Love Wins

The last 36 hours have been a horrific display of violence on an indiscriminate and unnecessary level by an extremist bent on an ideology of hatred.

It’s disturbing. It’s frustrating. It’s gut-wrenching. It’s completely misdirected.

And, yet, there’s politics all-encompassing within it.

Fifty people lost their lives and another 50+ are struggling to keep theirs.

This tragedy in Orlando could have been mitigated – or perhaps even prevented – by several simple things:

1) The gay community must know that while many social conservatives oppose gay marriage, simple things like defending yourself, personal responsibility, etc. are universal ideas. Anyone out after midnight, must have a concealed carry license and actually carry. The bottom-line is there should be no “soft-targets” in America. I don’t care if it’s your home, car, or club – there’s no excuse to not being able to defend yourself and others. In other words, just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you shouldn’t defend yourself and be conservative. I know of several gay men who I wish were in that club – not because I wish them gone – but because I know they would have saved lives.

2) We are not doing nearly enough to uplift those in the Middle East. Why do we have violence? Poverty and a perception of no opportunity/future. I hate to oversimplify things with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but it seems that’s the biggest issue. You can call me a liberal all you want and mock the notion, but all our greatest human conflicts tend to be borne from need. I am certainly not advocating a Marshall Plan for the Middle East – but it would seem the governments in the region (and those companies actively exploiting the region) have more than enough to develop the region.

3) Enough with religion fomenting hatred. The Richmond-area Islamic community’s condemnation of yesterday’s tragedy is a good start. The reality is that all religions want to be the one everyone believes in; that’s a contest of ideas. That doesn’t mean that those who don’t buy-in should be burned at the stake, beheaded, put on a rack or shoved in an oven. If I need to die to believe in your version of God, He’s probably not the God worth believing in.

4) Liberals need to stop blaming America (and lawful gun-owners) for everything. It’s our country’s awesome values of defending the defenseless, uplifting those in need, allowing free thought, free speech, free religion, free congress, free economic competition, free self-defense, etc. that makes our country the greatest place in the world to live. It’s only when more restrictions and removal of rights are imposed that it seems tragedy ensues. Is it really any wonder that the worst shootings in U.S. history have occurred in places where so-called liberal thought and gun-free zones exist?

We have a ton of work to do, but, ultimately, what this comes down to is respecting each other; helping each other; loving each other; being ready to defend each other.

I’m livid and disgusted at the terrorism in Orlando. And at Sandy Hook. And at Columbine. And on 9/11. And in Beirut. And in Paris. And the list goes on.

Terrorism isn’t going to win political or religious objectives. And, for those who are considering suicidal terrorism, why is it that you have to die while your leaders get richer?

In the end, terrorism only strengthens the resolve of the opposition. And love wins.

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