Submitted by Karen Thompson
Features Reporter
June 20, 2016 2:15 p.m.
There was a full house at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Saturday night as Fernandina Beach remembered the 49 LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) victims killed in the Orlando nightclub shooting on June 12.
The Service of Hope and Remembrance was organized by individuals of all faiths to honor the dead and injured victims, their families, the policemen and firemen, medical teams and volunteers. The vigil included music, candle lighting, prayer, reading of the names of the lost lives, tears and mourning but also words of comfort and compassion, equality and unity, resolve and strength, tolerance and inclusion.
In front of the altar and the symbolic rainbow flag Dr. Theresa A. Sparks, a member at St. Peter’s, delivered a very personal and poignant message. Here are her reflections on the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
“Good evening. My name is Theresa Sparks and I am a Lesbian. On behalf of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer community I want to thank you for coming tonight to remember the 49 killed, 53 wounded, and scores traumatized at Pulse last weekend. That shooting has been referred to as an act of domestic terrorism and it may fit that definition, but make NO mistake, this a violent act of hatred directed toward a very specific group: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer people. Even more specifically, it happened on Latin night, targeting LGBTQ people of Latin heritage. It is June when we celebrate Pride Month and it is hard to put into words how important and sacred this time is to me. It was also an attack inside one of our few safe spaces where we feel free to be ourselves and where we find acceptance and community.
I would like to take a few moments tonight to share with you some thoughts and feelings from this member of the beautiful and diverse LGBTQ family. I am sad. I am hurt. I am angry. I am afraid. Many of you in the audience may feel the same; however, for those of us who are LGBTQ, these feelings are all too familiar. They are part of our daily existence. Every day of our lives we experience acts of hatred toward us — from hearing negative jokes or disparaging remarks right in our presence because people don’t know or don’t care we are LGBTQ; to rejection by family, friends and co-worker; to denial of healthcare, homes and jobs; to verbal and physical threats while walking down the street or working in our yard; to actual physical assaults and even murder. Yes, these feelings are quite familiar. Those 49 people took a risk going to Pulse that night. A risk we all take to go somewhere we are accepted. We are careful about where we park and our awareness is high coming and going to our vehicle because you never know when a bigot with a baseball bat might decide some queers need correcting. I don’t think those 49 people that night imagined a massacre.
So how do we handle those constant feelings? What do we do with the anger, sadness, hurt, and fear? What would those 49 want us to do? Let me start by telling you what we do NOT do. We DON’T retaliate by bombing a straight bar; we don’t load up on guns and ammunition; and we don’t stand outside churches/synagogues/mosques with signs condemning those going in.
What we DO is keep Loving. We reach out to each other and hold each other up. Our response is to keep loving and living our lives – getting up and going to work; parenting our children; caring for aging parents; dancing; and celebrating Pride. The daily challenges we have faced have made us strong and resilient. We won’t go back in the closet, we won’t hide, and we won’t give up!
But I tell you something else, I am Tired! I am tired and need help carrying this burden. What has been different about this tragedy is that we are getting support from the heterosexual and cisgender community. We are seeing people from this larger community donate blood, donate money, provide transportation and housing, provide space for funerals, bring in comfort dogs, and simply ask “What can I do to help?”
Now THIS is a wonderful, new experience for those of us who are LGBTQ, and it gives me hope. I have never known this in my lifetime. As I mourned this week and sought some way to help this community mourn and heal, I found heterosexual and cisgender community leaders, clergy, faith communities, business people and friends who had the same idea and who were eager to assist. Tonight is the result of that collaboration. None of you had to show up here tonight – Saturday night and plenty of fun things to do – but you are ALL here because you care. Being here to mourn together and to support each other gives me hope that together we Will, not we might, we WILL create a better world.
As you leave this place tonight honor those who died by learning to and continuing to be a compassionate community.”
Dr Sparks received a standing ovation for her heartfelt thoughts.
Editor’s Note: We thank Dr Sparks for sharing her message delivered to those assembled at the June 18 service of Hope and Remembrance. Dr. Sparks is a semi-retired clinical psychologist with PhD from Vanderbilt University, Clinical Residency at Harvard Medical/Department of Veterans Affairs, and Postdoctoral Fellowship at Emory University/Grady Hospital. Thirty years of clinical practice focused on work with those who have experienced trauma and included children, families, active duty military and veterans. Dr. Sparks grew up in Southeast Georgia/Northeast Florida and is happy to have returned to this area.
Thank you for this article and sharing Dr. Sparks’ moving and heartfelt message. One day at a time, one step at a time, one prayer at a time.
Today The Congress of The United States once again failed to pass any sort of legislation to prevent more such killings. It is clear that at this point in our history ” We The People ” have little to do with what our elected leaders do in our behalf. It is a fact that the majority of Americans, both Democratic and Republican, as well as the majority of American’s who are NRA members want stricter gun control laws. Why won’t our Congress act on this? The answer, like so many answers in Washington today, is simple. Follow the money is all you need to do. The gun makers pay profits to the NRA. The NRA buys Congressional members with their money to assure they vote in favor of the NRA, which in turn allows more profit to be made by the gun owners. This isn’t rocket science. It is corruption. It is wonderful that we all get together and Pray for the victims of Orlando. It makes us feel good and feel like we did something to help. Truth be told, each and every 25 days more children under the age of 18 will be killed by guns than were killed in Orlando. This year the death rate from guns will be about 13,000. Who will Pray for these deaths? Isn’t it about time that our focus be on trying to reduce the number of deaths each year. That, at least in my opinion is what we should be Praying for and, more importantly, doing something about.
Well said . . . I would like to thank Senator Bill Nelson for supporting and advocating for two of the gun bills that were defeated. We need to vote out the NRA supported legislators once and for all!
None of the proposed federal gun control measures would have prevented the Orlando shooter from buying the guns.
He wasn’t on a “no-fly” list. He wasn’t being currently investigated by the FBI. He passed numerous background checks, and was a licensed security guard in a courthouse.
He WAS, however, an ISIS-loving terrorist who openly expressed his desire to engage in mass murder, and he was the subject of an FBI investigation two years ago, after which the FBI gave him a pass. AND he committed his atrocity in a Gun-Free Zone, where all the victims were disarmed by law.
It’s no surprise that gun control activists/statists have immediately called for elimination of constitutional rights. A new York Times editorial pressured Congress to secretly suspend the Second Amendment. A prominent Democratic US Senator has advocated eliminating due process. I guess it’s easier/more politically correct to demonize law-abiding gun owners than to face the the reality of radical Islam.
While the shooter was arguably an ISIS lover, he wasn’t a terrorist until he began shooting innocents. And as abhorrent as it sounds, voicing support for ISIS is constitutionally protected free speech. So just how do you propose we “face the reality of radical Islam” while at the same time preserving the Constitution?
First of all, there is nothing arguable about him being a ISIS supporter. Clear your mind and read his own words.
As for facing the evil of radical Islam:
1} increase surveillance of known radial mosques. The mosque the shooter attended recently hosted a Mullah who directly advocated killing homosexuals. This is a direct incitement of violence which not NOT constitutionally protected free speech. Monitoring such is not unconstitutional;
2} pause immigration until we are able to properly vet entrants;, and,
3) elect a President that will not be an apologist for radical Islam.
Good start huh Richard.? You have some better ideas or will you just echo the pearl-clutching bleating of the post-modern left?
You admonish Mr. Crawford for attempting to twist your words, yet you appear quite comfortable with twisting facts to suit your rather scattered views on solutions to prevent further mass shootings in this country.
1}. It is *arguable” that the shooter was a committed ISIS lover (instead of fueled by hatred for the LBGT community) because after all, he was twice investigated by the FBI for credible ISIS links and they found nothing. The shooter’s own father, who undoubtedly knows him better than you, said unequivocally that this was not about radical Islam, but about hatred for gays.
Despite your attempt at creating the illusion, there is no evidence that the shooter attended the anti-gay lecture given by Sheikh Sekaleshfar in Orlando. As one who claims to have practiced law, I’m going to assume that you know full well that the link between cause and effect is non-existent here.
Other points you’ve twisted:
a} While a “significant portion” of Muslims in the U.S. may support Sharia law, Muslims still only make up approximately 1% of the population. Do the math. And of those who do support Sharia law in the U.S., a significant majority do NOT support Sharia law for non-Muslims.
b} Your statement: “France has the most restrictive firearm laws in the world”, is not supported by facts.
2} What does immigration have to do with the shooter? He was born on United States soil. Or are you attempting to apply hindsight logic to the fact that the shooter’s parents immigrated from Afghanistan back in the 1980’s? If so, are you arguing that in order to accomplish proper vetting, there should have been a checkbox next to the question: Do you have reason to suspect that your unborn child will grow up to be a mass killer?
3} Do you have a link to a credible source which quotes Obama apologizing for radical Islam?
4} As is typical of someone of your ilk when discussions like this arise, you invoke politics and branding in an attempt to belittle and discount viewpoints that don’t align with yours. You have no idea or knowledge as to which side of the political spectrum I fall, yet that does not stop you from making assumptions about me. Re-read my original post on this discussion and tell me, based on a simple question asking how we preserve constitutionally protected free speech, you’re able to ascertain that I am a member of the “pearl-clutching bleating …post modern left”?
So Richard, I’ll respond to your ill-formed and ad hominem attacks once you confirm or that you have been employed for more than 30 years by Lockheed Martin. I’ve stated what I do. What about you?
crickets
Stephen, Had an assault rifle ban put into effect, similar to the one the one Ronald Reagan helped to pass while Bill Clinton was in office in 1994 the killings would have been less. Granted they will never stop, but less killing is always better and easier to fight against. History shows that at the last minute Reagan persuaded GOP Congressmen Scott Klug to support the measure putting it over the top. Fact is also Stephen the Orlando shooter was under FBI investigation. He was investigated two times, but nothing came out of it.
Stopping Muslims from entering the country is not only un constitutional, but would have had no effect on the Orlando shooting as he was born right here and grew up right here. We need to remember that we are counting on intelligence from many countries that are Islamic. The information that lead us to find Bin Laden came from an Islamic Country. Many countries that we have coalitions with and are helping us in the fight against ISIS such as Saudi Arabia are also Islamic Country’s. Do you really think it would be a good idea to ban the very same religion that represents the countries that are helping us ? I don’t.
I have also never heard Obama be apologetic to radical Islam. There is a world of difference between being a radical and hiding behind the name of a religion and the vast majority of the people who make up that same religion. Keep in mind ISIS is killing thousands of those within the Islamic Faith because they refuse to follow the radical views of those who control that fraction of there own religion. Please understand gun control isn’t only about mass shootings it has more to do with the 13,000 who will get killed this year and the hundred of our kids who will die due to guns.
Don’t try to twist my words , Tony, to try to advance your agenda. I didn’t advocate targeting Muslims, or banning their religion. I suggested pausing all immigration until we can do a better job vetting potential immigrants.
As to the religion of peace, recent polling among Muslims showed that a majority approved of the death penalty for homosexuals. Your Saudi friends regularly throw them from rooftops to their deaths. Another “ally”, Yemen, buries homosexuals up to their heads and then stones them. Recent polling of Muslims in the US indicate that a significant percentage of Muslims would prefer Sharia law here. These are mainstream beliefs to which ISIS and their ilk are giving voice.
As to firearms, France has the most restrictive firearm laws in the world, yet gunmen recently tragically shot and killed more than one hundred innocent victims. My earlier points were that the laws you promoted would not have stopped the Orlando islamofascist. If you want to broaden the discussion to banning guns in the US we can do that. The most direct way of doing of banning guns would be to amend the Constitution to remove the Second Amendment. There have been 27 changes to the Constitution so far. It can be changed. So go for it Tony, start a revolution. Oh, no wait, leftists will never try that tack because they know the US public would never allow it.
Finally, if I were you I wouldn’t purport to tell me what is or is not unconstitutional. I have practiced law for more than 20 years in which time I have tirelessly fought for individuals’ constitutional rights. Believe me, I am familiar with the document and the cases interpreting it.