Florida Tragedy Deals Another Blow

Most are already aware that a tragic shooting took place yesterday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

According to CNN, as of the publication of this article, at least 17 people were killed, and at least 14 were hospitalized.

NBC reports that the teenager charged with the shooting, Nikolas Cruz, may have been suffering mental health issues. He was allegedly an avid gun enthusiast, often joking about bringing his gun to school or posting pictures of animals he shot on social media. His Spanish teacher commented that he did not like speaking Spanish, despite his heritage. He was also alleged to have a history of violence.

The Daily Mirror confirmed that Cruz once posted a photo on social media of  himself in a Make America Great Hat, espousing the slogan of Donald Trump. While the picture was since taken down, classmates also commented that he liked wearing the hat.

Vox also disclosed that a white supremacist group, Republic of Florida, confirmed that Cruz was a member. Their statement claimed that they in no way condoned the shooting, but that Cruz “knew full well he was joining a white separatist paramilitary proto-facist organization.”

Why is this impactful for our community, outside of the obvious tragedy? First, this comes not even two full years after the Pulse Nightclub shootings in Orlando. The queer community of the state is still reeling from that previous tragedy.

Also, while details of the mental health issues involved and the motivation of the gunman are still not completely public, it is clear that Cruz was influenced by hateful ideologies that put marginalized people at risk. These attitudes create an unsafe environment for queer people.

Our thoughts are with the the Parkland school and all impacted people in the Florida community in the wake of this terrible tragedy.