A Person is A Person.

Hey Mom,

I hadn't planned on commenting on the shooting that took place in Orlando.  Not because I don't care, but because sometimes when something awful happens it is best just to say nothing.  Say nothing and stop.  Stop and recognize that at least 50 people lost their lives.

But we want answers. We want a solution and so we don't stop.  We point fingers at gun regulations and religion. Not only do we point fingers, but we want to debate those issues now. In this moment. Social media has become a war zone of blame. In a time when we should be coming together we are falling apart.

Did the shooter ascribe to a very extremist religious group? Yes (emphasis on extremist, having been denounced by many muslim groups across North America and Europe).

Did gun regulations make it easier for the shooter to acquire weapons? Yes. Should there be further debate about gun laws? Yes.  But now is not the time. Because it doesn't come down to gun laws or extremist groups. It comes down to someone who is so filled with hate that they can no longer see that a person is a person.

A person is a person who deserves respect and dignity and security.

A person is a person who has the same rights as any other person regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or favourite TV show.

So please. Can we stop? Stop and recognize that a person is a person.

A person is a person just like me.

A person is a person who has a family and a future.

Today, 50 persons lost their lives. Today, 50 families lost a person.

All those people shot and killed because one person couldn't see that they were persons too.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Richard Cross 1960-2014

Image
Loss can seem unfair in so many ways.  It feels unfair when it seems too soon.  It feels unfair that some pass old and grey while others seem to live within the span of mere moments.  To me, the most unfair aspect of loss is that nothing stops.  Tomorrow will still come, the phone will still ring.  People will continue working and tweeting and texting as if all is well in the world.  The world should stop, everyone should stop. Why don't they stop? Richard Cross had an impact on the people that he met.  Richard Cross was a husband, a father, a brother, a friend.  Richard Cross was significant, and saw the significance of the people he interacted with. So why? Why during this time of loss is there still work and traffic and classes? How can the internet machine continue to churn out meaningless posts while we are faced with the daunting task of mixing joy and sorrow?  While we celebrate the life of Richard Cross and we accept the fact that our world is a little paler.  Why don&#
Read more

12 Kilometres of Consequences

Image
Hey Mom! Once again, I have been humbled by reality and general principles of physics. I want to start by saying that at no point in time should you feel sorry for me during this story. I did this to myself. I was doing a fair bit of running at the beginning of COVID but then I got sad and busy and also sad so I stopped. Since June 2020 I have run exactly TWO times. ALSO (because you really should not have even an ounce of pity for me) it is important to note that I have never been a long distance runner... ever. Onward! I decided to participate in an ultra marathon relay (ie. I ran part of a race that some people can run all by themselves… good for them). In the beginning, I had every intention of taking this seriously. I was going to go for runs and workout and drink water. What I did do was exactly none of those things. Instead I rolled up on race day wearing my housecoat with a backpack full of snacks. I drank 200mL of water and went on my way. Just a fool in a housecoat tempting f
Read more

Irreversibly Redeemed

Hey Mom! Wanna hear something cool and mildly disgusting? Of course you do... that's why you're here.  I have two zits that are symmetrically located on either side of my nose... pretty awesome eh?  These gemini zits are brought to you by your local final exams.  That's right folks just 3 back to back exams and I am home free! You may have noticed that this weekend is Easter.  There are so many things I love about Easter: time with family, a long weekend and the knowledge that the last few new years resolution survivors are being crushed under the temptation of creme eggs and chocolate bunnies so all the Facebook statuses about them being better than the rest of us is going to finally come to an end. There is one thing about Easter that I do have a bit of a struggle with... the fact that someone else had to die for me. It's not because it doesn't paint the perfect picture of love... it does.   It's not because I don't believe it happened... I do
Read more