What about the victims in attack?

Published 9:29 am Friday, June 17, 2016

I recently read a guest column by Freeborn County Republican Party Chairman Brian Hensley. I find it very curious that two days after the mass shooting in Orlando, he didn’t mention anything about the victims! That detail was out the next morning. They were LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender) individuals and their friends.

His apparent focus was terrorism and how to balance individual rights in attempt to solve this complex topic. Recent news developments tend to point to no organized terrorist connection. The incident appears more to be one individual’s self-hatred due to conflicts with his cultural and family teachings on sexuality and their built-in expectations.

So I have some questions for Mr. Hensley and his Republican supporters. I am not attempting to blame you individually, but numerous past and current legislative actions have enhanced self-hatred of questioning LGBT individuals or denied extending basic civil rights.

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1. Why didn’t you mention the victims at all when that has been a major topic of all past mass shootings? What unwritten message does this give to LGBT individuals and their allies? What does the legislative record show in Minnesota and the United States by the Republican Party for civil rights issues for the LGBT community?

2. What weapons were used that enhanced the number of people killed and wounded? Does the Republican Party show any willingness for reasonable laws on gun control?

3. The Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s nationality and religion isolationist messages are quite divisive. Do they demonstrate a tone that could build future trust and peace around the world or even in our country? Do you support those comments?

The above three items need to be part of the discussion. Until our country has a “working” government that looks for reasonable compromises to help unite us for the good of all, we most likely won’t find solutions. I hope we can strive for that goal instead of one political party attempting to demand only its ways.

 

Gary Williams

Albert Lea