Obama Visits Orlando, Pays His Respects To The Shooting Victims
United States President Barack Obama visited Orlando yesterday to offer support to the friends, families, and others grieving for the victims of the mass shooting on Sunday. When a Muslim extremist decided to open fire on a crowd at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, which is known for being a dance club for the LGBTQ community, he kick-started a chain reaction that has spread throughout the world.
When the story hit the press, there was a focus on the fact that the Orlando shooting happened at a gay dance club and the shooter was one of many members of ISIS. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shot down the idea that it was an attack solely on a group in the United States. As detailed in the video below, he pointed out that the terrorist group has attacked several other groups and several other nations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOTcUfNqIlk
The next day, ISIS terrorist Larossi Abballa had live-streamed the murder of a French police chief and his wife in front of their toddler son on Facebook. He also stated that the group had intended some “surprises” for upcoming soccer games as well. This is proof that the LGBTQ community isn’t the sole target, as was the string of terrorist attacks in Paris not too long ago.
President Obama lands in Orlando today. He'll be meeting with victims' families. https://t.co/YIjG5542OG pic.twitter.com/nCJLP4vnQF
— CNN (@CNN) June 16, 2016
This doesn’t take away from the horrors of what happened in Orlando, and President Obama is visiting the families who lost loved ones in the tragic mass shooting. Florida Governor Rick Scott has stated that he’s received calls from Donald Trump and former President George W. Bush, but not from Barack Obama. He may be allegedly considering this a political move even though Obama has just over six months left before he leaves the Oval Office.
Obama's trip to #Orlando is his 10th visit to comfort families after a mass shooting. https://t.co/2vZLXBKMfm pic.twitter.com/j0FIxrZQ59
— Intl. Business Times (@IBTimes) June 16, 2016
Obama has also stated that the Orlando shooting is a sign that we need a ban on automatic weapons, a statement which conservatives are strongly opposed to. Many claim that reinforcing gun laws only affects those who follow them, and criminals will still get them anyway.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has said that Obama’s Orlando visit will not only be “emotional,” but a “solemn responsibility” for the president.
“[President Obama wants] to make clear that the country stands with the people of Orlando, stands with the LGBT community in Orlando as they grieve for their loss.
“This is a solemn responsibility. This is a responsibility that’s all the more important when you’re talking about the way that the LGBT community in Orlando came under attack on Saturday. And signs of support and comfort from the president of the United States should be a powerful affirmation for those American citizens.”
The Orlando visit will also extend to first responders and hospital workers who attempted to cut down on casualties during the shooting. There were 50 killed, including the shooter, but there were also 53 wounded before the shooter was killed by police. Those who survived have likely been living with the guilt of not saving more, including Marine veteran Imran Yousuf.
It is important that we as a nation remember not every Muslim person is a terrorist. There are probably thousands who would never harm another human being, and ignorance has caused them to be lumped in with ISIS radicals. Hopefully, Obama will address that as well when he visits Orlando.
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[Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images]
