Sadly, the events of this weekend have shown us all what people are also willing to do to destroy love. Over the past 24 hours I have read numerous reports on the attack in Orlando, and there is a consistent inaccuracy within these reports that I cannot ignore.
These 49 lives were not "lost". They were taken. These people were ripped out of existence for no greater reason than hatred, ignorance and bigotry. Put simply, this was an attack on the LGBT community, and my heart goes out to the families and friends of each and every victim of this senseless tragedy.
More and more we find ourselves reminded of the horror that human beings are capable of. Whether it's in the frequent terror attacks in the Middle-East, the attacks closer to home, or even the victimisation of people from all walks of life who's plight doesn't make it to the forefront of the media, it saddens me to see such division amongst a species with so much more to gain through solidarity.
Though I am not personally a part of the LGBT community, I am proud to call its members my friends. Over the course of my 26 years on this planet I have had the privilege of knowing dozens of wonderful LGBT people who have enriched my life in a great many ways. The same can absolutely be said for my friends of Islamic faith; a community that has been the target of an inexcusable amount of hatred and mistrust due to the actions of a few individuals who share the cowardly beliefs which fuelled the events of this weekend.
I am a white, British heterosexual atheist male. I have never had to endure any degree of discrimination and I have never been attacked because of what I believe. I don't feel that I belong to any particular "community" and so I can only begin to guess how much it hurts when somebody seeks to destroy a family that you feel yourself to be a part of.
With that said, what I remain certain of is the power of love. In events such as these, it is all to easy to become lost in the anger and pain that such an act of terror provokes, but I would urge everybody to look beyond the hurt and confusion and see the compassion that is inherent in most human beings instead. In a state wherein blood donations from sexually-active gay men are not permitted, hundreds of people lined up in Florida hoping to donate blood in support of the LGBT victims.
Love ultimately triumphs.
Good will always beat evil. We must remember that.
So finally, I say this. You can be male, female, heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, cisgender, transgender, black, white, Asian, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Pagan, agnostic, atheist, disabled, able-bodied, or anything else.Ultimately, all that matters is that you are good. Be kind, be brave, and be accepting. Individuality is beautiful; it's what makes the human race such a fascinating and varied species. You may disagree with somebody's views or beliefs, and that's fine, but violence will only ever destroy.
We are stronger together. Always.
I love you all.
