The hate needs to stop

You probably heard about the mass shooting at the gay nightclub in Colorado where five people were killed in what is being investigated as a hate crime. This kind of violence is the direct result of hate mongers like Matt Walsh and Libs of Tik Tok. These are the consequences of mainstreaming the otherizing of queer people, or anyone born differently for that matter.

As someone who grew up poor and socially awkward, I found it hard to fit in and often felt like an other, much like queer people still struggle with even today. This is why I urge everyone to reject any kind of hate and the otherizing of anyone for the way they were born. Punching down on people like a lot of these right-wing influencers do is a cowardly, inhumane way to act and only creates divisions between us.

We should lift up the people who struggle and are just trying to be themselves without hurting others around them. Let's celebrate the heroes who aren't afraid to take hate or violence head on, even if they risk everything.

One of these heroes is army veteran Richard Fierro, who stopped the gun man in Colorado, and prevented him from murdering more innocent lives. You can learn about his courageous story in this video by David Doel at the Rational National: