Green tea, please. There've been a lot of vigils around town - yes, I'm bringing it up, I can't escape it when I live at the epicenter. Though I will say, this is likely the last bit I want to say about it for a long, long time. The cliche thing to say is "It's different when it's your city on the screen," and it is. Oddly, maybe I'm just in a better circle of people, but my feeds and interactions generally don't involve politic'n an bullshit'n. People here are just sad. Sad and angry and hurt and confused. Once the initial wave of press and media and calls for change receded, we saw more of what Orlando has done for those personally affected. In this light, I'm proud of my city and what it's done following this weekend. Check this out from a friend's post who has her ear to the ground: Also, ALL airlines are offering free flights for the families, not only Jet Blue. Here's the center of my Student Union, a shot before the vigil (one of many to come): I had left before it all started, yet here's a shot from a friend of mine during the vigil: And, lastly, a shot from a buddy who was downtown: I read Obama is coming in town tomorrow (no public event: only to visit the families and survivors), which I just got an e-mail reminder about tomorrow's luncheon for the Mental Health Association to be sure to leave even earlier due the President's presence in town maybe making a commotion traffic-wise. The luncheon itself is viewed as "part of the community spirit" now, which is a plus. ? In training for it last week we were informed there's going to be multiple layers of security due to a celebrity appearance. I didn't even think of it, though it makes sense (Did you know that Glenn Close has her own personal detail?). Unfortunately, we'll be tight on time, so I won't be able to get a picture (like a scrub) with a movie star. :( Back on topic of communities, scrolling through, I'm relatively impressed the discussions on here didn't devolve into utter flame war(s). For all the divisive topics that come with events like this, there were interesting opinions, arguments and so forth from all angles. Tensive on given threads; still the atmosphere was far different than I expected for "the internet"... All is said and done, I think this is really the last bit I hope to discuss about it, for whatever it's worth. EDIT: Thank you for the badge, WanderingEng.The City is donating $7500 to each victim's family for funeral expenses and the burial plots are free. The plots will be lined up in the cemetery so that they can be seen even when the cemetery is closed and will face the Orlando skyline. If anyone needs information about how to obtain this, please send me a private message and I will assist you.
Your perspective is concrete. Ours is abstract. Of course your experience is different. There's a quote in the emperor of all maladies, credited to I can't remember who. "Statistics are people with the tears wiped away." Continue being people for us. That's what makes a community.
Thanks, I've been thinking about this. I guess it would be counter-productive to go dark on the subject when I could instead shed light. My intention with regard to [...] this is really the last bit I hope to discuss about it was more in reference to the circular debates that happened under the discussion thread rather than continuing with open dialogue of how to help and what's going on around town in wake of Sunday. "Worst Mass Shooting in US History" is the last thing I wish for people think of when they hear my city; instead, define us by what happened in the wake of echoed gunshots. That came out way more poetic than initially intended. Yesterday's MC for the luncheon was a local columnist, Scott Maxwell. The luncheon's focus was (naturally) skewed as a result of Sunday. For example, the mayors of Orlando and Orange County were with the President instead visiting families and victims, though they stopped in prior to the event as a nod. One of the most interesting things Scott spoke of was how his usual role in these national stories is as the contact reporter (I don't know what this entails), yet as he started receiving calls from other news agencies, he also received a call for lunch with a reporter from Newtown, then a call for dinner with a reporter from San Bernardino, then another call for lunch from Blacksburg's reporter, and so on - as if we'd joined fraternity of cities visited by similar tragedy. I'll be posting a handful of updates where there are (verified) emerging avenues to contribute and support those affected alongside some uplifting gestures that have happened as a reaction .Continue being people for us. That's what makes a community.
this is likely the last bit I want to say about it for a long, long time.