Chicago 4 Orlando

The worst thing we could do right now is compound a horrible act of anti-LGBT hate by promoting anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant hate. To use this tragedy to promote Trump-like behavior would be despicable. It is a race to the bottom—outright bigotry—branding all people in a group, regardless of character, as the enemy. 

We LGBTs have recently won so many rights — with the aid of so many non-LGBTs of all faiths — that it would be unworthy of us to become haters towards any other group of people. We have in our LGBT community many Muslims and immigrants who catch it from both sides — racist Islamophobes on one side, anti-LGBT bigots on the other. We especially need to stand with them, and stand against scapegoating, period.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson just a few moments ago said that we need to refuse to be “hyphenated Americans, but stand together as Americans.” Sorry Mr. Senator, but this was an apparent anti-gay attack. Disregarding that fact is to disregard the hate that has been promoted by anti-gay political and religious leaders of both parties, especially in the American South. 

With a presidential candidate making it his calling card to attack Islam, Islamophobia is also a huge threat. Until we stand together as human beings of every race, nationality and religion, and not as parochial Americans, to confront what our own leaders are doing to perpetuate outrages like scapegoating groups here or serial bombings of other countries, the cycle of violence will continue.