On Sunday, June 12, 2016, the United States experienced the worst mass shooting in its history, killing 50 people and injuring 53. The shooting took place at the popular gay nightclub, Pulse, in Orlando, Florida. In response to this event, President Obama spoke out, pronouncing it both “an act of terrorism and an act of hate.”
There will be a million and one articles on the first half of that statement, especially since the suspect of this crime, Omar Mateen, claimed his allegiance to the Islamic State. Therefore, I will decide to focus on the latter: “an act of hate.”
This shooting was undoubtedly an attack on the LGBT community. Not only did this occur at a gay club, but it also occurred during Gay Pride Month. Some may decide that this all sums up to be a coincidence, but I think this far surpasses mere coincidence. It speaks volumes about the society we live in today.
Mateen’s allegiance to ISIS is not the only contributing factor to this act, as it is believed that he became enraged by seeing two gay men kissing in Miami. Mateen harbors a deep resentment and hate toward the LGBT community; and unfortunately, I do not believe that he stands alone in his prejudice. Despite the laws and court decisions surrounding equality, and the apparent progress we have made in this venue as a nation, the actions performed by Mateen show how some of our fellow Americans conceptualize who “freedom and justice for all” is meant to encompass.
The progression of social norms is not something that can be flipped like a switch. It is frustrating and devastating when events like this shooting occur, but we have to realize that a few signatures on a bill or court decision does not mean all injustice magically disappears. Take Brown v. Board of Education, the famous public school desegregation case of the 20th century that can be found in any history book in the country. Even though desegregation became unlawful in 1954, full compliance did not come until 10 years later, and even then, many southern school districts were forced to integrate their schools. The same applies in this tragic shooting. Injustice and prejudice will unfortunately pollute our society because governmental authority does not dictate social change.
I am, in no way, offering a defense of Mateen; rather, I aim to put forth an answer to questions such as, “How could this happen?” and “How could someone do such a thing?” Granted, most people who harbor resentment toward the LGBT community express their beliefs through microaggressions, and not mass shootings. In order to move past this event in a positive direction, it will take the majority of society that is disgusted with Mateen’s actions to understand that he, like many others in our society, aren’t “there yet,” meaning that they are not ready to embrace the social change that is coming our country’s way. This incident should be taken as a realization that even though so much progress has taken place for the status of the LGBT community in recent years, there is still much more that needs to be done. This is still only the beginning of a long, arduous, uphill battle that will eventually be met with victory, despite roadblocks and speed bumps along the way.
