament and one of them was " I used to tell you, "an eye for an eye, but now I tell you that if a man slaps you on the right cheek, give him your left too." We will be held accountable for every work we did on earth, whether good or evil.