People of conscience across the world are joined in grief over the June 12 Orlando massacre in which scores were killed or grievously injured in the worst mass shooting in US history.
Victims of the attack were celebrating Gay Pride Month, openly and freely celebrating and asserting their own and each other’s human dignity. Until recently, such open celebrations in this country were frequently greeted with violent responses, both vigilante-motivated as well as state-sanctioned. This tragedy highlights that for far too many, the mere act of being themselves still makes them targets of those who hate.
In a society in which acquiring a semi-automatic weapon is often easier than registering to vote, such hatred too effortlessly results in murder, and far too frequently in mass shootings. Americans in recent years have become so inured to mass shootings that such tragedies only briefly break through the din of the 24-hour news cycle. However, the sheer horrific scale of this act of terror and hatred has once again shaken Americans’ complacency about gun violence, intolerance and hatred.
A “hate crime” is “violence targeted at victims because of their membership (or perceived membership) in a social group.” “Terrorism” is “violence to achieve a political, religious, or ideological aim.” Orlando was both. The killer was virulently homophobic and targeted LGBT nightclub patrons. Before attacking, he pledged allegiance to ISIS, which later claimed responsibility. At this writing, it is unknown whether the killer actually coordinated with ISIS. Investigators may ultimately discover links; alternatively, they may learn no such links exist, the killer acted purely out of admiration of ISIS (as a lone neo-Nazi may act out of admiration of the SS), and that ISIS claimed responsibility out of an evil desire to associate its “brand” with all such atrocities.
Regardless, it is incumbent upon Americans to safeguard dignity and rights for all, to repudiate hate in all forms and sources, and to value each other solely on the content of one’s character. No single group monopolizes hatred or the expression of hatred through violence, as recent mass shootings attest: Orlando appears to have been motivated by anti-LGBT hatred, San Bernardino by anti-Americanism, Colorado Springs by misogyny, and Charleston by white supremacy. And hatred is expressed in ways beyond violence. It may be disguised as the policy proposals of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, or institutionalized as laws and official practices which disproportionately deprive members of certain groups of life, liberty, property or wealth. All forms must be opposed.
It is further incumbent upon Americans to pursue gun safety reform with unceasing and uncompromising vigor, so that those who hate, regardless of motivation, will be denied the means to easily fulfill their murderous intents. It is a public safety imperative, a national security imperative and a moral imperative.
We are united in Grief. Let us also be united in Pride to affirm and safeguard rights and dignity for all, and in firm Resolve to aggressively combat gun proliferation and violence.
The Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee provides this column.
This column will appear in the June 23, 2016, print issue of the Ridgefield Press. Ordinarily, we post to our website on print publication date. However, owing to importance of this subject, and with gracious encouragement from the Managing Editor of the Ridgefield Press, we are posting early.