Unless you are heartless or have no compassion, I am sure, like me you were sick about the shooting in Orlando. My heart went out to the families and I continue to pray for them.
The media ran the story into the ground and it was called the largest shooting massacre in U.S. history, which of course it is not. The liberal media and people immediately began calling for more gun control as we have come to expect from them. Before we look at the gun, we need to look at the person who pulls the trigger on the gun. It is not a gun problem, it is a heartless problem. People who have no compassion for life whatsoever. It is a proven fact, that people who want to do bad things, will find the means necessary, whether gun, bomb or other means. Had someone had a gun in the nightclub, less lives may have been lost and the shooter might have been subdued.
We need to dig deeper and not listen to the rhetoric. It was a tragedy, lives were lost and reaching out to those families should take priority over pointing the finger of blame on a gun which is an inanimate object and can’t pull its own trigger. Yes, there is a time to figure out what needs to be done to keep such things from happening. In truth, such things will always happen, as evil always finds a way regardless of what is done. But the first priority is the grief and loss of those involved.
It doesn’t matter that it was a gay bar. It could have been a Catholic church, a Latino nightclub, a Mexican restaurant, a school, etc. That is not the point. The point is that it happened and could happen again anywhere on American soil. It is a way of life in some countries.
The hero stories are the ones I have searched for and there are many but hard to find. The stories that remind you there is still good in the world. I care a lot more about those than the story of the perpetrator. I do not want to try and rationalize or excuse what he did. There is no excuse, rhyme or reason good enough for murder. Hearing his story does not change what he did or what he really is and I wish the media would understand that fact. Honor those who died, tell their stories.
The people coming together is another thing which came from this, which is always a good thing. We need to come together because there are factions working against us, trying to conquer by dividing and having us against each other. Remember, united we stand, divided we fall. It is very true.
Disagreeing with someone’s lifestyle does not constitute hate. If you are a Bible believing Christian, you know the gay lifestyle is wrong. You don’t respond in hate, however. You follow Christ’s example of love. You see each of us has to answer for ourselves when we stand before our Maker. We won’t answer for anyone else or their lifestyle. We will answer for how we treated them or responded.
As a citizen, I probably don’t fully understand terrorism because we’ve never lived with it daily in America. I seriously doubt even the politicians fully understand it. When such things happen, we assume much. Perhaps it could have been prevented, but there is no real way of knowing. Our country does continue letting in more and more of our enemies and maybe that process needs to be examined and scrutinized under a microscope. I may think I could have done things which would have prevented it had I been in one of those positions which makes security decisions. But in reality, I can’t prove that so why should I even think it?
Everyone has an opinion and thinks their way is best. But you don’t know 100% for sure unless it is tried. We are too quick to point fingers.
We cannot let what happened in Orlando keep us from living, or have us live in fear every day. We have to keep moving forward. If we don’t, they win.
Celebrate life. It is short. Here today, gone tomorrow and none of us get out of here alive. Live life to the fullest that you can.
Be kind to everyone because we never know what they are going through. Give back. Do random acts of kindness on a regular basis. Smile, even when you don’t feel like it. Give hugs. I know some people say they don’t like them, but I don’t believe them. I’m a hugger and people have come to expect that from me.
Yes, I believe our government has gone soft on many things and I don’t think our President is strong enough in the area of national security and other areas. I try to remember he is President and as such deserves respect but that has become harder and harder. I still believe in our Constitution and that it should be upheld, not trampled upon as is the case these days.
But I also know that our Creator has a plan that will come to fruition and that we are seeing it develop every day. This trumps anything else that I think or know. Therefore, we must not live in fear, must keep moving forward and we need to live each day we are given and spread love, not hate. Blessings.©2016

VICTORIA SIMMONS is an author, columnist, motivational speaker, minister and publisher of The Georgia Post/Byron Buzz. Contact her at: vsimmons54@gmail.com