June 12 was the official one-year anniversary of the massacre that took place at Pulse nightclub.  Pulse is a popular gay bar in Orlando that was invaded by one individual who murdered 49 innocent people.  How the shooter thought that taking this action would be effective when it comes to the big picture or that it was a good idea will always remain a mystery to me.  It was and still is viewed as a horrific tragedy that was entirely unnecessary.
This incident occurred in 2016, in a time period in which being part of the LGBTQIA+ community was and still is not something that needs to be hidden or ashamed of.  For whatever reason that I will never fully be capable of understanding, the shooter did not agree.
This shooting acts as an attack on an entire community, and is the epitome of a hate crime. Vigils were held on June 12 as a way to remember the 49 victims of this particular hate crime. In today’s times, I do not think that hate crimes should have to be at the forefront of anyone’s mind, and yet they play a prevalent role in some people’s lives.
Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community was supposedly accepted by the public slowly but surely over the years.  Major breakthroughs have been made in recent years, but this grotesque crime shook members of that community to their cores. Members of our society should not need to live in fear simply because of their sexual orientation and who they love.  In my opinion, there are so many other issues going on in the world that everyone should be concerned about. As long as everyone is happy in their relationships, the gender of the person another person is in a relationship with should not matter.  They should not have to be concerned about the possibility of being a victim of a hate crime.
In lighter news, the month of June is Pride month, which is cause for celebration!  Pride parades are happening across the country and the two-year anniversary of same-sex marriage being legal nationwide is quickly approaching.  This month is dubbed Pride month in recognition of the movements in place to defend the progress of gay since Stonewall in 1969.
Hate crimes are absurd and completely unnecessary.  The Pulse massacre is a perfect example of a hate crime, and I do not think there is any logic that could legitimately justify such a crime from a legal or moral perspective.