WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama delivered the following statement Sunday afternoon on the tragic shooting that took place overnight in Orlando, Florida.
“Today, as Americans, we grieve the brutal murder — a horrific massacre — of dozens of innocent people. We pray for their families, who are grasping for answers with broken hearts. We stand with the people of Orlando, who have endured a terrible attack on their city. Although it is still early in the investigation, we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and act of hate. And as Americans, we are united in our grief, our outrage and our resolve to defend our people.
“I just finished a meeting with FBI Director Comey and my homeland security and national security advisors. The FBI is on the scene and leading the investigation, in partnership with local law enforcement. I’ve directed that the full resources of the federal government be made available for this investigation.
“We’re still learning all the facts. This is an open investigation. We’ve reached no definitive judgment on the precise motivations of the killer. The FBI is appropriately investigating this as an act of terrorism. And I have directed that we must spare no effort to determine what — if any — inspiration or association this killer may have had with terrorist groups. What’s clear is that he was a person filled with hatred. Over the coming days, we will uncover why and how this happened, and we’ll go wherever the facts lead us.
“This morning I spoke with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and conveyed the condolences of the entire American people. This could have been any one of our communities. So I told Mayor Dyer that whatever help that he and the people of Orlando need – they’re going to get it. As a country, we are going to be there for the people of Orlando today, tomorrow and all the days to come.
“We also express our profound gratitude to all the police and first responders who rushed into harm’s way. Their courage and professionalism saved lives, and kept the carnage from being worse. It’s the kind of sacrifice that our law enforcement professionals make every day for us all. We can never thank them enough.
“This is an especially heartbreaking day for all our friends — our fellow Americans — who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The shooter targeted a nightclub where people came together to be with friends, to dance and sing-to live. The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub — it’s a place of solidarity and empowerment where people have long come together to raise awareness, speak their mind and advocate for their civil rights. So this is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American — regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation — is an attack on all of us and on the fundamental values of equality and dignity that define us as a country. And no act of hate or terror will ever change who we are or the values that make us Americans.
“Today marks the most deadly shooting in American history. The shooter was apparently armed with a handgun and a powerful assault rifle. This massacre is therefore a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that lets them shoot people in a school, or a house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a nightclub. We have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be. And to actively do nothing — that’s a decision, too.
“In the coming hours and days, we’ll learn about the victims of this tragedy. Their names. Their faces. The joy they brought to families and friends. The difference they made in this world. Say a prayer for them and their families — that God give them the strength to bear the unbearable. That He give all of us the strength to be there for them, and the courage to change. We need to demonstrate that we are defined more – as a country — by the way they lived their lives, than by the hate of the man who took them from us.
“As we go forward together, we’ll draw inspiration from heroic and selfless acts — friends who helped friends, took care of each other and saved lives. In the face of hate and violence, we will love another. We will not give in to fear or turn on each other. Instead, we will stand together, united, as Americans, to protect our people, defend our nation and take action against those who threaten us.
“May God bless the Americans we lost this morning. May He comfort their families. And may God continue to watch over this country we love.”
Zionist Organization of America issued the following statement:
Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) President Morton A. Klein released the following statement:
Much of the Muslim world has an extraordinary sometimes lethal hatred of LGBT people. That’s why in January (2016), the very first sentence of a ZOA Op-Ed in the Jewish Exponent stated: “Syrian immigrants pose a grave danger to all Americans – and especially to American Jews and gays.” Also, in December 2015, ZOA’s detailed article, entitled ZOA Opposes Bringing in ISIS Infiltrated Syrian Refugees (subtitled “ZOA Criticizes ADL, AJC, Reform, for Joining Anti-Israel CAIR, MPAC, Presby. in Letter Supporting Syrian Refugees”) explained that increased immigration of ISIS-infiltrated and Hamas and Hezbollah-sympathetic Syrian immigrants would lead to “Increased Crimes Against Women And Increased Hatred Toward Gays.” ZOA’s December article also stated: “As the head of Germany’s Jewish community noted when he implored Angela Merkel to place a quota limiting Muslim refugees: “Don’t only think about the Jews, think about equal rights for women and the treatment of homosexuals.”
And just two days before the Orlando massacre, in ZOA’s June 9, 2016, press release entitled New Information From Europe Confirms Terrorists Among Syrian Asylum Seekers, ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said: “The ZOA has been saying since last year that the Syrian migrants pose a grave danger to all Americans –– and especially to American Jews and gays.”
Radical Islamic terrorist Omar Mateen’s horrific slaughter of 49 innocent people and wounding of 53 more at Orlando’s Pulse gay nightclub sadly underscores why we need to heed ZOA’s warnings and top U.S. government officials’ warnings against bringing in ISIS-infiltrated, Hezbollah and Hamas-sympathizing immigrants. Mateen was the son of an Afghan Muslim immigrant sympathetic to the Taliban. Importing more people with almost worthless vetting (as stated by FBI chief Comey, Cong Peter King, and National Intelligence head, James Clapper) infiltrated by those who share these ideologies increases the danger to all Americans – especially Jews, gays, and other minority communities. (As ZOA also wrote last month, Pres. Obama’s drastic reduction of the vetting time to only 3 months has further increased the danger to the American public.)
It is time for liberal groups that support LGBT rights to wake up to the dangers posed by radical Islam, and to stop pushing for increased immigration that will exacerbate these dangers.
Unfortunately, groups such as HIAS, Inc. (which used to be the “Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society”) and the Anti-Defamation League (“ADL”) continue to push to increase the number of (ISIS-infiltrated) Syrian refugees admitted into the United States. ADL included a plug for Muslim refugees in ADL’s press release condemning the Orlando massacre. HIAS receives millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars each year to resettle Syrian refugees; HIAS’s 2014 information filing (the most recent year available) shows that HIAS received over $19.5 million of government grants in 2014. HIAS in turn gives grants to other organizations to act as refugee resettlement subcontractors, which have joined HIAS in calling for the United States to admit more refugees. On the same weekend as the slaughter in Orlando, HIAS falsely blogged that the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (which fell on the same weekend) teaches to welcome refugees.
In fact, as a previous ZOA article explained in detail, Jewish law teaches us to have strong borders to keep out enemies, and teaches us to avoid actions (such as importing an ISIS and Hezbollah-infiltrated population) that endanger ourselves and our American countrymen and women. Jewish law also speaks of not taunting or oppressing righteous strangers who accept moral laws; this is not a call for bringing into our country enemies or groups infiltrated by enemies who want to murder Jews, Christians, gays and other minority groups.
It is time for liberal groups that support LGBT rights to wake up to the dangers posed by radical Islam, and to stop pushing for increased immigration that will exacerbate these dangers.
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code says that the punishment for homosexuality is death. Iran executes hundreds of gays each year, usually by hanging them from cranes. The Palestinian Authority (PA)/PLO tortures and persecutes homosexuals, and Hamas imprisons and executes homosexuals in Gaza. Here in the U.S., a Muslim scholar and physician, Dr. Sheikh Farrokh Sekaleshfar, spoke at the Husseini Islamic Center in central Florida near Orlando just a few weeks ago (in April 2016), and was videotaped urging that “the sentence is death” for homosexuality, and to “get rid of” (kill) homosexuals out of “compassion.” Sheikh Sekaleshfar reportedly also urged that the only way for homosexuals to be forgiven is to die.
No other religious group besides radical Islam is calling for homosexuals to be murdered.
Yet, during Q&A after President Obama’s remarks yesterday (June 13), President Obama appeared to downplay radical Islam’s unique present-day calls for the slaughter of gays by blaming “a lot of” religious groups’ attitudes toward homosexuals.
When asked about the “LGBT angle,” President Obama stated: “Well, I think we don’t yet know the motivations. But here’s what we do know — is organizations like ISIL or organizations like al Qaeda, or those who have perverted Islam and created these radical, nihilistic, vicious organizations, one of the groups that they target are gays and lesbians because they believe that they do not abide by their attitudes towards sexuality. . . . I’m sure we will find that there are connections — regardless of the particular motivations of this killer — there are connections between this vicious, bankrupt ideology [ISIL and al Qaeda] and general attitudes towards gays and lesbians. And unfortunately, that’s something that the LGBT community is subject to not just by ISIL but by a lot of groups that purport to speak on behalf of God around the world.”
The President’s seeming attempt to dilute and cast blame elsewhere is unfortunately not surprising. President Obama’s speeches after radical Islamist terrorist Omar Mateen slaughtered so many innocent people once again failed to clearly define and focus on the enemy “radical Islamic terrorism” to describe the massacre – despite the fact that Mateen called 9-1-1 in the midst of the massacre to pledge loyalty to the Islamic State and to express solidarity with the Islamist Boston Marathon bombers and an Islamist al Nusra (al Qaeda affiliate) suicide bomber from Florida. And despite the fact that Omar Mateen told co-workers in 2013 that he was a member of the radical Islamist anti-Israel organization Hezbollah. And despite the fact that massacres in France, San Bernardino, Brussels, Israel, and elsewhere are committed by radical Islamist terrorists-not Buddhist,Hindu,Christian,or Jewish terrorists. It’s time to start hitting ISIS with a thousand sorties a day, as recommended by military experts, not the ten to thirty a day we’re now perpetrating.
Those who care about the lives of all Americans and our minorities should stop promoting dangerous immigration policies that increase the presence of radical Islamists and their deadly ideologies.
American Jewish World Service issued the following statement:
American Jewish World Service and Its Partners Around the World Call for Justice for Those Murdered in Orlando, and for LGBT Communities Worldwide
NEW YORK – American Jewish World Service (AJWS) and the human rights organizations it funds around the world mourn the loss of life in the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando. AJWS and its partners, who work every day for the rights and dignity of LGBT people and others who experience violence and oppression, released the following statements in response to the Orlando shooting:
Statement of Robert Bank, Incoming President of American Jewish World Service
“I am horrified by this past weekend’s murderous and hateful attack on LGBT people in Orlando. In the wake of this atrocity, I am joining with the AJWS community to pause, remember and mourn—so we can find the strength to fight another day.
“I feel fortunate and inspired to be part of the AJWS community, which supports activists fighting for the human rights of LGBT people and others who face hatred and violence on a daily basis. In my travels, I have met dozens of activists who are building a better future for LGBT people, often in the face of great danger. Essy, a lesbian woman in Kenya, trains ministers, imams and police officers to treat LGBT Kenyans with respect; Nicholas, a human rights lawyer in Uganda, persuaded his country’s highest court to declare the draconian Anti-Homosexuality Law unconstitutional; Dayanara, a Nicaraguan trans woman, overcame a life of hardship and is now organizing other trans women to fight for their right to healthcare, safety and housing. These are just a few examples among many.
“I know that the courageous activists whom AJWS supports throughout the developing world are mourning with us. They are Muslim, Christian, Hindu and secular. Now, they are standing in solidarity with LGBT people in the U.S., just as we stand in solidarity with them.
“I, along with my colleagues and our partners at AJWS, have devoted much of our lives fighting for the dignity and human rights of LGBT people around the world, and this tragedy is only strengthening our resolve to pursue justice.”
AJWS has received the following statements from human rights organizations supported by AJWS:
Statement from Liberia Women Empowerment Network (LIWEN), Liberia
“LIWEN identifies with and is saddened by this weekend’s attack on the LGBTI community in the USA. May the souls of the innocent victims rest in peace.”
Statement from Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India (SAATHI), India
“The mass shooting at Pulse resonates with those of us who have faced intolerance, hatred and violence simply for being who we are. The lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex, queer, ally and other (LGBTIQA+) communities in Imphal, Manipur, stand in solidarity with the families of the victims of this senseless crime. In doing so, we join cities around the country and the world in expressing our grief over this event.”
Statement from Transgender Network of Liberia (TNOL), Liberia
“We must continue to stand together and continue to work towards a world that is free from hatred and negativity. The equality of each human being is and will remain [the core of] our commitment to our global community and to the human race as a whole. If just one human being is bullied or terrorized or not given equality, then all of us need to come to their aid to insure complete and utter freedom in all aspects.”
Statement from Women’s Initiative (WINS), India
“We express our profound sense of loss and grief and alarm over the gruesome attack on the gay community in Orlando. This treacherous act was carried out against free citizens, in a safe place, where they simply wanted to be themselves, removed from the discrimination and homophobia that all-too-often plague our world. We want to instill confidence in the rest of our LGBTIQ community members in India and all over the world that justice will prevail, and that we share the same earth with the same concerns, and stand united against all odds. Our heart goes out to the departed souls and we stand by their families and friends in this hour of grief. Our love to them. We hail them.”
The Libertarian party issued this comment:
ALEXANDRIA — Nicholas Sarwark, Chair of the Libertarian National Committee, issued the following statement today:
Despite the horrific loss of life and the dozens more injured by a spiteful, deranged shooter in Orlando yesterday, the forces of hate are losing the battle against the vast majority of peaceful individuals who want social tolerance. But Americans remain at risk of more mass shootings.
Hundreds of individuals from all backgrounds lined up in the Florida heat for hours to give blood to the victims of this tragedy. Millions of Americans nationwide share the grief of this moment and express their sympathy in vigils and social media. The outpouring of love and support from caring people is what truly makes America great.
Government can neither protect us from people who hate, nor can it provide the love and support of people who, by nature, care for their fellow man. But government can greatly reduce the likelihood of mass shootings by getting out of the way of people who want to defend themselves and others.
Without missing a beat, old party politicians recycled their calls for more failed and deadly policies.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump demonizes Muslims, failing to distinguish hateful and mentally ill individuals from the millions of peaceful Muslims who strongly condemn acts of violence.
Democrat Barack Obama calls for more deadly restrictions and prohibitions on the rights of peaceful, responsible gun owners to stop shooters and minimize their impact.
The Libertarian Party is the only political party calling for sensible, serious policy change that would reduce the frequency of mass shootings as well as minimize the damage they do.
Virtually all mass shootings happen in “gun-free” zones. Regardless of the ideology of the shooter or the type of weapons used, the common link is that the event occurs where responsible gun owners are prohibited from carrying arms for self-defense.
The Pulse nightclub was a “gun-free” zone.
The Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California was a “gun-free” zone.
The Bataclan nightclub in Paris was a “gun-free” zone.
The schools in Newtown, Connecticut and Columbine, Colorado were “gun-free” zones.
Fort Hood was a “gun-free” zone.
In each of these mass killings, the government prohibited people from exercising their life-saving right to self-defense.
Government-mandated “gun-free” zones disarm those who want to defend themselves and their loved ones.
“Gun-free” zones create killing fields for mass murderers who, by definition, do not care what the law says.
Self-defense is a fundamental human right. Every person has a right to defend herself and her loved ones against someone who would do them harm. When government takes away the right of self-defense, it is violating a fundamental human right and endangering its citizens.
The choice of whether and how to defend oneself is a profoundly personal one. The government should not mandate that every American carry a gun for personal self-defense, nor should it mandate that every American must rely on police for protection.
The beauty of the right to self-defense is that it keeps the criminals guessing as to who has a gun and who does not. This deters mass shooters from even trying.
The Libertarian Party supports freedom of choice, and calls for the government to stop denying our human rights.
Our thoughts, prayers, and love go out to the friends and families of those slain or harmed in Orlando. We owe it to them, and to all citizens, to do what we can to stop tragedies like this in the future.
How many more mass shootings will occur before we demand that our government stop violating our fundamental human right to self-defense?
No more government-mandated “gun-free” zones. No more government-created killing fields where madmen can slay innocent people.
No more!
The American Jewish Congress issued this statement:
In response to the terror attack in Orlando over the weekend, which left at least 49 killed and 53 wounded, American Jewish Congress (AJCongress) President Jack Rosen issued the following statement:
“This heinous act of terror, which indiscriminately targeted members of Florida’s LGBT community during Pride Month, is one of the most senseless, barbaric and horrifying tragedies our country has witnessed in modern times. We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms and send our deepest condolences to the families affected. As we mourn the innocent victims, our thoughts and prayers will remain with Orlando. We can not afford to give in to terror, fear and hate. We must remain united through the common bonds of freedom we all share as Americans, no matter our religion, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation.”
Keshet, an organization for Jewish LGBTQ in Boston, issued the following statement:
Yesterday, like many others in our community this month, I marched in a Pride Parade.
The day began with the cheers of the crowd, the release of rainbow confetti, and a group of 50 LGBTQ and ally Jews marching with Keshet in Boston.
Midway through the parade, an 11-year-old, there with his sister and two dads, turned to me and shared, “I’ve never felt so safe walking down the road before.”
When we awoke this morning, that sense of safety had vanished.
All of us at Keshet are devastated by the news of the attack on the gay club in Orlando.
It is sickening that the deadliest mass shooting in American history targeted LGBTQ people during Pride month. When the shooter opened fire, many Jews were observing the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates when the Jewish people stood together at Mt. Sinai. So, too, we stand together in solidarity with the people of Orlando and with LGBTQ people and allies everywhere.
May the memory of all who lost their lives in last night’s attack be for a blessing.
L’Shalom, with prayers for peace,
Idit Klein
Executive Director
The Anti Defamation League issued the following statement:
he Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today expressed shock and horror at the unconscionable attack at The Pulse nightclub in Orlando apparently targeting the LGBTQ community, an attack that is now confirmed as the largest mass shooting in American history and one apparently inspired by an Islamic extremist ideology.
The suspected shooter, 29-year-old Omar Mateen of Fort Pierce, Florida, reportedly pledged allegiance to the terrorist group ISIS, and authorities say he mentioned the Boston Marathon attacks in a 911 call to police as he carried out the shootings, which killed at least 50 people.
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO, issued the following statement:
Although details are still emerging, an attack on a prominent Orlando gay club at the start of Pride Month on a night that celebrated the Latino community has all the markers of both an unconscionable hate crime and an act of terrorism on a scale we have not before witnessed in America.
This heinous attack on a nightclub serving the LGBTQ community is yet another reminder of the serious threat posed by the Islamic State terrorist group, which has inspired attacks against Jews in Belgium, journalists in France, civilians in San Bernardino and now LGBTQ men and women in America.
It also is yet another barbaric act of terrorism in a week that has seen brutal bombings across Iraq, an attack on a cafe in Tel Aviv, and now this tragedy. It reminds us that terrorism is a danger to all. We must continue to fight this threat against democracy and pluralism with all of the tools available and by exposing those who perpetrate hateful ideologies of violence and extremism.
We must remember that Americans should not blame all Muslims for the actions of one individual. Whether citizens like the individual suspected of committing this act or war-torn refugees seeking safety, we must remember that we do not define people by their faith. We are deeply concerned that this attack could lead to a backlash against American Muslims. We urge all Americans to not fight hatred with hatred, but rather to come together around our common values of decency and respect.
At this time of sadness and tragedy, we express our full solidarity with members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. During this time of year when we celebrate Pride, they should know that they are not alone. As we mourn the victims and extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those lost, we will redouble our resolve to fight against the forces of hatred and extremism that led to this barbaric act of hatred.
ADL’s Florida Regional Office is in contact with the lead investigating agencies and the local LGBTQ community of South Florida to offer support and other resources. Despite the casualties, we applaud the work of law enforcement and salute these officers whose courage and professionalism appears to have saved many lives.
U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) issued the following statement:
“My heart is breaking for the victims of this brutal attack, and for their families. I offer my thanks to the brave first responders and law enforcement officers who ran into danger to put an end to the slaughter and help the victims.
“Without knowing the motive or all of the details, an act of violence this massive shakes us all to our cores. To think that this could have been targeted at Orlando’s LGBT community, that the largest mass shooting in our history is also a hate crime, is horrifying.
“Confronting individual threats within our borders is one of the most difficult security challenges we face. As we come to know exactly what led to this attack, I pray that my colleagues and I can come together finally to take decisive steps to prevent criminals and suspected terrorists from obtaining weapons of war and keep all Americans safe.”
San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria issued the following statement:
“The brutal massacre in Orlando which took 50 innocent lives and injured 53 more is an attack on all Americans and our values of freedom and inclusion that are the foundation of our nation” said Councilmember Gloria. “I ask San Diegans to keep the victims and their loved ones in their hearts today.”
“Since early this morning I have been in communication with the Mayor’s Office, San Diego Police Chief Shelly Zimmerman, and local leaders in our LGBT community to make certain that we are doing all we can to ensure public safety locally. We will protect our residents as we stand in solidarity with people across the nation mourning last night’s tragic events.”
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Councilmember Gloria will be joining civic and LGBT community leaders at the San Diego Pride Flag monument at Normal Street and University Avenue at a vigil scheduled for Monday, June 13 at 6:30 p.m. The Pride Flag has been lowered to half staff in honor of the victims of the Orlando mass shooting.
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs issued the following statement:
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) expresses its outrage at the horrific shootings at the Pulse night club whose clientele is the LGBTQ community in Orlando. According to President Obama, this act marks the deadliest shooting in the history of the country.
“This is an act of terrorism and a mass hate crime,” stated David Bernstein, JCPA’s President and CEO. “We offer our heartfelt condolences to all of the families who were affected and wish a full recovery to all those injured.”
“We know that the authorities will do everything in their power to establish the motives behind these crimes and spare no effort in bringing to justice all the responsible parties” he stated. “We urge the citizens of the United States to stand together neighbor to neighbor against hate crimes, terrorism and intolerance.”