Thread Drift

[Catrin]

Thank you, Emily, been a rough few days. Two of the kids here at work list friends in Orlando.

Oh my, I just saw this. Hope you are ok. Such a terribly sad week.

[rocknrollgirl]

I feel like I no longer understand the world in which we live. I just don't get it....why does everyone hate so much.

[Crankin]

I am so tired of the "thoughts and prayers," spouted by my friend, who thinks she is liberal. The same friend, who told my husband he was "so gay," because he was wearing a V neck sweater a couple of years ago . I am just angry. I spent 2 hours yesterday, processing this with 2 of my clients, as well as another hour on Monday. I am just spent from this.

[Pax]

I hear you, Crankin. I'm helping the kids at work process this, they are so young and so bewildered, they cannot fathom that their fun, loving, wildly alive, friends are gone. Their generation has experienced the upwelling of support, both legal and cultural for gay people in America; they've never experienced this extreme hatred from their peers so it's all very startling to them.

Sadly, when I heard, I was not shocked in the slightest. My generation has grown up with this hatred, we know it's there, lurking beneath the surface of acceptance. For me it was never if, only when. I am so tired.

[OakLeaf]

((((((Pax)))))) - and hugs also to all who have lived your lives under the threat of hate.

Because the link you posted is worth a read - this forum software edits out certain words, even from links: in place of the four asterisks in the link, paste a four-letter profanity beginning with lower-case f.

I thought this one was really well written too: http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement...e_are_not_okay

Take good care. My heart breaks for you. And I'm angry too, angry at things that are done in the name of my sexual orientation, my race, the religion I grew up in. May all of us straight, cis, white people also stand up and say Not One More.

[Pax]

((((Oak)))) Thank you so much. Having someone acknowledge this happened and it's awful, helps.

Talking with a few of the students at work last night, one young gay man lost two friends, another lost nine friends (they grew up together, or knew each other in PR, or were family friends), one young straight woman lost her BFF who was dancing with his fiance and died protecting him. These kids are wrecked, but are also resilient. Already making plans for how they're going to honor their friends, they are kind and compassionate and hurt.. It's an honor to know them.

[smilingcat]

It's taken me few days to get over the anger of this hate. My anger is not of hate but rather anger at the senseless act, an act of self-hate, an act of prejudice.

One can call it a terrorist act or use any other name but does it make any difference to those who were killed for what? It's not going to bring them back. It doesn't make the hurt go away... Yes I'm appalled by our gun crazed society. And it makes me very angry at our culture which seems to glorify violence, be it in movies, e.g. london has fallen, Bourne movies, or video games grand theft auto and the like.

The whole thing is so sickening. There is nothing glorious about violence. It just begets misery and more hate and even more endless senseless violence. I wish there were comforting words for the victims and their families and friends.