UPDATE 2, 1 PM central time
Horrific news out of Orlando: A gunman armed with an assault rifle and other weapons killed at least 50 in a terrorist attack the Pulse nightclub in Orlando; more than 50 have been taken to hospitals.
The gunman, killed in a shootout with police, has been identified as Omar Mateen; the Daily Beast reports that he was previously investigated by the FBI. NBC is reporting that before the shootngs he called 911 and swore allegiance to ISIS.
NBC is also reporting that Mateen was a violent homophobe, according to his father. It seems clear that the club was deliberately targeted because it catered to the LGBT community. The father told NBC that the shootng was likely motivated by his son’s hatred of gays. “This had nothing to do with religion,” he told them.
His ex-wife told the Washington Post that he was an unstable and abusive man. “He beat me,” she saud. “He would just come home and start beating me up because the laundry wasn’t finished or something like that.”
Horrendous.
Meanwhile, 4chan trolls are busily spreading disinformation about the shooting.
Please post your thoughts, and any relevant information you run across.
Is there a gun fanatic bingo chart for this yet?
It would have
“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
“All we can do is pray for the victims and their families.”
“Let’s not politicize this tragedy.”
“My right to a gun is more important than your dead kid.”
Ugh. They’re so predictable. But the conversation of course, is mostly going to center around Islam. Not homophobia being deadly. Not guns. Not toxic masculinity. I don’t even object to discussions about how religious extremism leads to violence. It’s just that there are multiple factors and it’s not only Muslims who commit mass shootings.
A flyer for last night:
[converted to link by DF]
pbs.twimg.com/media/CkwrmsWXAAAMedB.jpg
The headliners were trans women.
Oh, shut your damn mouth, Huckabee:
https://twitter.com/LouisatheLast/status/742012212173275136
Maybe more guns is the answer? Couldn’t hurt…. ?
I’m with you there @Miss Edgy Nation. Virtual hug.
I moved out of Orlando a couple of years ago, but I have family and friends who both work and live in the area. Thankfully many are now logging in and marking themselves as safe on social media.
Best wishes to you, I hope everyone you know comes out safe.
I live here. Maybe it just hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m frightened by how numb and unsurprised I am.
Even though I haven’t seen them in 10+ years, I’m worried some of my old high school classmates might have been in there.
Not looking forward to that pig Trump and his fascist buddies capitalizing on this. I don’t have words for my contempt.
So is the NRA going to go around saying that we shouldn’t ban guns because if gay people and other minorities all had guns then hate crimes wouldn’t happened? Or does that only apply to straight white men?
Anyway I second all the people saying we shouldn’t bring up information about the killer. A great deal of research has gone into the psychology of mass shooters and the conclusion is they are narcissistic little turds who commit the shootings because they want to receive mass attention and are inspired by watching other mass shooters get wall to wall media coverage. heres a great article on the topic http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303309504579181702252120052
When faced with mass shootings and terrorist attacks, always remember: Don’t Feed The Trolls.
@pol
Are you being serious? I can’t tell.
@Nequam
Yes, both.
Also seconded on the virtual hugs.
@The Australians:
I live in the USA and news like this has ceased to be at all surprising to me. Still depressing yes, but not shocking. And I’ve ceased to ever expect any meaningful change in response. I mean, after someone shoots up an elementary school and no one pushes for meaningful change, it’s pretty clear that basically nothing is going to do it.
I think I said once that I don’t expect anything real done about guns until literally every single person in the USA personally knows someone killed or wounded in a mass shooting.
Which, at this rate, might not take all that long.
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick made a post saying “God cannot be mocked, a man reaps what he sows” in a clear attack stating that the people in the club got what they deserved.
Fucking asshole.
Trump’s response on Twitter:
FFS.
Can I just go into some sort of hibernation/stasis until widespread lgbtq+ acceptance? I don’t want to live in this world anymore.
Yeah, I used up all my rage a few days ago. I don’t think I have anymore. 50. Except it’s gays and such, so what’s that count for? Dozen tops? Sadness? Dread. That’s the word
@WWTH
I fucking wish. We don’t ever talk about this
http://static.filmannex.com/users/galleries/298009/quran1a_fa_rszd.jpg
Really, it’s all about this
A fund for the victims.
Jesus Roosevelt Christ, Trump’s tweet is a masterpiece of vacuousness. We need to be more vigilant when we’re out enjoying a night on the town! Otherwise, it’s our own fault if we get mass-shot!
Fuck. I’ve only just come back in and seen the updates showing how many were murdered.
So many left devastated.
The people who support the NRA and suchlike didn’t care when it was young children, I don’t suppose they’ll care any more now that it’s GLBT adults.
I’m so sorry for all the injured and bereaved.
Trump would only make this worse and worse and worse; if only the NRA’s lobbying power could be snuffed out.
Non US resident offering condolences to the victims of such a horrific tragedy. In a common sense world following such an event I’d hope gun laws and protection to LGBT crowds is built upon. Sadly that’s looking unlikely, and certain folks will be using this for political gain despite not caring at all for the LGBT crowd.
Best of luck to those in Orlando.
@ Axecalibur – I dunno how productive it would be to discuss the Koran. We don’t go straight to the Bible when some fanatic tries to shoot a Planned Parenthood… even though there are quite a few passages in there that seemingly advocate violent retribution against one’s “enemies”.
What leads people to violence isn’t so much the ideology, as all the other factors like depersonalisation, a sense of justification, and peer encouragement that come with it.
One could just as easily kill in the name of animal liberation, or any other cause that serves as a focal point for one’s worst instincts.
What I do not want is for these acts of violence to inspire mosque shootings.
@this again
Less than truckload, file transfer protocol?
Fuck. When I went to sleep (very) late last night, they were saying 20 people had been killed. This just keeps getting worse.
I just updated the post with the latest information I could find.
Go away, cool_clock_ahmed. This was domestic terrorism, and has nothing to do with any disgusting right-wing race war fantasies.
Best sum-up so far:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/aliciamelvillesmith/nightclub-shooting-orlando-florida?utm_term=.rnn91r2nBq#.cualWOPv6z
Here are some relevant snippets:
So…nothing to do with religion, everything to do with him being a violent and hateful individual to start with. The fact that he “worked out often” (also noted in the part about his domestic abuse) suggests he might have been on steroids, which would no doubt compound the violent tendencies. He is clearly someone who should never have been entrusted with a gun.
Man with weapons and possible explosives arrested, said he was going to L.A. gay pride parade
@Bina
I’m sorry but I can’t accept your accusation that him working out means he was on steroids. I spend 30 hours a week training myself and I don’t use them.
Your assertion that he must use them because he goes to the gym is just a false stereotype born of ignorance.
@JSun
Agreed. Working out doesn’t “suggest” steroid use in any way, shape or form.
It took Dan Patrick (or his social media team, whatever) about 4 hours to delete that horrible “reap what you sow” tweet.
If Dan Patrick is also “uncomfortable” whenever he sees two men kissing, how long will it take him to realize he has that in common with the Pulse murderer?