Orlando Shooting: Why It's Time We All Rally Together

By Catherine Muscaro on June 14, 2016

This past weekend has been more than a blemish on our country’s history. From the events taking place Friday evening at an Orlando night club — that ended with 54 wounded citizens and 50 others dead — to the confirmation of Voice singer Christina Grimmie’s untimely demise, I’m disgusted. I’m saddened. I’m angry. Not just for what has happened, but for some of the responses I’ve seen.

Why must it take a tragedy of epic proportions to happen before we open up our eyes and see what is truly in front of us? We are a broken nation, and we will be nothing but a broken nation until we learn to be whole again. I know that not everyone on this planet agrees with the things I believe in —  politically, spiritually or morally. But I have one very important thing to say to everyone: it is time we stand together.

(image courtesy of CNN.com)

Regardless of personal beliefs, there is no better time to stand united as a nation. I do not wish to glorify the man who took these innocent lives. I do not wish to criticize gun ownership or our own President. I do not wish to lecture any of you to listen to me.

I am here to plead with you: set aside your differences, and stand up together.

The friends and families of the poor victims involved in this horrendous attack are suffering enough. It is not our place to use their pain as a political agenda. It is not our place to sit here and point fingers at those we believe are responsible. It is not our place to re-victimize these people.

We should support them.

We should fight for them.

We should flood their mailboxes with kind words and cover the media with our prayers.

We should donate blood for those still fighting for their lives.

We should call out to our loved ones and give them our thanks.

We should hug them, and tell them we love them.

We should not let our differences divide us.

The people of Orlando are not the only ones who need us. The LGBT community are not the only ones who need us. Grimmie’s family members are not the only ones who need us.

We as a country need us; we need us to come together and believe that we are stronger as one than we are as many.

As Maya Angelou said: “Nothing will work unless you do.” We must take her advice seriously to heart and run with it. We have to work, and we have to work together, if we truly expect to be the greatest country on Earth.

I hope tomorrow is a better day.

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