Dear Omar,
Just to let you know, I refrained from posting anything emotional on social media because I knew that I would eventually stir up the strength to write this. I have seen more than 300 posts, watched countless news outlets, interviews and read several stories about this and I can honestly say I am still in shock about what you did. While I understand that are not here, if I could ask you anything it would be this. When you drove two hours and went into Pulse Night Club in Orlando,FL and opened fire shooting over 100 people, and taking the lives of 49 innocent people one of which was only 18 years old, a baby, did you understand that you hurt more than just those people?
It has been said that you did what you did because of your allegiance to ISIS or because you were a closet homosexual. I don't know the reason and I truthfully wish you were still here so you could answer the question why? Were they everything you couldn't be? Why? Because of you there has been a lot of talk about homosexuality and the LGBT community, but you didn't just kill homosexuals, you killed people with families, friends, loved ones, moms, dads, and children. Did you understand that?
You didn't just hurt the LGBT community, you hurt the American community. In some interviews it was said that you wouldn't kill African Americans because they had it hard enough but you didn't know that one of your victims survived cancer twice and died protecting her son from your foolish hand. Is that not a hard enough life for you Omar? You determined those people's fates and how could you ever think so highly of yourself that you could try to play God? Is that the legacy you wanted to leave your 3-year-old son?
And as much as I want to hate you or be angry for what you did to those people, my people, my religion and my faith won't let me. The God that I serve commands that we must love our brothers and sisters no matter the size of their mistakes, and to call what you did a mistake is an understatement. When I pray at night for the beautiful souls that you took away, I pray for your soul as well because only a lost and hurt soul could ever do what you did. God taught me that for He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son so that we all could have everlasting life so if He can forgive you, to truly believe in His word, means that we must forgive as well.
Please don't be mistaken Omar, I didn't write this to be a hate letter or bash you.
But because of you, my country, the place that I call home is hurt: religion, sexuality, politics, gun control and terrorism are in our mouths now more than ever. You didn't divide us, you unified us! I'm sure the reason you called law enforcement so many times was so that you could get recognition for what you did but after today, I vow that I will never speak your name again. I will only remind people of the innocent lives that you took because it's not about me. This letter may be addressed to you but it's not about you or even how bad the world is mourning. It's about the 49 lives that will never hug their families or say I love you, dance or smile again. Those people are the story. They are the reason why each and every person, country, city, and state is Orlando strong. Those families may have lost the people that they loved the most but they have gained a family. They gained more love than you could ever try to defeat with gunfire.
May God truly have mercy on your soul,
Lanecha T.
