After Orlando, let’s heed the Golden Rule

After Orlando, let’s heed Golden Rule

It could have easily been my family/friends in that Orlando nightclub. People I love, laugh with, serve alongside, share my life with, people who love and support me, and people who worship God with me. The same God a lot of people use to condemn and vilify these people I love.

Orlando should hurt everyone like Charleston did, like Sandy Hook did, like 9/11 did. Because we’re dealing with the same thing…hatred of our fellow human beings.

This shock, anger, fear and profound sadness has to galvanize us into action. Political action and social action for sure, and internalized action. Let’s not forget that piece. It is vitally important. It’s the Golden Rule … treat others as you want to be treated.

Please, please, please make that your mission.

Hatred of gay people must stop in America

Sunday morning as I left my coffee stop on Fairview I had a short conversation with a gentleman regarding the tragic event in Orlando. His response to my obvious disgust that this happens far too often to innocent people was that the shooter was just taking care of business. In other words, it is OK if the victims are gay.

It was especially troubling as he was talking to a gay man. Reality check. I did not one day decide to be gay. ... It is simply who I am from birth.

It was Islamic terror, not anti-gay hate

Once again our country has been attacked by people who want to destroy us. The attack in Orlando was terrible, but demonstrates how vulnerable a free and open society is to those who wish to harm us.

When our president addressed the nation on Sunday, he was somber and contrite. Instead of projecting a sense of resolve and inspiring leadership in the face of this tragedy, he chose to call for more gun control. The country needs to hear from its leader what the true threat to our safety is. It is not hatred, but radical Islamic terrorism.

I’m not pro-LGBT, but I’m not hateful

James Rosen’s article is divisive and exploitative of this terrible tragedy. I only hope that the informed public can see through his manipulation of the facts to demonize and stigmatize folks that debate against special protections for LGBT people, based on values that do not include hate of gay people or a desire to oppress or kill them.

Concerning blame, it lays squarely on the shoulders of the murderer who committed this crime.

Even terrorists can get guns. Shameful

Our hearts break for those victims and their families in Orlando.

But let me guess: Prohibiting a person who is currently or was formerly under terrorist investigation from purchasing guns would trample your Second Amendment rights, correct?

Shooter should have been watched

The monster in Orlando got the attention of the FBI twice for comments he made about ISIS. How many times does someone with the potential of doing great harm have to speak before he or she stays on the radar of the FBI?

Senate weakening clean water rules

The writer is Catawba Riverkeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation

A provision in the Senate’s budget proposal (Sec. 14.13) would gut rules that help keep the Catawba and other rivers free of contamination from large quantities of phosphorous and nitrogen, pollutants commonly found in agricultural runoff and stormwater drainage. These rivers drain to the lakes and beaches that provide recreation, home front and tax revenue.

The premise for removing these protections is the false claim that they haven’t worked to control pollution. The problem is that the strategies haven’t been given enough time to complete the job.

Urge your representatives to remove the language in Sec. 14.13. We need to preserve – not gut – buffers and runoff controls.

This story was originally published June 13, 2016 at 5:58 PM with the headline "After Orlando, let’s heed the Golden Rule."