Blog
A few words (and resources) on Orlando
Posted on June 17, 2016
In the aftermath of this week’s tragedy in Orlando, our Coldspring Center team wants to dedicate this blog post to offering condolences to the victim’s families and friends, the LGBTQ community in Florida, and to all of the helpers supporting those who have been impacted. We know that the pain is felt far beyond Florida, and we hope that our Matt’s Mumblings Blog community can come together to support one another through this difficult time. We hope this week’s post can serve as an avenue for us to reflect, connect, share feelings, and discuss a way forward together; please feel free to express your feelings in the comments section. As we are far too familiar with these days, the news and media coverage have focused on sensationalized details of the mass shooting that could make many of us feel more confused and scared. We’ve chosen two articles to share with you that we feel might guide our blog community into a more productive conversation.
The first article we have selected to share with you represents a different perspective on the issues that relate to the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study and the trauma work we do. This article highlights the paradigm shift that we teach in our trauma informed care trainings, questioning what happened to a person rather than focusing solely on their negative behavior. Using this trauma informed lens can help us reflect on where interventions may have prevented such a tragedy, and where to focus efforts as we move forward.
Time and again: This time, Orlando
The second link that we point you to offers suggestions of what individuals can do now to support Orlando and each other.
How To Help Orlando Shooting Victims And Their Families
More than ever, we want to let you know how grateful we are for the work you do. We hope you are all taking care of yourselves during this hard time. If any of you feel you need a refresher in self-care, we would be happy to provide free access to our Thrive: Self-Care Online Training as a form of support. For free access to this resource, please email Help@coldspringcenter.org by the end of July and reference “LoveForOrlando” in the email subject line. We are proud to stand with you for change, to help others realize that all lives matter and that hatred and blame will not solve our problems.
Sending love and hope to our community,
Bettina, Brooke, Kate, and Matt
Thank you so much, Matt and Coldspring. This means more to me than you will ever know.
Thanks for your feedback Karen.
Love is the target. No analysis has expressed, yet, this element of the array of crimes that occur. The Orlando attack, in which 49 persons were killed at Pulse, was related to the others; it is not an isolated case, but one of a pattern of aggressions against all religious faiths; against all of those who do good. God is Love. Extremism is out to ruin God (love). Witness church burnings and synagogue burnings and mosque burnings; and domestic violence, etc. At Pulse, the population of LGBT who are Latin strikes at the complex targets of hate, for all Latin people are targets. My analysis stems from Nazi history in Europe, my own experience and research and observations over decades. I offer my sympathy to all sufferers and their families. Let us be strong in the confidence of our goodness, and stand firm to protect our families and freedoms. Let us love on.
Joy is a target. The image of good people enjoying themselves is to be erased. The pursuit of happiness is anathema to those who hate democracy. Such attacks are arranged. He who conducted the massacre was likely supported by more than his ex-wife, who allegedly helped him. The expanse of Divine identity may be judged in the following verses from the Bible, in John 1: 3,4,5. We discern the feminine aspect of God: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control: these are the “fruits of the spirit,” as listed in the Epistle of Galatians, in the New Testament. The origin of the term “fruit” to signify a gay man may have been taken from this passage. (Galatian,s chapter 5) The intention of evil would be to ridicule the Scriptures here. Each trait listed would be a target for mitigation or erasure.
Thanks again for your thoughtful insight my friend!
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control: these are the “fruits of the spirit,” as listed in the Epistle of Galatians, in the New Testament. The origin of the term “fruit” to signify a gay man may have been taken from this passage. (Galatian,s chapter 5) The intention of evil would be to ridicule the Scriptures here. Each trait listed would be a target for mitigation or erasure.
Thanks again for your thoughtful insight my friend!
Thanks for your feedback Karen.