It was only 450 miles away.
Only 450 miles away, hate and violence drove two different men to commit two separate, horrendous crimes.
Only 450 miles away, over 100 people were killed or injured.
Only 450 miles away, the largest mass shooting in modern American history occurred.
When I first heard about what had happened in Orlando, Florida, over the weekend, I was confused. I didn't fully grasp what had happened in a city that my friends and I had visited a plethora of times. I knew Florida was known for some odd crimes, but I never thought my home state would be known for this.
On Friday, June 10, 2016, after a concert and meet and greet, 22-year-old The Voice winner and YouTube sensation Christina Grimmie was murdered by Kevin James Loibl, age 27, of St. Petersburg, Florida. Loibl fired multiple shots at Grimmie, and Grimmie collapsed to the ground with very serious bleeding. Her brother, Marcus Grimmie, tackled Loibl, potentially preventing further shooting. Christina was rushed to the hospital, but she ultimately died due to her injuries. Loibl, on the other hand, ended up shooting himself after Marcus tackled him.
On Facebook, Marcus wrote, "Christina was more than my sister. She was a partner in life. A superstar. A goofball. Introverted. And a friend to everyone."
The news of Christina's death really hit home with me, although I'm still not sure if I fully believe she's gone or not. I watch her singing videos and can't believe that her rare, beautiful voice will never be heard live again. Watch one of my favorite Christina Grimmie covers here.
I was in middle school when I first discovered Christina, making her a fond memory of my younger years. I remember thinking that I had never heard a vocalist so strong and beautiful. I was jealous of her range and talent, but I ultimately looked up to her for being such a genuine and positive person who loved what she did. I remember when she made it on "The Voice," and I cheered on my side of the television the whole time. I was in awe that someone who started out singing on YouTube had made it all the way to being coached by lead singer of Maroon 5, Adam Levine. She glowed with confidence, and I knew that she would make it far. Though she did not win first place during that 2014 season, she did win third place, and her amazing talent was able to reach bigger audiences.
On the morning of Saturday, June 11, 2016, the news of her passing was everywhere. Somehow I had not heard about the news. I had the ACT that morning as well, and to prevent me from being distracted, my parents kept hush-hush about Christina because they knew how much I admired her.
Later that afternoon, however, the news eventually got to me. I was shocked and in disbelief. Christina Grimmie? Are you sure? Why her? She never did anything but do what she loved!
I immediately turned to Twitter, and there was a large outpouring of affection for Christina and her family from fans, social media stars, and celebrities alike.
If Christina's death was not enough to digest in one weekend, on early Sunday, June 12, 2016, Omar Mateen, 29, of Fort Pierce, Florida, went to Pulse, a gay club in Orlando, Florida, and opened fire, killing 50 and wounding 53. Club goers were trapped in the club in a standoff, messaging loved ones and waiting for help. When the Orlando police arrived, the police force killed Mateen. CNN writes that the attack was "deadliest mass shooting in the United States and the nation's worst terror attack since 9/11." Additonally, the attack has been named "the deadliest in U.S. history," aside from war itself.
The American flag will be flying at half mast in memory of those who lost their lives.
President Barack Obama made an official White House statement about the attack, saying, "We know enough to say this was an act of terror and act of hate."
Before the attack, Mateen dialed 911 and claimed to be pledged to ISIS, and since then, ISIS claimed responsibility for the Orlando attack, according to Time.
Since President Obama was inaugurated into the White House in 2009, The USA Today writes that Obama has made fourteen addresses (and six just within the last year) about different mass shootings, starting with the Fort Hood shooting on November 5, 2009.
"The shooter targeted a nightclub where people came together to be with friends, to dance and to sing, and to live. The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub — it is a place of solidarity and empowerment where people have come together to raise awareness, to speak their minds, and to advocate for their civil rights" (President Barack Obama on the Orlando shooting on June 12, 2016).
Since the shooting, both the media and the American people have erupted over what we as a nation should do in response to the shootings. Some say we need to look more into ISIS's association with the shooting. Some point to the need to strengthen our gun laws. Others say we should not politicize the deaths for now and instead just let the families of the fallen grieve for now.
Rowan Blanchard, a 14-year-old actress on Disney's "Girl Meets World," known for her maturity, intelligence, and willingness to stand up against the wrongs of the world, retweeted this today in response to the homophobia that came out of the deaths of those shot at Pulse, and this tweet really stuck out to me:
In regards to the numerous mass shootings that have occurred, Vox.com reported, "We’re 164 days into 2016. We’ve had 133 mass shootings... Florida has had more mass shootings this year than any others state."
The Gun Violence Archive wrote, "There have been 76 days with mass shootings in 2016 -- and 88 without."
Do we really want the lost lives of these gun violence victims to be turned into mere numbers? As more and more shootings occur and more and more people get killed, the numbers that play into mass shooting statistics get larger. That's the thing about death –– it can't be reversed. The numbers can't get smaller because those that have died won't become un-dead. The only number that can go down is the number of deaths that occur in year, but the only way for that phenomenon to occur is if America decides to make a change.
Do we really want our nation's reputation to continue to go downhill because we keep letting hate and violence happen?
Stricter gun laws? Maybe. More national security? Maybe. How about more tolerance? More love? More acceptance? Hm, those are toughies.
Homophobia, politics, religion, terrorism, and gun laws aside, any act that hurts another person comes down to a personal issue. How is that it is 2016 and we still face major cases of hated, intolerance, and dispassion towards others? How is it that we recognize an issue and point fingers more easily than stepping up to solve the problem at hand?
Sure, #prayforChristina and #prayforOrlando are beautiful and important sentiments to the cause, but we need to stop talking and start acting. Until we decide to make active change to the broken system we have today, another mass shooting, another tragedy, is just around the corner.
I may not be the most patriotic American out there, but I do fully believe in this nation's potential and recognize the power that America has always had. We need to start using that influence for good. However, the question still remains, what will be our first step be in forming this nation into the land it proclaims to be?
