Orlando Shooting & My Fear For The Pagan Community

The power of hatred has struck and has plagued our everyday world. Firearms are shot, civilians left bleeding....the impact the Orlando shooting has had on the United States and the world has been tremendous. I'm no news reporter. I don't broadcast these horrific events, nor do I desire to. There is no need for me to repeat the accounts of everything that was destroyed in the Pulse that wicked night, so I will not write about the event itself. As we watch the LGBT community grieve and mourn at this major setback along their path to equality, deep in my blood boils and gives life to my new fear. Not just for humanity as a whole, but for our beloved Pagan community in the United States and everywhere else.

Unfortunately, us Pagans can still be considered a minority group. Our views have definitely become more tolerated in today's society, but we still have road blocks to drive around to get to our destination; respect and equality. With every shot that keeps being fired on this American soil, there is an internal battle raging inside us all. We ask, "Who is next?" Who is the next target going to be to face hatred-inspired crimes and deaths? And again, I must admit... 

Deep in my bleeding heart, I sense it could be us. Our community...my local Pagan store....all my lovely and beautiful Pagan friends that have become a part of my soul's family. What if we are next simply for being a minority group? What will we do? How will we act? Who will be there when the flame of our peoples' lives may burn out into the darkness of such a killing act? 

With all due respect, I will not discuss what my personal political views are. I want to be the one that can prevent any hatred from pouring out onto yet another stained page. We are in dire need to come together and to face these adversities that continue to happen. But, as Pagans, how can we protect our community while all of these shooting outrages are going on? If you have any thoughts, ideas, or opinions on this matter, feel free to respectively comment. Do you feel the same?

Please....please light a candle and raise positive energies for our world. That is all I can ask of whomever is reading this. <3

-Stacie