When tragedy strikes, its wake often causes confusion, anger, and a certain uncertainty about what steps should be taken in response. Nowadays, it seems like no matter what has happened, there are people who get angry about the differences in reactions and grieving that others take on.
I've read passionate articles on how the recent events in Orlando should not be politicized in any way, and that the only honorable outcome is to solely remember the victims and pray for their families. I've read passionate articles on how #prayingforOrlando is a stupid response and that there needs to be political policy changes because of this and events like this. No matter how well-intentioned the response is, there seems to be a high probability that is will be met with hate.
This disturbs me, especially considering the fact that these tragedies are rooted in hate. The gunman responsible for the Orlando shooting, who does not deserve the dignity of being named, was fueled with hate for those who did not fit into his heteronormative views on how things ought to be, but also hate for the American people in general. The shooter who shot up Isla Vista in 2014 was fueled by hate for females who did not give him the attention he thought he deserved simply because he had a penis. I could go on and on about the acts of violence and hate that have occurred not just in the United States, but abroad as well, for hours. This fact, too, disturbs me.
Without contributing to the already massive amounts of speculation on the root causes of hate crimes and massacres within our society, whether it be the sale of guns, the way we raise our children, or the inherent amount of evil people possess. No, that is not for me to say. What I have observed and feel the need to address, however, is the absence of love.
Yes, there was an outpouring of love for the victims and their families through the blood donations, free ChikfilA in Orlando, trending #prayfor hashtags, and more. This is all SO good and necessary, don't get me wrong. But for those not directly affected by these tragedies, it becomes easier for us to judge our peers, our coworkers, or families on how they react to tragedies such as this. We sometimes do not let ourselves immediately feel the weight of the depressing news before we form our opinions on it and what is should mean for us or for the country.
When we fail to realize that our neighbor's reaction to a tragedy may be different and hence insensitive in our eyes, even if it is really just how best he can make of it, that is when we become part of the problem. However well intentioned we are, meeting these varying reactions with accusatory and disgusted dialogue is not a constructive solution in the slightest.
When we start hating on the ones closest to us, it fuels the fire and adds more hate into a situation that requires a lot more love. We must understand that people are different, and that they think and grieve differently too. When hate strikes, we must rise up and meet it with a whole lot of love.
