A Rise in Anti-LGBTQ Hate Crime
After another mass shooting, 5 people are dead and 18 are wounded at a Colorado LGBTQ Nightclub, on November 19. One of the oldest LGBTQ nightclubs in Colorado Springs, Club Q, hosts many events including drag queen shows. This attack on the LGBTQ community was considered a hate crime, targeting those in the commmunity specifically as a way to hurt LGBTQ people. The suspect of this horrendous hate crime was 22-year old Anderson Aldrich, who entered the club with firepower including an AR-rifle and handgun. Aldrich once entering the club, was stopped by 2 brave patrons of the club, who ran at the gunman and beat him down quickly before he was able to harm more people.
The gunman who directed the attack on the club planned it on the night of a drag show for all ages. One of the two patron who stopped Aldrich was a drag performer who had used their heel to stomp on Aldrich. This attack was not only a clear target toward LGBTQ people, but it follows the trend of increasing hate crimes against LGBTQ people in major cities by 51%. This upward spiral is dangerous as it could lead to increased shootings and fatal attacks on the lives of innocent people.
Aldrich a young adult, grew up in a household with a conservative father, who when interviewed gave homophobic comments and criticisms. Aldrich in the past has been previously arrested for a bomb threat on his own mother. This altercation included Aldrich holding weapons and recording himself threatening to shoot the police officers who were on the scene of his house to stop the bomb threat. Although not being charged for threatening police officers, Aldrich was still able to purchase his weapons the same week of his attack on Club Q. This demonstrates a fail in red flag laws and police involvement on Aldrich’s past. The laws if implemented correctly may have been able to stop Aldrich, or even had Aldrich already held in prison for his bomb threats.
This shooting that targeted the LGBTQ community came only a week after the Senates vote on codifying same-sex marriage laws. This vote passed with a 62-37 majority, which demonstrates how 37 Republicans still refuse to believe that same-sex marriage should be a human right. These 37 law makers can clearly be noted as putting down the LGBTQ community as they are voting against the protection of a people’s legal right to marriage. This right to marriage signifies the normalization of same-sex couples into our world, giving a community of people the equal rights that others have. The 37 votes against this law demonstrates the disdain and mistreatment of the LGBTQ community, and further can lead to others committing hate crimes, inclduing the Colorado Springs shooting later that same week.
The 37 Republicans who voted against codifying same-sex marriage are playing an active role in attempting to make same-sex marriages a taboo. If same-sex marriage becomes a federal right in the US, this will make people more comfortable with different sexualities, and allow for a more accepting and safe society. The same views that these lawmakers hold, legitamizes the hateful actions of the shooter at Club Q. By continuing to vote against progress and acceptance of the LGBTQ community, hate crimes will continue to happen more and more against LGBTQ people. As individuals, we must all welcome the acceptance of LGBTQ people as a normalized community in our world, while batting down the hate and anti-LGBTQ sentiments that continue to circle in many American communities.
