Despite my families' combined, and ultimately false, concerns for my safety and warnings against large screens of gay porn, I went to SF Pride this year, and it was an amazing experience, for the most part.

The night before the parade, a friend and I went out to Castro Street, and despite the failed attempts to join the dancing crowd on a street corner, it was a great night. It was a safe night. Not because of four police officers on every street corner or because of the many "stay safe" wishes we got from strangers, not even because of the constant pat downs at bars and night clubs. It was because, for once, a bigoted lunatic was either discouraged or having a rough day and decided to rest up before work the next day instead of opening fire on a group of people with his automatic assault rifle.

The next day was also a slow day for deranged gun men. Yet, as I walking down the streets of the Castro, this time more aware than the night before, I noticed some stores had special signs on their storefronts. They were calling for people to remember the Orlando shooting from two weeks ago, sending out good wishes and encouraging others to do the same. It was heartwarming to see that these stores has taken to have these signs made. But it was also horrifying.

It's horrifying to think that someone had to make these signs on the first place. Someone heard about all the people who died without reason and had to think of ways to honor their lives. Planning for Pride, which I'm sure starts as soon as that years Pride is over, had to make a last minute change to their guidebook, to include a page in memory of the Orlando victims. The 53 people who were murdered were forced to end all their dreams and aspirations at the hand of a weapon meant for combat.

The United States needs to shape up. The right to bear arms does not equal the right to commit mass murder. We are losing our nation's children, college students, the people who sit at the theatre with us, our LGBTQ+ community, our neighbors. Right now, when we leave our homes, it is under a false sense of security. Anyone can walk into your school, train, or nightclub with an automatic rifle and take your or your loved one's life. That security needs to become a reality. We need to be able to trust that not every one has access to the kind of weapons, thoughts, or ideologies that make these premeditated atrocities take place.

Never forget.

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

http://www.cityoforlando.net/blog/victims/