Its that old dinner party adage to never discuss religion or politics isn't it? And I do try to keep this blog a light-hearted and positive space but I feel that I can't keep my silence on this one.
Unless you've been living under a rock recently you will know that on June 12th 49 innocent people lost their lives at the hands of a monster who doesn't even deserve to be named. There's no need to go into the details. Every news outlet has covered this horrific incident. I don't even want to write too much about this as I have tears in my eyes and I am exhausted from trying to contemplate this horrendous massacre.
But what I do want to talk about is that this attack was an attack on all people. Yes, this specific incident was aimed at the LGBT community and there were obviously specific motives for that man to target a gay club but heartbreakingly these incidents are seemingly becoming a regular occurrence and they are indiscriminate in their killings.
Sometimes the perpetrators of these mass shootings target black communities such as the Charleston Church shooting, sometimes its the LGBT community, sometimes its aimed at fellow high school students such as Columbine, and sometimes its simply aimed at those that were in a certain place at certain time regardless of race, sexuality, gender or age such as the Paris shootings in November 2015 or the beach rampage in Tunisia in June 2015. But really, when you take away the motives behind these mass shootings, it is simply an attack on human life.
The recent Orlando shootings are not to be mourned only by the LGBT community but by everyone who believes in freedom and love. Much like The Black Lives Matter campaign is not simply for those that are of an ethnic minority or for Beyonce to sing about at the Super Bowl (albeit brilliant exposure for the cause). Surprisingly, and I am shocked that I am about to write this, Piers Morgan summarised it rather eloquently in this clip from ITV's This Morning (particularly at 5:56-6:27)
What is comforting though is, as painful as it is to know that these people exist in our world, they are most definitely in the acute minority. You only have to look at the humbling photos of the Soho vigil this week and the outpouring of grief from most of the population to realise that there is still good in the world - something which can be fogged when you have a heavy heart.
I have not written this post because I am an LGBT person myself. I have written this post because I am a person. A person that believes in freedom, love, and civil liberties.
Hello and welcome to This Ruth Is On Fire, a UK blog which is a haven for random thoughts and sarcastic observations.
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