On Sunday June 12th in the morning around 2 a.m. EST time a Port St. Lucie man named Omar Matten shot up a LGBT night club in Orlando, Florida called Pulse. During the attack, he pledged his allegiance to ISIS and Abu Bakar through 911 calls made to the Orlando Police. The original death toll was set around 20 people as well as 53 injured. As the day went on Sunday the death toll had raised to 50 people all part of the LGBT community. Matten was shot and killed by police after they stormed into the club with a vehicle. This was not only an attack on the LGBT community but to all American people.
Omar Matten was born a United States citizen; his parents were both from Afghanistan. We come to find out 24 hours after the killing of 50 innocent people that he was on and off the terror watch list since 2013. But the FBI didn't think it was necessary to follow him and keep track on his moves because his radical remarks were not constant. He had purchased 2 firearms within 48 hours of the killing spree and also tried to purchase body armor.
Where was his name on a registry? The United States has a no fly list for a reason, right? So we can keep the people out of the skies that need to be. Where is the list of people we don't allow to purchase firearms?
The FBI should take every single threat to the United States as a serious one and put their name on every list that there is in the United States that has to do with terrorism. If someone reports something not only once, but twice, the FBI should be paying attention to what is going on and be watching.
Every person knows that ISIS is out to get the United States because we are the most powerful nation in the world. We know that they tend to strike when we are least expecting it and with people we least expect it to happen too. Every person on that terror watch list should be watched like a hawk no matter if a horrific event just happened or not. For example, after 9/11, security all over the United States was heightened—and then as threats started to die down and so did the security. Then the Boston bombings happened. Security was raised again... and then it fell. Now look where we are—back to where we started. When will the FBI realize its always time for the people on the terror list to be watched? One offense or multiple does not matter, once on the terror watch list always on the terror watch list.
My condolences to all the families and friends who have lost a special person in their life with this horrific attack on the LGBT community. We have lost so many American lives due to terrorism, and it is time to take a stand against them and show them we are always watching. FBI, step up your game: any report of a threat is a serious one. Take action now before it is too late. I stand United with the LGBT community and the United States of America!
