Once again, a marginalized group fell victim to horrifying violence. The oppression of a minority group is nothing new in America, but neither is the fight against that same oppression. Like African Americans, women and Native Americans before them, the LGBT community is a historically marginalized community standing up against oppression. The Orlando tragedy has brought both attention and sympathy to their cause.
The wars that the LGBT community is currently fighting resemble those fought by a different group not long ago in the Civil Rights movement. Many African Americans fought and died for their rights, as many LGBT members are now. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s messages of nonviolence shaped both the Civil Rights movement and will influence movements to come. During Dr. King’s era, people held marches and protests and tried to stay away from violent retribution. Violence still came to them, as many whites attacked African Americans who were standing up for their rights. These whites used not only their hands, but also hoses, guns and sometimes dogs. Protesters weren't the only victims of violence. Instances such as the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist church showed that whites were not afraid to kill innocent people, even innocent children. Tragedies such as these feel all too familiar to the Orlando shooting, where many LGBT people lost their lives simply because they had decided to go and enjoy the night at a place they believed would be safe.
The Civil Rights movement had been a long time coming and the gains won by African Americans in the 1960s started to get the ball rolling for other groups to claim their deserved rights. From the very beginning, the gay rights movement in America took inspiration from the Civil Rights movement that took place before it. The Stonewall Inn riots showed the LGBT community rise up from oppression just like African Americans before them and fight for their deserved rights. It was a long, hard road for the community but the fight was well fought and has resulted in incredible feats such as the legalization of gay marriage in 2015. This Supreme Court ruling was just as integral to the movement as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was to the Civil Rights movement. The ruling on gay marriage seemed to signal more progress ahead for the entire LGBT community and then came Orlando.
The shooting left many in shock and pain as they saw people just like them dead because of who they loved. It left the community reeling just as the African American community was after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The Orlando shooting has truly only made the LGBT community stronger, inspiring more people outside of the community to care for those inside it. Immediately after the incident, many people rushed to local blood banks to donate to victims of Orlando, and various bills have been drafted in the Senate and House of Representatives to increase gun control throughout the country. Despite attempts to seriously hurt the LGBT community, the shooting in Orlando only managed to strengthen the community and involve others in this seemingly endless fight for equality.
A common thread throughout American history has always been oppression, but thanks to many great leaders, the amount of people being oppressed is decreasing and straight white males no longer rule everything. Incidents of terror can make it seem like humanity is going backwards but seeing the response of love and community that comes out of these terrible acts shows the progress humanity continues to make.
