Gay Nightclub shooting in Florida

[Nigel Gordon]

There is a breaking news report on the BBC about a mass casualty shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. Apparently the shooter is dead and the bomb squad have carried out a controlled explosion.

[Nigel Gordon]

Here is a link to the story which has just come up on the BBC web site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/36510272

[dude]

It's horrible! US news media all over the story as I write.

[Nigel Gordon]

​Just heard an interview on the radio of a twenty two year old student. He and his partner where in the club. The partner is in hospital and they do not have medical cover. The student was saying he is going to have to give up his studies and get a job to cover the bills. When asked if he family would help he said they had thrown him out because he was gay.

[dude]

at 10:40 a.m. EDT the death toll is 50 with 53 being treated in hospital!

[Joe]

A Fed is reported to have said the investigation is being conducted with terrorism suspected.

Apparently another example of fundamentalist religion at work.

[Cole Parker]

50 dead. A real nightmare. I simply don't understand this level of hatred.

C

[Merkin]

Horrific. Devastating. There are no adequate words.

[Chris James]

​50 dead, the largest massacre in American history. No matter how large the celebration for this horrible act will be in the terrorist world it will only serve to bring the gay community closer together.

​It matters not if the man was Muslim, this was a personal decision to kill innocent people. Any fool who martyrs himself for the promise of rewards in heaven deserves our scorn.

The comments by his family that have followed this event where they say he was upset when he saw two men kissing is just a smoke screen for their son's bigotry and perhaps their own. All of this only serves to support Donald Trumps anti-Muslim statements. This crap is going to happen in our society where guns are available to any mentally deranged person. Religious views may only be the excuse and it is hardly a good one.

Omar Mateen, the identified killer, will probably be responsible for the purge of other Muslims who have so far been responsible members of our society. His legacy will not be a positive influence, but then lunatics rarely have any good influences.

[dude]

I'm sure this has not yet played out.

Remembering the blame placed on the gay community by the 'religious right' following 911 and other disasters would suggest that more of the same is yet to come from our own 'Bible Belt.'

Intolerance is not the sole province of the Muslim radicals.

[Nigel Gordon]

I'm sure this has not yet played out.

Remembering the blame placed on the gay community by the 'religious right' following 911 and other disasters would suggest that more of the same is yet to come from our own 'Bible Belt.'

Intolerance is not the sole province of the Muslim radicals.

I can already hear some of the so called Christians saying that they have got what was coming to them.

[ChrisR]

I can already hear some of the so called Christians saying that they have got what was coming to them.

And when you do hear them, I hope that you will post citations here so that their falsehoods may be made public. There are pockets - fortunately small - who may actually feel that way. But please don't demonize all Christians in the meanwhile with generalities.

It's as bad as the press stating that ISIS has "claimed responsibility" for the action. What the hell is "responsible" about this heinous crime? If the press must do so, let them say ISIS has "acknowledged gross irresponsibility" for this crime.

This is, for the moment, the horrid action of one person. Some may wish to lay blame; others may wish to claim a leadership role in what happened. Let's all learn what has happened. It's tragic enough as it is without actively spinning it even more.

[JamesSavik]

From what I've gathered about this is that the shooter MUST have had training and had detailed knowledge of the targeted area.

This was not just some jerk who went off. There's a level of sophistication at work here that suggests that this was well planned and executed.

He even knew how to work the tactical response.

I wouldn't be shocked if this guy was a former soldier or had spent time at one of the ISIS training camps.

[colinian]

The shooter was a security guard. He had been married and his wife divorced him because he was abusive. He was homophobic; saw two guys kissing and it set him off. A guy he worked with said he made anti-gay comments at work. He called 911 from inside the club during the shootings and told the dispatcher that he did it for ISIS.

This was a hate crime and terrorism all in one.

To top it off, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick of Texas - a raging anti-LGBT zealot - tweeted this psalm about the Orlando shootings: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Galations 6:7." What an asshole.

Colin

[Nigel Gordon]

Equality Florida are organising support for the victims. If you would like to help them goto eqfl.org and follow the link to their gofundme page.

[Chris James]

​I scoff at Donald Trump who says he warned us this would happen...well, perhaps not. His favorite term is radical Islamic terrorist, but who are they?

​There are over a billion and a half Muslims in this world, does he think they are all terrorists? Rather than sucking the air out of rational conversation on the subject, where are his solutions to the problem? Ban all Muslims from the U.S...I think not. Since Islam is rapidly spreading, and predicted to surpass Christianity within fifty years, is this a religious scare tactic to keep this country a Christian nation?

Islam is a runaway train with no one at the throttle. The religion has no single leader, just dozens if not hundreds of Imams who cannot control the direction of the faithful. Trump, and others of his ilk, want to blame the American government for these terrorists when it is the religion they espouse which started the whole thing.

There is no solution, Mr. Trump, unless you plan to kill them all. Now really? He is nothing but a petulant schoolboy, and his attitude would make us the bully in any situation. Islam needs to be changed from within by those who understand it best, that is how Christianity was reformed centuries ago...look how well that worked. Groan.

[Stophl]

The pictures from Florida we see down here in Australia are heart breaking. I don't know what to say.

On the other hand both leaders of both parties have expressed their support an solidarity with America and the LGBT community specifically. Buildings in the east have been lit up in pink in solidarity apparently.

[Cole Parker]

​I scoff at Donald Trump who says he warned us this would happen...well, perhaps not. His favorite term is radical Islamic terrorist, but who are they?

​There are over a billion and a half Muslims in this world, does he think they are all terrorists? Rather than sucking the air out of rational conversation on the subject, where are his solutions to the problem? Ban all Muslims from the U.S...I think not. Since Islam is rapidly spreading, and predicted to surpass Christianity within fifty years, is this a religious scare tactic to keep this country a Christian nation?

Islam is a runaway train with no one at the throttle. The religion has no single leader, just dozens if not hundreds of Imams who cannot control the direction of the faithful. Trump, and others of his ilk, want to blame the American government for these terrorists when it is the religion they espouse which started the whole thing.

There is no solution, Mr. Trump, unless you plan to kill them all. Now really? He is nothing but a petulant schoolboy, and his attitude would make us the bully in any situation. Islam needs to be changed from within by those who understand it best, that is how Christianity was reformed centuries ago...look how well that worked. Groan.

I firmly believe that some or much of the violence that comes from within the ranks of that religion is an outgrowth of the despair many of its followers feel. Their followers often come from countries where there are not enough jobs for their young people, where living condition are poor to atrocious, and where the populous as a whole has little hope. Often there is little for them to live for, and life itself isn't something they hold dear.

There is a solution. Not an easy, quick one, but a solution. That is to bring these people, these cultures, out of the dark ages. Take all the oil money that flows into these regions and turn it into vibrant economies. Create jobs. Mandate education. Create opportunity. Free women to equal status with men. Give young people an avenue to success.

This would take leadership that seems absent in those parts of the world today. It would take leadership that would turn away from the violent elements of their religion. It wouldn't be a simple task. But places with strong economies, strong traditions of education and hope for the future are not the spawning grounds of terrorism.

Perhaps if Trump would look as using some of these billions of dollars he claims to have to support economic growth and job creation for the masses who are being led astray, perhaps if he'd promote something along those lines, using his money as an economic engine, he'd be part of a solution to the terrorism problem. Instead, he promotes building walls, throwing peace-loving, hard working people out of this country and restricting more of that kind from coming in. In that regard, he looks more like part of the problem instead of part of the solution.

C

[Nigel Gordon]

If anyone is interested in events and vigils that are taking place goto:

http://www.weareorlando.org

[Cynus]

Pictures of the victims. A face to the names and numbers of the dead.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcneal/orlando-shooting-victims?bffbmain&utm_term=.xijRnvDmzB#.sl5orPJWay

[larkin]

A page from Reddit alludes towards some early inconsistencies.

https://m.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/4nrvf1/man_cut_off_air_after_he_said_a_man_was_holding/?utm_source=mweb_redirect&compact=false

[dude]

NPR is reporting today that Pulse employees and club-goers have identified Omar Mateen as a regular patron of the club!

[Nigel Gordon]

NPR is reporting today that Pulse employees and club-goers have identified Omar Mateen as a regular patron of the club!

​That is not particularly surprising. There is a problem for many gay muslims that they find themselves in such a conflict with their religious beliefs that they hit out at what they are. I know of at least two homophobic assaults where I live which have been carried out by muslim men who were known to parts of the local gay community as homosexuals.

It is not only amongst the muslim community that this problem exists. It is also to be found amongst fundamental and even some main stream Christians.

There is an old saying that those who condemn the loudest have the most to hide!

[dude]

Nigel, were you paraphrasing 'The Bard" ??? "The lady doth protest too much"

[colinian]

Nigel could be paraphrasing a quote from The End of Evil by W. Bruce Erickson: "People who talk the most about how good they are usually have the most to hide."

Colin