Four years ago today should have been an ordinary night in Orlando, friends.

Four years ago today should have been an evening marked by diversity, inclusion and pride in a safe and cherished space.

Four years ago today, 49 beautiful souls should be looking back on a night where they enjoyed music and friendship – a night where they came together and didn't have to worry about being judged for who they loved or how they identified. 

But we all know the reality of what happened four years ago: At Pulse nightclub in Orlando, 49 precious lives were taken from us. Fifty-three others were wounded. The carnage was committed by a man with a semi-automatic rifle; a man who never should have been allowed to have a weapon of war like that in the first place. 

The mass shooting at Pulse remains the deadliest incident of violence against LGBTQ people ever. It was soul-wrenching for those of us in Orlando. Dozens of parents would never again hug their children. Friends would make phone calls or send texts that would never again be answered. 

Senseless violence ravaged our community that day, and we continue to mourn and pray for the souls gone too soon. Amidst the tragedy, however, something else happened in Orlando. Our community came together. We refused to let violence and hate rip us apart. A big part of that has meant remembering those 49 lives lost: saying their names, telling their stories, lifting up their memories.

But to truly honor the lives of those lost at Pulse – as well as their families and survivors – it's not enough to simply remember them. In their memories, we need to find motivation. And with that motivation, we must keep fighting for change.

Because you know what, friends? There's a hell of a lot to fight for right now: In what we say is the greatest country on Earth, we have to fight for a future where you can go to a club or concert or school or simply walk down the street and not fear being shot and killed. We have to fight for a future where you can't be fired from work or denied housing simply because you're gay or transgender. We have to fight for a future free of systemic racism, free of police brutality – a future of true equality.

We cannot call ourselves a free nation unless liberty applies to all. We owe the victims of Pulse that. We owe so many people who have faced injustice and violence in America.

It's not lost on me that, as we're in the midst of Pride Month – a movement born out of protest and riots – that our nation has risen up in protest. That communities large and small across this country are rioting and demanding change from those in power.

Think of how far we've come because of the Stonewall riots – because transgender women and women of color decided enough was enough and made their voices heard. Think also of how far we have to go on the road to equality. Think of the power of protest now – in this very moment – and what we could accomplish together if we keep it up.

To the survivors of Pulse and your families: We are with you. We support you. We will never forget you. And we will keep fighting for you to ensure the change we hope for becomes reality.

Congresswoman Val Demings



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Val Demings for Congress
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Orlando, FL 32853 United States