As the American authorities begin to investigate the details of the horrendous mass shooting in Orlando, the mainstream media is quick to neglect the most important detail of the incident.
Many are angry that some areas of the media appear to be deliberately downplaying the “gay element” of the Orlando killings. This was not simply a random attack on society, it was a discriminatory attack. Of course, any act of violence or terrorism is despicable, but one which targets a specific segment of society due to blind-sighted prejudice and hatred is beyond disgraceful.
With 49 people dead and a further 53 injured, this is the biggest mass killing of LGBT people in the West since the Holocaust.
It is important to recognise that this was an attack specifically on LGBT people. The LGBT community is special in that it spans all walks of life, all religions and all races. I understand that, therefore, it is easy to see it as an attack against all people – but it wasn’t. It wasn’t a shopping centre or school shooting, it wasn’t a place of worship or a place of business. It was a latin night at a gay bar. It was a specific community of people whose very lifestyle and existence pushed a person into terrorism.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who died and were injured in the attacks in Orlando.