On June 12th 2016, humanity was put to shame. In Orlando, Florida, mass shooting was carried out in a gay club named Pulse, where more than 40 people died, while others were brutally injured. The incident shook the world and made us wonder as to how there’s so much hatred set inside our minds and hearts for each other. Regarded as the deadliest case of violence in history against the LGBT community, our hearts go out to each and every victim and their families, for they will carry it with themselves for the rest of their life. There are no words or deeds that could make them forget how being who they are cost them the biggest price anyone has to pay.
But really, what have we become? Is this what the world is coming to? Is this what our leaders envisioned the future to be like? Is this the kind of world we want our future generations to grow up in? There’s intolerance everywhere, it’s not limited to a particular region, it’s just omnipresent. A 22 year old singer gets shot at her own concert, and that’s the way it is. If hatred bigger than someone’s life? When you kill someone, they don’t die alone. Their families, dreams, aspirations, everything, dies a thousand deaths along with them. Is that what it’s going to be like now? And you know who’s the most targeted victim here? The LGBT community. Crimes against them range from non-acceptance to brutal murder, and yet they’ve tolerated it all humbly.
The Orlando nightclub shooting is another example of how we’ve let down the LGBT community constantly, while the only thing they have kept promoting is love. There’s nothing else they ask for, they only want to feel appreciated in the world they live in. Is that too much to ask for? Why is it so hard for every human being to accept them? Why is there always a certain someone who keeps attacking their rights and beliefs, and there’s not much that can be done?
Dear Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual community, this world owes you an apology. We have failed you time and again, and still you haven’t given up hope. It is breathtaking to see you unite against all the injustice directed towards you, and keep moving forward.
In the beginning, they failed to accept you. Maybe because they knew you were far more brave human beings, more than they could ever be. You made them feel how weak they are, and they tried to oppress you. But you didn’t give up, just like you haven’t now. You stood against all odds, tolerated every insult, fought for your rights, and then they knew there’s you wouldn’t give up easily. The only thing they could do was change themselves, as you were rock solid. If it was someone weak, they would have given up, but you didn’t. You made them realize how they were wrong, how it’s completely natural to be you, how nobody has the right to discriminate against sexuality and how you belong here just as they do.
When they knew there’s no stopping you, they tried to steal your rights. They tried to make you feel you didn’t belong here. They tried to make you feel inferior, make you feel powerless. They never took your rights into account, like everybody else’s. They always tried to make you feel you were not natural, you were inhuman, you weren’t meant to be a part of their society, but you didn’t give up. You constantly fought the battle of acceptance, and like always, they didn’t pay attention. Their little needs were bigger than your need of belonging, and they paid no heed to anything. But you kept pushing their boundaries and making way for a better tomorrow. They were no match to your dedication and passion to survive.
Time and again, you’ve been told how you were dirtying the world created by them. You’ve always been looked down upon, molested, made fun of and failed to be given recognition. You and your opinions didn’t matter to them, but you never shied away from saying what you felt. They kept destroying you, and you kept rising from the ashes like a phoenix.
And now again, when you were at the most peaceful atmosphere, enjoying yourself, taking a break from all that you have to go through, and dancing away your troubles, a psychopath murders you. Why? Because he felt you didn’t belong in his world. You must have left from home thinking how beautiful it is to live in a free world like this, among people who accept you, who are like you, and what the reality of the situation turned out to be.
We may all open our minds, accept you as human and take a step towards a better world, but there’s always going to be someone whose thoughts will consume him, and shamelessly make him believe that it’s okay to kill people who he thinks do not belong here. He will make sure the world is not a better place, and keep targeting those who try to bring about a change. He fears a better world, for the only thing that matters to him is his thinking. He fears change, he knows he wouldn’t be able to survive if there’s change. And such kind of people are a threat to humanity than anything else.
This world doesn’t deserve you, not a single one of you. There’s nothing we could do to protect you. We couldn’t raise our voices out loud like you did, didn’t stand by you when you needed us and couldn’t make this world a better place for you. You are the purest form of mankind, and we failed to give you the recognition to deserved. We made weapons for our protection, boundaries to obstruct enemies and walls to prevent wars, but we couldn’t do anything to make you feel secure. We are sorry.
Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.
