"Our thoughts and prayers..."

Today was a tragedy. Two kids lost their father, and a wife lost her husband. And a movement found a martyr, further deepening the divide that disinformation has widened.

I imagine the death of Charlie Kirk will only fuel the rhetoric that has displaced families, increased the risk of violence for many minorities (particularly BIPOC Trans people), and stoke white nationalist sentiments. 

Let me be clear: I disagree with almost everything the man stood for. And I would happily rise up to resist his presence in my community. However, political violence is never the answer.

The motives behind the shooting at Utah Valley University in Orem are still unclear. The fact that he was still spreading the lie that there were "too many" Trans shooters shortly before he was shot is irrelevant to the evil that was displayed today.

What we need to do is stop sending "thoughts and prayers" and instead search our souls — on both sides of the political spectrum — as to how we might bridge the ideological divide on human rights, working class issues, and gun safety.

Lately, I was losing hope... I exchanged texts with a mom in Eastern Washington for 12 hours who considered my leadership at the SGN: Seattle Gay News to be a threat to her family. She literally saw me as the leader of “Transtifa" and promoting a dangerous agenda that mutilates children, encourages pedophilia, and ultimately will lead to the downfall of the United States. 

With every text, I would send this woman truthful information. She couldn't hear it. That is why people like Kirk are part of the problem, feeding misinformation... even when a quick prompt to ChatGPT could provide clarity. 

For example, Kirk was recently quoted as saying after the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church, "The Trans movement is radicalizing the mentally ill into becoming violent terrorists who target children for murder."

We are going to hear a lot of words being thrown around in the next few weeks: hero, patriot, etc. I guess that is a matter of perspective and one's political ideology. It never really solves anything.

Until Trump's recent attempts to rewrite or whitewash history, we tended to uphold the memories of people of the past who — through their acts, words, or deeds — were able to break through the noise.

I don't know who that person or those people will be at this critical juncture, but until then, those of us at the margins have no choice but to resist. And, when necessary, throw a wrench into the works. But at the end of the day, is that going to bring the two sides closer? I don't think so.

While people like me don't have the luxury of silence, we can't afford to disengage either. No one can tell our story better than we can. And maybe, through that effort, understanding can happen.