Remembering Pulse Nightclub
On June 12, 2016, a man who I shall not give respect to their name walked into Pulse Nightclub in Orlando armed with an automatic rifle, it was 2:00am in the morning.
It was a Latin themed event that night at Pulse, there was around 300 people inside at the time the shooting started. By the time the shooting stopped, this man had shot and killed 49 human beings whilst injuring 53 others. He was killed at the scene by police.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, when the shooting began, I was drinking with my future husband in Brisbane, Australia. In just a few hours we would attend Family nightclub and dance the night away, with shots of a different kind and drinks a plenty. That night we were totally oblivious that in a world that we lived in, another human being could just walk into a gay nightclub, fuelled with hate, and murder innocent human beings. Human beings whose only crime was being true to who they truly are, and love who they truly loved.
Waking up to the news the next day was paralysing and sickening. My brain felt like it was vacant, and my body felt so weak. I couldn’t bring myself to evoke a response as we both watched in disbelief the scenes that unfolded just hours before. It was like watching a movie, being in a dream and having an out-of-body experience all at the same time. After a while, the reality of it all began to sink in, and sink in it did, so very deep indeed.
Our responses were overwhelming. I personally have never been filled with more anger whilst being so upset at the very same time. This feeling, this emotional response would continue in waves, like a tidal wave ripping through me that I could not stop, nor could I control. Never before did I require such an understanding of what I believed in. Never before did I require my values and approach to life to have much more clarification. It was because the questions that were flying out of me made it impossible for me not to create answers for them. I needed answers.
Who are we? How can this happen? How can we live in a world with so much hate?
How can we misunderstand each other so much and create such hateful opinions based on these misunderstandings?
How can we not value another human’s life as worthy as our own based on who they love?
In my opinion, every human being deserves to feel as worthy as the person standing next to them, and no innocent life should be taken purely based on who they are or whom they love.
Luis S. Vielma was 22 years old when he was shot dead at Pulse Nightclub, he worked at Universal Studios, predominantly on the Harry Potter ride there.
Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo was only 20 years old; he was a passionate dancer and choreographer.
Kimberly "KJ" Morris was a bouncer at Pulse, she died at 37 years of age after moving to Orlando from Hawaii to help her mother and grandmother.
Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old was a Drag performer who was known by the name Alanis Laurell.
Amanda Alvear was also 25 years old and was an aspiring nurse. She died after hiding in the bathroom with her friend, Mercedez Marisol Flores, who was also killed.
All 49 victims had lives worth living. All 49 victims had families, friends and communities that loved them. All 49 victims had stories worthy to be told and be made for years to come
We as a human race are so beautiful and it is our differences that bring so much love, colour and joy to this world.
This moment in time, does not reflect this. However, if we do not remember these times of atrocity as beacons for change, for equality and a better world for our fellow human beings, how can we truly evolve?
At the time it was the worst mass shooting in the United States history. The fact that the above numbers have been surpassed in mass shooting statistics in the states is a horrific statistic that continues to dumbfound me. On days like today, I feel blessed to live in a country such as Australia, where gun reform laws restrict the ability to own a gun in this country. But this post is not about gun reform for that is another story all together.
Today, this post is about love and the right to love whom you love. We have the power to treat every human as equal. We have the power to eliminate judgement from our lives and share this world with all human beings.
No human has the right to take another person’s life based on who they are, the colour of their skin, or because of the human that they love. Today, I remember Pulse Nightclub, and all of the following people who lost their lives too soon.
· Stanley Almodovar III, 23
· Amanda Alvear, 25
· Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26
· Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33
· Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21
· Martin Benitez Torres, 33
· Antonio D. Brown, 30
· Darryl R. Burt II, 29
· Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24
· Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28
· Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez, 31
· Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25
· Luis D. Conde, 39
· Cory J. Connell, 21
· Tevin E. Crosby, 25
· Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez, 50
· Deonka D. Drayton, 32
· Mercedez M. Flores, 26
· Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22
· Juan R. Guerrero, 22
· Paul T. Henry, 41
· Frank Hernandez, 27
· Miguel A. Honorato, 30
· Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40
· Jason B. Josaphat, 19
· Eddie J. Justice, 30
· Anthony L. Laureano Disla, 25
· Christopher A. Leinonen, 32
· Brenda L. Marquez McCool, 49
· Jean C. Mendez Perez, 35
· Akyra Monet Murray, 18
· Kimberly Morris, 37
· Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez, 27
· Luis O. Ocasio-Capo, 20
· Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25
· Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36
· Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32
· Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25
· Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37
· Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24
· Christopher J. Sanfeliz, 24
· Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35
· Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25
· Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34
· Shane E. Tomlinson, 33
· Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25
· Luis S. Vielma, 22
· Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37
· Jerald A. Wright, 31
Love is Love; we are all human.