Recently, there was a shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was so awful, that it has been named the worst mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history, the deadliest incident of violence against the LGBT+ community in U.S. history, the largest mass killing of LGBT+ people in the Western world since the Holocaust, and finally, the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since September 11, 2001.
In a time of darkness and tragedy, we all look for a glimmer of light.
That light can be found through vigils, donations, and endless love.
But what about a song?
Singer songwriter Melissa Etheridge found inspiration in the sadness, and wrote one. She wrote it immediately after hearing about the news on Sunday, recorded it Monday, and although it's rough, it has been released to the public as of Wednesday, June 15. Anyone who knows about music knows that writing, producing, and releasing a song in less than 4 days is crazy. But, with the emotion and meaning behind the lyrics, it's totally worth it. The song is titled "Pulse", a tribute to the nightclub. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she explains that she believes there is something "poetic about the name [of the club]".
When I first heard the song, I thought that it was a great way to put life into perspective. Just take a second and think about it, we all have a pulse. We are all living, and no matter what race, age, sexual preference, gender, or whatever we are, everyone has a heartbeat. That's exactly what Etheridge says in the lyrics that had my mother and myself in tears.
"I am human; I am love / And my heart beats with my blood / Love will always win / Underneath the skin, everybody’s got a pulse"
Just a few lines from the song itself, which can be heard here. It's attached at the bottom of the Rolling Stone interview. Etheridge has been a long time advocate for the LGBT+ community, and identifies herself as a member and an ally. The song will soon be available for purchase, and all proceeds will go to an LGBT+ charity.
Whether you agree with someone's sexuality or not, the victims of this horrendous event did not deserve this. Although proceeds will go to an LGBT+ charity, this song is not directly about the community, but about all of us. Not just this past shooting, but all of them; all of the events that have occurred recently.. Everyone needs to stand together, Etheridge states that she didn't want to make the song "us against them" but rather "it's all of us together, and we have to find a way to heal". I encourage you all to listen to it, it's extremely powerful, and is a positive message during a time of consistent negativity.
We are the light that we need in a time of darkness.
We need to support our fellow humans, regardless of who they are.
Open your arms, your mind, and your heart.
There is strength in numbers, and we need all the support we can get.
