To those touched by the tragedy in Orlando this weekend: this is for you.

Like many out there, I am at a loss for words. A homophobic man committed an act of terror and 50 lives were taken.  I think about a club like Pulse, a place where people go to dance, to forget their problems, to enjoy life, there is no excuse for the evil that happened there.  I have no doubt that for the next few weeks the country will be embroiled in the political debates surrounding this tragedy. It is unfortunately right at the intersection of several sensitive and important topics. I don’t want to talk about that here. I want to use this platform for something different.
I reached out to others in my circle and asked for some anonymous letters for you. When you need the reminder, here are just a few strangers who love and care about you

My heart goes out to the families of the victims, I am so sorry this has happened to you, know that there are people all over the country thinking about you. I ache for those who survived, I hope you are able to get the physical and mental care you need as you heal. We only have this life, and when someone takes that away from others the rest of us must do what we can to build a better humanity.
I love you, I love all of you and your lives and I am so sorry that you and your family must bury your loved ones. Please tune out the bigotry, you are going to hear some very unpleasant people say some horrendous things. Focus on those who love you. -Anon

Dear families,
It must feel as though time is standing still for you right now, and we can’t possibly fathom the loss you are feeling. Please know that we stand with you in your anguish, despair and rage. We wish we could have known the smiling, beautiful lives that were lost…every single one unique and precious.

-Anon

Dear victims and families,

I hope you will be okay. I hope you will be able to feel what you need to feel today. I hope you will have the space you need to grieve and the support you need to process. I hope you know you are loved. I hope you have a support network to make this process as smooth as possible for you. If you need help, though, we are here. We are with you. We love you and we will stand with you. Stay safe.

Love,
A godless heathen in NYC

Dear families,
It must feel as though time is standing still for you right now, and we can’t possibly fathom the loss you are feeling. Please know that we stand with you in your anguish, despair and rage. We wish we could have known the smiling, beautiful lives that were lost…every single one unique and precious.

-Anon

I hope that everyone affected can find strength in this difficult time.   My heart hurts for everyone that has been hurt-emotionally and physically by this -Anon

To the victims and the families,

I’m writing this as an atheist. As a loud and proud atheist, with an audience, with a following, and I’m writing this to apologize. I’m writing this because we failed you.
We failed you every time we cleared our throat and “refused to take the bait” at the dinner table.
We failed you every time we pretended that Christian uncle Jerry had a good point when he didn’t
But most of all we failed you as a community. We failed you with our new brand of atheist that is too smart for empathy. That values free speech above your lives. And instead of fighting for you we spent our time condemning you for not being nice enough to our speakers. Not asking for life politely enough. Not Loving to argue for your person hood. In the name of being smarter than, better than, and above it all we lent our strength to evil because evil is contrarian.
I’m sorry for every youtube vlogger who would rather make fun of trigglypuff than stand up for you. I”m sorry for every internet troll who didn’t march on Washington because it meant you were included and I’m sorry for every keyboard warrior who today thinks they’re an ally because it’s a chance to shit on Islam when yesterday you were the death of civilization.
I hope we will be better. I hope tomorrow and the next day see more allies and less assholes but you deserved better of us. Because WE were supposed to be the good guys. WE were supposed to be the reasonable ones. The Religious and the bigots have their gods but all we had is our cruelty. And for that….I apologize.

-Anon

To the families and friends of the victims of the Orlando shooting.
My thoughts and love goes out to you. Please know that you are loved and have people standing with you supporting you through this atrocity.

-Anon

Dear Pulse Community,

I come from a privileged group of people who were raised to hate you. Our Bible studies, church sermons, and even our school curriculum (link: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/06/06/british-fundamentalist-schools-are-teaching-children-being-gay-is-unnatural-it-has-been-claimed/?utm_source=ET&utm_medium=ETFB&utm_campaign=portal&utm_content=inf_4_60_2&tse_id=INF_766747f02bf911e69519013b248da655) spoon fed us that hatred at a young age and told us it was permitted if directed at a part of you that could be removed, as if you could be sliced marrow from bone, blood from tissue, in a horrifying surgery upon your being and remain whole. To add insult to our doled out injuries, we gave our own prejudice an unmerited supernatural blessing. Our hatred resulted in your blood and tears, yet we defended it as our freedom.

Your love and bravery woke me up and broadened my mind, yet I still surrounded myself with hatred, hoping they would not notice my convictions had changed and remove me from my place of connection in their ranks. I shared a pew with hatred even as your children died. My silence resulted in your blood and tears, yet I defended it as my place in the world.

And now we gather in the wake of a hate crime. It was hatred that set a thousand stones upon the foundation of this massacre before the gunman took a step in your direction. It was hatred that separated you from our homes, laws, and churches before that mindset forced its way into your safe spaces.

No more. Hatred and love are a matter of life and death. You have inspired love and we in turn embrace that love: out loud and with open arms. We stand with you.

Trembling
with sadness
we all hold still

gasp for air

actions ungodly
echo for eternity

haunting days
follow actions
unwanted

no god has ever taught
hate like this

and everything material
delusions of preference, gender & race

no man ever thought
we made ourselves
this way

as our bravest soldiers fall
to pinhole perspectives

we stand strong

stand tall.

we cannot live in fear
we must live on for them all

we will remember
lifes heaven
wherein
we seek the truth

not to perpetuate fear
not to perpetuate hate

we live on for you
it is never too late

to overcome

In the darkest corners
we fight with light

remember our future
can always be brighter
than this

so i will hold your hand
follow you to the graves
where we will sing songs
of open hearts and
new waves

as we change the tide

and names on a list
so many broken
so many missed
but they will make waves
that will change all of this

if i only know one thing
its that love never dies

and we cry.

collective release
realized in our eyes
as innumerable teardrops
create oceans

we rise
together.

-Anon