There Is No Second Guessing The Consequences Of Hate
Originally published on kritzmoritz.com
You don’t have to be a victim to understand the tragic consequences of Sunday’s mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. Omar Mateen, a trained weapon expert, twice questioned about links to terrorist organisations and as we know now, with mortal degree of internalised homophobia, opened fire at Pulse Night Club, a popular gay club in Orlando killing 50 people and injuring 53 others. He was shot dead by the police.
It bears repeating from information already available the reason that drove him to mass murder. First of all, it wasn’t about religion; his ex wife says he was not a religious man. Secondly, it wasn’t about racism because he was after all the son of an Afghan migrant. The rage that drove this monster to action was, as his father gladly put it, the sight of two men kissing.
Hate has so many shades but none more than the colour of self righteous prigs who think they are doing the world a favour by their actions. There are so many of them masquerading as human beings. Omar Mateen merely operated at a different point in that hateful spectrum but his violent message is no less impactful as say, Donald Trump’s messages of hate in this campaign period, or to bring it further home to Nigeria, the thousands of support this mass murderer has received from Nigerians on the comment sections of some newspapers.
There are 50 dead people because of one man’s revulsion to the sight of men kissing. Whether it is through unforgivable acts of terror as in Orlando or the many mob actions against LGBT people, bottom line is, humanity is at a crossroad and it is time to stop.
Church services have been held in honour of the slain victims. The same churches that spewed hate from the pulpits are no different from ISIS that is beheading and throwing people off high rise buildings. Hate is hate irrespective of who’s doing the hating. Religious groups are driving hate, terror groups, racists and all other groups with unique agenda of what they assume is right.
In Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan signed the Same-sex Marriage prohibition Act into law in a mindless action that played up hate on the altar of politics. Today, he’s calling for a review after leaving office and after dozens of people had been mobbed, blackmailed, abused and driven from their homes. There is no second guessing the consequences of hate. Worse, when you are powerless to undo the damage you’ve done. This needs to stop.
Stay strong, Orlando. The civilized world is with you.
About author
You might also like
FOR THE LOVE OF MAN
Port Harcourt, 2005 I was in the university, studying in school and being gay in town. Port Harcourt City was full of promises and adventures for the young gay man
OUT AND OUT AGAIN
In 2014, at the age of 17, I was first outed to my family. I was in high school then, and quite active on Twitter. Back then, both my older
THE DARK CLOUD
It feels like I’m about to die, with a tight chest and an aching back. I struggle to turn my limp body to the side to catch my breath. I
7 Comments
Shuga chocolata
June 15, 06:26This community have a long way to go.
Most time I have to be over conscious which draws in paranoia my way…..
Most people say me as too uptight and I should loosen up, but Orlando incident made me purchase the best German doors anyone could lay hands on:'(😦😦😦😦 too sad.
Mandy
June 15, 07:53If I wasn’t already averse to organized religion in Nigeria, the reaction of Nigerians to the shooting would have succeeded in pursuing me indefinitely from the church.
Simba
June 15, 08:22It’s wildly reported the mass shooter was gay.. Or at least has strong gay tendencies… And has frequented pulse gay club quite a number of time. ??? Internal homophobia
Truth
June 15, 08:42Dangers of internalized self loathing. It can come in form of serial heart breaks directed towards the individual’s victims, it can come as a form of indulging in self-destructive behavior which always leave victims trailing behind the individual, or it can come as this-mass murder of people who are just like you, because they remind you about something you hate-yourself.
The next time you think internalized homophobia is a mental disease which only affects it’s host, think again.
Bloom
June 15, 09:17My only regret is that I have to share the title of ‘human being’ with those applauding this killer.
ambivalentone
June 15, 10:56Azzin. I have not been able to keep a permanent look of disgust off my face since Sunday when I pass by groups who complain that Orlando’s shooting is still being reported.
Delle
June 15, 11:16Lol. Oh Bloom