Politicians, pundits and media outlets were quick to play the blame game after the horrific terror attack at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando. It is sad how tragedy so quickly deteriorates into political debate. But we should not be surprised, especially as this happened during an already heated election year.
So who or what are we to blame for the attack? A lack of stricter gun control laws? The radicalization of Muslim men by terror groups such as ISIS who have turned their religion into a reason to commit violence? Hatred and discrimination against those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered? The truth is that it seems all of the above played a role in the deranged mind of the man who committed this atrocity.
The United States bishops have consistently called for stricter gun control laws. There is no reason for the average citizen to own an assault rifle. But we would be naïve to claim that it was simply due to a lack of gun control laws that this man killed 49 people. He was clearly using a radicalized version of his religion as a reason. And he clearly targeted the LGBT population.
There is no reason why politicians need to try to use this tragedy to promote one specific aspect of their agenda. We can agree that the reasons are multifaceted, and we should come together as a nation to try to address all of these social ills that contributed to this horrific act.
