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Fighting Orlando-Related Despair

Fellow Queeries - I'm feeling really sad about what happened at Pulse Orlando, and I expect that other people will be going through the same thing. I can't stop thinking about all the times I've experienced violence and vandalism at clubs that felt like safe spaces to me - and now I'm looking at Pulse and its hit me how much worse every one of those instances could have been.
One of the things that I find hardest is not being able to fix things... I may have a teeny tiny amount of control issues <.< So here's a thread where we can post happy things and take care of each other.
Feel free to vent and cry, to post reassurances, whatever.




Here are two inspirational quotes that always help me at times like this. I hope they help all of you, too.
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world." — Fred Rogers
"Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Stolen from a friend on facebook:
"Part of the reason the attack in Orlando is considered "terrorism" and a "hate crime" is because its effects are not isolated to those directly involved in the incident.
Events like the one last night act as cultural scars on a shared Gay consciousness: continuing to reinforce to Gay people that despite our best efforts to create safe spaces for ourselves, that safety is largely illusory. It reinforces our fears. It makes us less likely to go out, be ourselves, and enjoy life.
So while we must mourn in our own ways, and make sure to stay safe, we as a gay community cannot let this act have a chilling effect on us. It's Pride month: please don't forget to be extra fantastic, extra loving, extra kind. Don't forget to live your life."
I wish I even knew what to say / think at this point. Part of me knew that it was just a matter of time at the rate we were going. The gay community after our recent victories of basic human decency, that there would have to be retaliation from extremists.
Its sad to say, but it makes me glad I don't go to clubs anymore, or even really busy bars. I rarely go to the movies, never on opening nights and always during times when the theaters are likely to be pretty empty. For me, the fact that it was at a gay club is immaterial to fact that 20 people are dead because ... well, there's really no good reason.
I feel like we've immersed ourselves in a constant stream of violence in media for the last 20 years, we listen to media that says we are entitled, that we deserve everything we've ever wanted, and made to believe that all of our opinions no matter how uninformed or bigotted or just plain cruel somehow all hold the same value to society at large.
And at it's heart, until people want it to change, it won't. We don't want (or rather don't care) if the shootings stop. Until we, as Americans, start to care again, nothing will change for us.
CNN just upped the number killed to 50 ... with 53 injured
yeah I just saw that too... I don't have words.
59 now.
Hey I haven't personally vetted these, but folks on twitter were passing around links to these sites as orlando community lgbtq organizations folks can donate to
https://www.gofundme.com/PulseVictimsFund <- this seems to be the legit gofundme, by all accounts.
http://www.thecenterorlando.org/
http://zebrayouth.org/get-involved/donate-now/
http://orlandoyouthalliance.org/index.cfm?n=7
edit, 10:25est: they just updated the count to 50 people dead, 53 injured. jesus.
edit: "50 killed in Orlando makes it the worst massacre in US history, exceeding Bath, Michigan in 1927"
We also have a /news thread over here
I donated to the zebra youth center, and also to this GoFundMe campaign set up by Equality Florida https://www.gofundme.com/PulseVictimsFund
I'm just shocked by the complete disregard for human life, the way someone can just gun down that many people simply because of their sexuality.. It's petty, and vain, and stupid.
Oh gods, its so much worse the day after. Hold your loved ones tight.
My heart goes out to the families and friends of those killed or hurt - I wish there was more that we could do. The fact that people have been trying to use it as an excuse to be more anti-Muslim or pro-guns is disgusting - people are literally dead and they want to use it as a political statement supporting some of the very things that CAUSED this tragedy. I just can't believe people sometimes.
I am very tired and very sad. I'm sure I'll get angry in the coming days, but I'm just...sad. And I'm feeling extra conflicted because I'm not entirely out to everyone, so while I want to speak about it, I want to rage and weep, I feel like I can't. I'm listening to a lot of Andrea Gibson (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDCF7eh7lWQ) and petting my dog.
Beloved ones, you are dead, but you are not alone.
We are here with you, the beloved dead await you.
You go from love into love. Carry with you only love.
May our love carry you and open the way.