You'll find me in some videos online today and perhaps on some news reports. We are the news of the moment, the fifteen minutes of fame selling all sorts of products to people addicted to tragedy and fear... such a sad and pathetic culture we have degenerated into... I wonder, were we like this before the TV generation detached us from reality and replaced caring for real people with caring about fictitious characters in imaginary worlds?... love your neighbor has been replaced by love your favorite tv character... it's so much less work and responsibility this way... instead of being your brother's keeper, you're the keeper of the remote... and the real world crumbles all around us while the corporations bleed the planet, as us, dry... waiting for the roads to collapse and the bridges to fall, but you'll be in the newest model car as you plunge into the waters below... but then, I guess we were just as pathetic since instead of slowing down to see victims of car accidents or staying glued to the news of death and destruction, we went out to the center of town to watch hangings or gathered in the dark to burn crosses or watch lynchings...
Cynical, aren't I? Well, that's the venting necessary after absorbing the hate of religion at the funeral of someone killed because of the hate of religion. And they say god is love.
Is there anybody going to listen to my story...
It's online somewhere on some news clip.
Stay strong, don't let the hate win.
What we did was sing Amazing Grace when the hate group started screaming hate. We gathered at the big park in the center of the city, Lake Eola, and I coordinated a police escort up the main downtown street, Orange Avenue, which was closed off so we could stand together against the hate on the corner of the Church where Sean was being memorialized. Over five hundred people, at least, sat drawing rainbows and positive messages on signs and T-Shirts and we marched to the location as one beautiful image of love and equality and togetherness. The organizer of the Facebook Group didn't show up on time, so I just took the lead and everybody followed beautifully. I spoke with the police Captain and asked her where she wanted us and told the group where our boundary was and everyone lined up and cooperated so well the police thanked us at the end.
I gave them pep talks about how to face the hate and reminded them that we were here for a funeral first. I repeated Drew's name over and over until I would ask them "Why are we here? and they would respond "For Drew" and the joy and the tears was amazing. Two other groups were arriving and I coordinated with them to part our group to let them through, the Angels were cheered as they lined up in front of the Church to block the view of any group not part of the support for Drew.
The Westboro Church of Hate arrived and we went silent. More than a thousand people stood silently watching them "set up" their hate signs and lay the American Flag on the group and they looked at us and one by one we raised our fists, stared them down, then the moment they started speaking we all turned our backs on them. They went silent. We turned back around and the smiles and hugs were so wonderful to see in our group. The next time they started screaming hate we broke into Amazing Grace - I took the lead out front (go figure, me leading a large group singing Amazing Grace) and we drowned out the hate with song.
They tried every trick in the book and only got one guy to yell out at them when they stepped on the flag but he responded to me beautifully as I got in his face and quietly said "Drew is right behind you and he deserves your love" and this macho biker got teary eyed and said "Thank you, you don't know how hard this is" and I said "That's what makes it an even more powerful and wonderful gift you are giving all of us." and he was hugged by another biker and not another word was provoked by the hate group.
The Hate Church had a permit to be there for 90 minutes and they left after an hour, defeated. The Angels followed them as they walked to their cars and the crowd let our a huge cheer. Hate lost. Love won.
The crowds dispersed and some went back to the park and some went other places. Many returned for the Vigil in the park in the evening. A sixty foot rainbow banner was carried around Lake Eola three times. Another beautiful gathering of people supporting each other through these challenging days. Orlando really is coming together beautifully.
#OrlandoStrong #OrlandoUnited #OneOrlando #LoveIsLove #LoveWins
These were more than words today.
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