Rockford’s Spring Creek United Church of Christ says it will be holding a silent candlelight vigil to pray and mourn the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting.
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Fifty people were gunned down in the gay nightclub, in what is America’s worst mass shooting in history.
Candles were lit, the night was peaceful, but hearts were heavy.
Nattawut Kongsawat visited Orlando, Florida, some years ago and perceived the Sunshine State as a genuinely LGBT-friendly place. “They don’t understand the severity of what happened, but they do understand people supporting each other”. “Those people who were too scared to come here tonight, there is a community for them right here on the City Hall steps”. “Nothing really rang for me immediately”, said Executive Director of the LGBT Center of Raleigh James Miller.
The vigil was organised in Kemptown after a gathering at the Marlborough Pub and Theatre.
The Pride flag has been flying at half mast at the Scottish Government’s headquarters in Edinburgh and Glasgow City Chambers on George Square. “What one person does with their own personal life is their own business, you know I don’t judge anybody else for what they do, I don’t want to be judged for what I do”.
The singer Lady Gaga, long an advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, addressed the crowd and began a reading of the known victims’ names.
“Just after 2:00am on Sunday, violence ripped through a sanctuary, leaving 49 individuals so full of life and love, and a hate filled gunman, dead in its wake”.
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Visibly and audibly shaken, she said: “Tonight I will not allow my anger and outrage over this attack to overshadow our need to honor those who are grieving, truly, for their lost ones, lost members of the LGBT community”. LGBTI people around the world face the reality of crimes of hatred, from verbal abuse through to murderous violence.
