Another fucking spree shooting. Great.

Ah, my governor: https://www.rawstory.com/2016/06/rick-scott-refuses-on-cnn-to-acknowledge-gay-people-were-targeted-at-orlando-nightclub/

Chris Hayes, as usual, doing on the street interviews with Pulse patrons.

of course

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/police-hunt-gunman-opened-fire-w-va-state-park-article-1.2672447

Police in West Virginia responded to an active shooter incident outside a state park Monday evening in which three people were believed killed, officials said.

Cops from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said that they were searching for a white pick-up truck with a wooden dump bed that may have been involved in the 6 p.m. shooting.

The gunman may be carrying an assault rifle, according to early reports.

Police said the gunman opened fire outside Cacapon State Park. At least three people were killed, officials said.

xpost FUCK

vigil going on right now. I didn't feel up to it (I'm sick, to boot) but lots of friends there volunteering or attending. my brother is at the vigil for his co-worker. fairly upset that in my exhausted stupor I missed my mother's text inviting us both to lunch, just wanted to see him and make sure he was ok. he's 34 but I always see him as my little 11 year old brother when this shit happens. another friend lost a former co-worker today, now that 48 of the 49 names are in quite a few others have as well.

read the article about the couple that was getting ready to wed and it's just too much. but offset it with my close friend's tweet about how she has fundraised $1300 for the survivors last night on Twitch.

then to hear that Christina Grimmie was in process of giving her attacker a hug when he shot her.....this is why I repress feelings.

the removing LGBT from their own tragedy shit is infuriating.......the same bullshit story of the same people who marginalize a group to where they have to band together and organize just to survive, now insisting we focus on the "Americans" that lost their lives instead of the LGBT community. Sure weren't doing much to make them feel like Americans as far back as a week ago.

have a feeling every club that can afford it (which is probably very few of them tbh) is going to upgrade security to install detectors....it's security theatre but if it gives us peace of mind I'm down with it.

also targeted Disney among other places before changing the venue. just thinking about if he had targeted one of the best things about Orlando, Fringe Festival, which isn't an LGBT themed festival but has many LGBT-sponsored/friendly shows. terrifying to think if he had showed up there.

meanwhile Pastor Steven Anderson can go fuck himself. social media shutdown needs to happen (though i slowly realized I picked good people as friends after this week)

in slightly better news, even though such a poll means little at this stage with such high rates of undecideds and pre-convention, even the "4% GOP-directed sampling error" Rasmussen has Hildawg comfortably in front. I don't love her, but keeping that fetid capybara out of the office is a must.

tho finding out that he's using Christie to get his #2 combos at McDonald's was a needed LOL today

What's often missing in a couple of the (less frequent these days, admittedly) dismissals of Disneyland and Walt Disney World is that it's one of the safest places on Earth for LGBT patrons and employees. Gay Days are massive. I can't begin to imagine the grief had Mateen done his deed last weekend.

oh yeah, it would have been cataclysmic.

from an article I just read in the Sentinel by a pal of mine, lots of local venues are indeed adding detectors (Universal did it last year).

The Abbey (a fun little cabaret/theatre spot) had ARMED GUARDS at its Tony Awards party. unthinkable a week ago.

thing is though no matter what measures you put in, the scary thing is anybody that is hell bent on wanton destruction and murder often finds a way to succeed. and most clubs don't have that kinda money. when I go to the Orpheum in Tampa, you walk by a doorman. no wand, no frisk - just a doorman.

I'm a little on edge about the prospect of going to the Orlando City match this Saturday tbh but I'm going to show up. security's fairly good there tho.

Much love, Neanderthal. I'm feeling more not less secure, which is not Soto-esque at all.

Much love to both of you. I spent much of yesterday consoling my husband, who was more broken up by this than he says he would have expected to be (post-Sandy Hook, I feel more numb than anything else about these things myself), but I cannot imagine how devastating it must be to have the kind of proximity to the tragedy that you guys have.

I really appreciate those posts, Neanderthal. All the best to you and your community. And to you too Al x

yeah thank you for your posts al and neanderthal and take care.

here are some pics from the Pulse vigil tonight - taken by a friend

http://i65.tinypic.com/m7w8ia.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/1424ojc.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/30lf3gk.jpg

If social media didn’t exist, I could assume the better impulses of “friends,” friends, and relatives. I’m hurt that I haven’t gotten simple queries: “Are you OK? How are you feeling?” “Did you know anybody who might’ve been in Orlando?” (a legit question, by the way, for not only is it Pride Month but the first weekend after class ended for thousands of primary and secondary ed kids). Questions that adduce the inquirer’s curiosity. Instead, I read posts that look like Bill Kristol’s talking points.

aw man...<3.

Worse, no acknowledgment that a majority of the dead were of Latin American descent.

this has been kinda surprising to me - most reports did everything but connect the dots which were fairly obvious to anybody reading. Especially given the state's makeup, really expected at least *some* mention or focus on that.

Inspiring images.

United, people are stronger than violence and hatred ever will be.

Amazing account from one of the bartenders at Pulse: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/surviving-orlando-shooting-pulse-bartender-902463

that last paragraph, oof

Being gay and Muslim:

“Gay Muslims are sending me messages, confused and afraid,” said Abdullah, who formerly led prayers at Light of Reform Mosque, a small congregation that met in a church basement in the capital. “I tell them, ‘Don't let one event make you think there are thousands of them happening.’”

Hurdles remain for many. When Fahd Sadiq, a 35-year-old graphic designer in Orlando, heard of the attack, it felt unusually familiar.

Sadiq had often danced at Pulse since emigrating from Pakistan 2½ years ago. Growing up in a conservative Muslim family, he was forced to marry a woman, then abandoned by his relatives when he divorced and came out as gay. He said his father arranged for him to be shot; he survived and left the country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t88X1pYQu-I

“The chair asks that the House now observe a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in Orlando,” Ryan said.

As he crossed his chest and bowed his head, most of the chamber followed suit.

But a handful of Democrats walked out.

What followed the silence was an eruption of protest from Democratic representatives critical of Congress’s inability to pass — or on Monday even consider — gun control legislation that has been proposed in the wake of an American mass shooting epidemic. Democrats shouted “Where’s the bill?” and “No leadership!” after Ryan silenced South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn’s (D) attempt to ask when gun legislation would be considered, reported the Associated Press.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/14/paul-ryan-held-a-moment-of-silence-then-some-house-democrats-held-a-protest/

Active shooter at Texas Walmart

"off the record" from the live stream at that link: gunman dead, all hostages safe

Apparently should have been in the disgruntled thread:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/amarillo-police-respond-armed-person-inside-walmart-39848930

Anderson Cooper gives the business to the Florida AG over her treatment of LGBT people: https://mediamatters.org/video/2016/06/14/watch-anderson-cooper-confront-florida-ag-pam-bondi-over-her-hostility-lgbt-rights/210944

that was a great interview. she's a weasel

cnn.com not reporting much (or at all) about the suspect's current wife, who has told the FBI she tried to talk him out of it, and was apparently also with him when he purchased some firearms and possibly cased Disneyworld. Not sure why. Infuriating and frustrating as that can be, I imagine if he was as abusive to her as he was to his previous wife, there may be a reason why she couldn't/didn't stop him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/15/us/upstairs-lounge-new-orleans-fire-orlando-gay-bar.html

Hello,

I just had to write to express how touched I am by all you politicians & straight people from the religious right who are just discovering that LGBTQ people are "human beings." As in, "What matters is 'we're' human beings."

I can't say the rhetoric coming from you "humans" has been very helpful to for the rest of us over the years. It's actually been very DE-humanizing. So in light of this recent homophobic (it's a big word I know but sound it out) attack on "our" community -the LGBT community, you can say it- it's kind of a bitter pill to swallow to see you getting TV time to hypocritically reverse your rhetoric because, thanks to the mass murder of 49 of our people, you have momentarily decided to include "us" in your "we".

If you really want to help please step away from the cameras and take your "we's" to the NRA and demand stricter gun regulations, drop your nonstop resistance to queer and trans rights, stop the violence and never let us hear about whether or not you "accept" or "support" our community again because accepting and supporting each other is what we, as "humans", do. It's not something we have to talk about. It's either happening or it ain't. Got it?

If you have any questions meet me in the ladies room. And don't bring a gun.

In love and light,

Mx Viv

yay Mx Bond

i just can't bear to read about these kids who were slaughtered or look at their photos. Such an infuriating waste.

Amazing account from one of the bartenders at Pulse: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/surviving-orlando-shooting-pulse-bartender-902463

― flappy bird, Tuesday, June 14, 2016 12:24 AM (19 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

that last paragraph, oof

― Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, June 14, 2016 12:47 AM (19 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

damn

Not sure if this is the thread for this particular aspect of the tragedy, but much of the Internet seems to be in a wholly justifiable tizzy right now over a vigil for the (predominantly) queer Latino victims of a homophobic attack being "officiated" by a white hetero celebrity whose new album just so happens to be out this week. Barf.

‏@trevortimm

"Solutions" post-Orlando:
1. More spying powers—even tho he was under surveillance
2. Use watch list for guns—even tho he wasn't on the list

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/police-indiana-man-arrested-near-los-angeles-gay-pride-event-had-rigged-magazines/

sorry if that was already posted. i missed it. yikes!

My opinion is that dude was just going to hit up Pride, party with some gay friends, then roll out to the desert for some crazy redneck shootin', only to get popped for weapons violations because back in Indiana, no one blinks if you're cruising around with heavy artillery in the backseat. It's the modern day equivalent of Axl Rose stepping off the bus with an actual piece of hay jutting out of his mouth.

Whoever did this deserves to die in a fire
http://m.kcra.com/news/deputies-investigate-paintball-attack-at-stockton-gay-club/40057476

xp: lol nevermind.

http://gawker.com/l-a-pride-weapons-suspect-charged-with-molesting-12-ye-1782061586

thanks for playing lol

Westboro's in town y'all

normally I'd just say "ehh ignore em" but no grieving family deserves to see that. someone began organizing a human wall for each funeral starting yesterday so the families won't have to see any picketing. rules are no engagement, peaceful signs, either silence or singing - haven't been able to make it out to any, but hoping to either tomorrow or Friday.

even if they no-show, it's still a nice show of solidarity to the families.

there's a *little* friction amongst some members of the group though tonight. nothing major, mostly valid concerns about respecting the wishes of the families, cos obviously it would be horrible if WBC were thwarted only for the family to be upset by the behavior of the counter-protesters.

that hasn't happened so far, mostly cos they've done exactly that. An admin of the counter protest group is generally checking with the families first, and then admins are scouting the site to determine if WBC does indeed show, and then puts out the call for the counter-protesters.

though there's been some veiled finger-pointing on the boards with no specifics provided suggesting insensitivity of some attendees - I don't know the validity or not as I wasn't there, but does bring up valid concerns of not wanting to lose or steal focus from the goal. I just hope that it stays at that level - there are dangers with putting together these types of counter-protests, when you throw a whole bunch of people with different ideas together without vetting them first.

thankfully, I hear tonight's counter protest went according to plan - WBC showed up but were so outnumbered they couldn't get close at all and eventually just tweeted, took pics, and gave up. they were so outnumbered the counter-protesters thought they hadn't showed up.

I'm kinda suprised theres anyone much left of the WBC now, what with papa dying and all the defections.

so there's some local asshole calling in death threats to the hospital that many of the victims are being treated simply because the hospital is treating gay people. his name is M!ch@el All3n Z!ngale and they have a BOLO up with a picture and a number to call (407-313-1916) if anybody knows anything or spots him. I know none of y'all live here but posted the # in case anybody has l33t internet skills and can find out stuff. piece of shit.

also threat of a massive shooting at the LGBT parade in Houston next week. Probably a hoax, police investigating and will have a heavy presence at the Pride parade. this is just fucked at having these parades marred with fear, I hope everybody still shows up in great numbers in defiance.

this is a really sad time to be alive IMO

the local threat-maker in question has a p checkered criminal past, tho mostly petty things....also middle name W@rren not Allen

Then after the gunfire began, Mateen paused. Sources told CBS News he searched for "Pulse Orlando" and "shooting," perhaps to see if the massacre was trending online.

this is a really sad time to be alive IMO

possibly true, but not very long ago you could kill dozens of gay men and couldn't expect a police response, and people wouldn't even talk about it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UpStairs_Lounge_arson_attack

it's always a sad time, living, if you look at humanity's eternal instinct for destruction

#MusicalNumber

the link you posted 3 days ago was the first i'd heard of that to my astonishment xp

me too.

it's definitely not the worst things have been by any rubric. I think what makes it sad to me is that we should be past this by now, given all of the progress we've made and the wealth of information available.

we are, though, witnessing a changing of the guard as the 'greatest generation' dies out - I know even when I went to high school, 'tolerance' wasn't what it was now in my neck of the worlds. I went to high school 30 minutes outside of Orlando and didn't know anybody who was gay my entire four years there - not because nobody was, but because macho-culture and homophobia were fairly ingrained and people at my school were afraid to come out until college. a lot of my fellow alumni came out in their 20s.

I look at the comfort with which many of my younger folks I know today come out in our local high schools and the support system is much greater - the inherent problems are still there, but it's a less harsh world than the one I grew up in. not a universal thing though - definitely depends on where you live.

*woods

http://jezebel.com/family-of-orlando-shooters-wife-says-she-is-innocent-in-1782276491