49 / 53 & High Capacity Magazines
On early Sunday morning a lone gun man with hate in his heart and murder on his mind entered Pulse Nightclub at 2:00am armed with several rounds of ammunition (high capacity magazines) began firing his Sig Sauear MCX semi-automatic assault rifle and a 9mm glock handgun. Three hours later, just after 5:00am once all the wounded were taken to the nearest hospital; there in the club on the dance floor, lounge, and restroom laid 49 black and brown LGBTQ bodies, riddle with multiple gun shots. Beautiful, beautiful black and brown bodies. Humans who wanted nothing more than to watch drag queens perform at Latino night and drink some drinks and dance and dance.
I'm trying to wrap my mind around the level of casualties and dead, including the shooter. We live in a war torn world where hate seems to be the key ingredient to mass shootings. It's easier to hate, but, if you believe in God and Jesus, I think they would want you to choose love every time. It seems after every mass shooting we mourn, bury the bodies, and have candle light vigils. Nawww...that's not how Cumberbund's gonna roll. We aren't going to just lay down once again and wait for the next mass shooting. Something has to change, soon. No more lives need to unnecessarily die in America's culture war.
Don't ever stop dancing.
Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old
Amanda Alvear, 25 years old
Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old
Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old
Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old
Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old
Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 years old
Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old
Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old
Cory James Connell, 21 years old
Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old
Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old
Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old
Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old
Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old
Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old
Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old
Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old
Frank Hernandez, 27 years old
Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old
Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old
Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old
Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old
Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old
Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old
Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old
Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old
Kimberly Morris, 37 years old
Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old
Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old
Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 years old
Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old
Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old
Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old
Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27 years old
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old
Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old
Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old
Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old
Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old
Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old
Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old
Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old
Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old
Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old
Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old
Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old
The best way we can honor them is to live our own lives, without fear, out and proud. In the words of Harvey Milk, which was recorded in case he was ever assassinated -- what forethought -- said, "If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door in the country."
In honor of the 49 lives lost in Orlando, Harvey Milk, and every LGBTQ person who has died because of hate and bigotry. We see you. We hear you. We love you! Let there be peace in the world, and let it begin with me.
Namaste
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