Another day, another tragedy.

Hello everyone,

It is with much sadness that I'm writing this today.

I'm horrified at the complete lack of respect for human lives shown by ignorant and violent people.  We awaken to hear of another mass shooting at a LGBTQ nightclub.  This time in Colorado Springs on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance.  A senseless loss of lives and many injured.  People out having a fun time, trying to relax or get drunk or hook-up or just get away from the hassles of their life, out for a night of entertainment and some M-Fer has to come along and shatter the lives countless people because the victims are living the way they're comfortable.  I was in Colorado on October 1, 2017 when the mass shooting happened in Las Vegas.  I know people who were at that Las Vegas concert. I know people who had family affected by that shooting.  When I was in Colorado, my family was there too, A couple weeks later, there was a chaotic scene in Thornton, Colorado when a wacko started firing in a Walmart.  My family was IN that exact store a couple weeks before.  I know exactly where that happened.  

A sensible person would think that after all the tragedy in Colorado that has experienced over the last 25 years where innocent people lost their lives at the hands of deranged people brandishing firearms, heck sensible people would think that after thousands of innocent Americans have been killed by deranged people with firearms our leaders would somehow take the lead and offer relief from the fear of losing our lives because we were in the wrong place at the right time.  

Apparently risky behaviors:

Eating at McDonalds in San Ysidro, CA.

Watching a Christmas parade last year.

Attending elementary school.

Attending high school in nearly every US state.

Shopping for food to feed their families.

Walking between classes on a college campus.

Soldiers on their Army base.

Watching a Batman film.

Attending concerts.

Sitting on your front porch.

Driving in your cars.

Being an American President watching a play.

Being an American President or Texas Governor riding in a limo.

Being another American President leaving a speaking engagement at the DC Hilton. Yeah, we got the Brady Bill but we still have violence.

Acting. Actresses shouldn't be shot and killed by stalkers. Yes, Rebecca Schaeffer's death in 1989 led to anti-stalking legislation but 33 years later people are stalked and subjected to violence.

I don't understand. 

I.

Just.

Don't.

Understand.  

What can drive a person to feel the need to kill.  Everyone has their demons, I get it.  I struggle with being transgender every day. I struggle with feelings of inadequacy and fear of going to work and struggling to find happiness but nothing, and I mean NOTHING would lead me to think that killing another person would be a solution to MY problems.

And yes, there are always mental health issues that cause a person to act. There are substance abuse issues, too.  Maybe our leaders should address their own mental health issues and dependency on blood money to act by representing the ALL THE PEOPLE of the United States of America instead of their GD donors and effin' members of their bloodthirsty, gun loving party.

People say there is no way to completely stop this. I disagree. Look at most every other nation on the globe. The US leads in the number of firearms held in private hands. We also are leaders in the numbers of firearm related deaths based on sheer volume. Australia took action. Canada took action. New Zealand took action. A killer may still be able to kill using other weapons but the number of casualties will be greatly reduced. The nutjob who killed on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, leading to the greatest mass killing of innocent private citizens would have not been as lethal if he'd been brandishing a bladed weapon.

And gee, I wonder why I was reluctant to go out in public as Heather?  Will I be targeted? Will I be threatened or subject to violence because someone doesn't like how I look or dress?

Do me a favor, please... Please contact your legislators and ask them to enact sensible laws to protect ALL Americans from senseless gun violence. Ask your legislators to enact sensible laws to protect the civil rights of ALL Americans including protections of the LGBTQ folks who are currently being targeted by many US States. We just want to live our lives without fear of violence.

Thank you.

Heather.