Another fucking spree shooting. Great.

One reason there was little press coverage was likely because it was the Sunday morning before Memorial Day and there wasn't anyone working at any of the local news stations.

with regard to the ucla shooting

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-mainak-sarkar-ucla-20160602-snap-story.html

Florida Pulse gay club attacked in Orlando - multiple injuries

http://www.bbc.com/news/36510272

20 dead, 50+ injured, shooter killed
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-nightclub-shooting/index.html

Just fucking horrible.

I am feeling numb and angry. two shootings in my backyard over the weekend - this one was an act of domestic terrorism. and right now, no idea who's included in the 20 dead, praying none of my friends were among the 20.

everybody is freaking out this morning and I can't say I blame them.

i am also flipping out that so many are already rushing to blame Islamic extremism.

YOU CAN'T WILL A BOGEYMAN INTO EXISTENCE. how about maybe offer sympathy for the dead first, speculate later when there's actual hard evidence beyond you wanting to divert attention from our own country's rampantly increasing issues.

we also had a carjacking hostage situation across the street from me yesterday (cops everywhere) - only found out the reason after I got back. my friend couldn't even get into his apt.

I used to spend a lot of time Orlando most weekends (when I lived in Brevard), but I had to look Pulse up on the map. When the news report said it was on Orange, I didn't realize it was all the way down south of 408, so I don't know that part of town too well (or can't remember it, at least).

This is so fucking horrible.

It's a gentrified neighborhood, according to a local interviewed by CNN.

Orlando Sentinel best source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-updates-shooting-at-pulse-nightclub-20160612-htmlstory.html

it's a popular LGBT club - lots of people like to do karaoke there. I think I went maybe once, but among my theatre pals, it's popular. so far nobody I know has been reported as part of the 20. I asked my brother to check in - he used to dance there. I doubt he was there but....hoping him and his g/f check in soon. (update: his g/f did, so I am guessing he's fine...like I said, only remote possibility that he was there fortunately). FB has an app for friends to check in safe.

everybody is really on edge now. OPD has done a nice job handling both tragedies but I think even they're frazzled and fatigued.

we joke "lol FL" all the time but shit like this is not common. an occasional nightclub shooting like any city, yes. but stuff like this is alien to us in Cent Florida.

I feel like I should feel overwhelmed and emotional but I'm really just numb - this type of thing has become so commonplace to where it's almost expected now, and that's not ok.

the other clubs in the area, like Savoy, must also be freaking out too - copycat potential and all. the feeling of being safe in a public place, while it was never an absolute, is going to keep turning into a remnant of the past if we don't do something about guns.

one of my best friends lives a mile away from the club. gunman IDed as Omar Mateen from Port St Lucie

Even though I don't live there anymore, I still listen to The Philips Phile most days and I think Jack Bradshaw was supposed to be making an appearance there last night (probably over long before this happened). But literally the first time I ever heard about Pulse was on Friday afternoon and now this happens. I imagine the crew at Parliament House is pretty shook right now.

Sorry, this is all immaterial. I'm just trying to tap into my memories of Orlando, as few as they may be.

oh yea, P House crew is shook - I suspect the shooter chose Pulse because of how compact it is and easy to do damage. Parliament House could have been chosen but it's so spread out they probably ruled it out. I think they swept P House to check for explosives after the situation diffused at Pulse.

say what you will about FB, but having a "safety check" app is a very appreciated thing to have.

Shooter's father gave statement to MSNBC staff writer: he says shooter was angered by the sight of two men kissing in downtown Miami

death toll now 50. christ.

USAT on the club

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/06/12/pulse-more-than-just-another-gay-club/85785762/

the Imam just spoke.

huge blood drive going on at ONeBlood. I don't know my blood type and neither does my mother. but there's a line out the door of donors right now.

and of course a reminder that gay men like me can't give blood unless you've been a celibate a year.

there was communication between law enforcement and the shooter, but they aren't willing to release details yet (which is the right move - still too preliminary).

I must say Orlando PD has done a great job this weekend in both scenarios. SWAT probably saved more lives last night.

being called worst mass shooting in US history now.

if someone pulls out the "the problem is actually mental health" canard today, please do me a favor and knock out their teeth

Horrific

xpost sorry, inappropriate.

here's a press conference: http://www.wftv.com/live-stream1

think it's a good month or twelve to start a personal news blackout

if someone pulls out the "the problem is actually mental health" canard today, please do me a favor and knock out their teeth

― Neanderthal, Sunday, June 12, 2016 10:43 AM (6 minutes ago)

Bernie Sanders: "I believed that we should not be selling automatic weapons which are designed to kill people, and we’ve got to do everything we can on top of that to make sure that guns do not fall into the hands of people who should not have them. Criminals and people who are mentally ill, so that struggle continues.”

That isn't that

At least CNN and MSNBC are humanizing the dead: it was last call, Pride weekend, Latin night is popular, etc. FOX News has a fellow with an execrable hair piece reminding listeners that the policies of the Obama administration "facilitated in part" the massacre

I've seen folks in other places comment only that 'it's terrible how bad our mental health care is', in response to the disproportionate level of shootings in the US.

Fox News has been shrill and excessively focused on the Islamic terror bent, they can go fuck themselves.

State of Emergency has been declared - I have a feeling folks are going to be jumpy in public for a while.

there is a lot of rallying going on in the community already. the LGBT community here has been great about banding together and achieving community in a tough time, and there are grief counselors being brought to various sites. but many are scared that this is only the tip of the iceberg - maybe not, but it's hard to feel safe now. especially given the meticulous selection of the target.

suspect law enforcement presence is going to be stepped up for weeks to come.

xpost

I'm curious to hear how so

In an interview on WFTV, a witness said the shooter was laughing.

I'm so fucking angry right now I don't even know what to do with myself.

it's such a feeling of helplessness that pieces of shit like that guy can pretty much effortlessly destroy 100+ people's lives and shatter hundreds of thousands of people's emotions, all while smirking.

feeling numb cos my psyche just doesn't want to experience this horror.

(My xpost was in response to the bad-haired FOX moron claiming this was obsma's fault, sorry)

so I said earlier this is now the worst spree shooting in US History.

the previous #1 and #2? were in 2007 (VA Tech) and 2012 (Sandy Hook).

doesn't it say something about the problem that the top three spree shootings in US history have HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST TEN YEARS??!!!!

Obviously, more people are crazy. It has nothing to do with the assault weapons ban being allowed to expire. o_O

Aye, you can work in a secure psychiatric hospital where the patients have foam bats, or one where they have knives and guns. Who would pick the latter.

"doesn't it say something about the problem that the top three spree shootings in US history have HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST TEN YEARS??!!!!"

THANKS OBAMA

This is absolutely heartbreaking. Blood drive information here, in case any ILXors are around Orlando (O+ and O- blood and AB plasma needed, blood from gay and queer men will be accepted):http://hydramoon.tumblr.com/post/145805294600/anyone-in-orlando-or-has-followers-from-the-area

Since the job I currently have (but in no way like) is in the commercial insurance field, I just started thinking about how this is probably the end of Pulse. On top of the fact that it would be hard to make people ever want to go there again, for a variety of reasons, it will probably send their liability premiums through the roof after they're hit with 103 (or more) claims. And now I'm wondering if other LGBTQ bars will run into the same problem, because the insurance industry is a fucking vulture. :(

I really hope not. we have a thriving LGBTQ scene and those places are needed to continue that. but that is a valid concern.

I think the trouble of owning a business but by tragedy is you either go under or you use the tragedy, which can seem ghoulish.

This is probably a better donor information link for people statewide (all donors welcome, O+ and O- blood and AB plasma needed):
https://www.oneblood.org/donate-now/

they're at capacity today and asking us to make appointments for later in the week, which works for me. that and the fact that all of my friends have checked in as ok is reassuring.

my brother has a co-worker who is missing and the friend of this co-worker is in the hospital with gunshots :(.

*wounds

holy fucking shit: http://www.latimes.com/la-me-ln-gay-pride-la-weapons-20160612-snap-story.html

Ugh, it looks like the usual homophobic and transmisogynistic restrictions are still in effect:

http://67.media.tumblr.com/5a085ff3fdffbdf5033eeccb98d89299/tumblr_o8o4ieSk7R1rge7zlo1_500.png

Everything is nauseating right now; I need to go offline.