WDC Statement Following the Q Club Shootings in Colorado Springs

The Women’s Democratic Club of Utah stands in solidarity with those impacted by Saturday’s mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, ironically and perhaps deliberately, on the eve of Trans Remembrance Day. We mourn the dead with those bereaved. We send our love, concern, and healing prayers for the many injured. We will give our comfort and friendship to those in our LGBTQ+ communities who fear for their safety in the face of escalating violence targeted against them. We condemn violence in all forms and especially against the marginalized, whether it be the LGBTQ+ community; racial, ethnic, or religious minorities; or women.

Accordingly, we call on our legislature to end its efforts to further marginalize the marginalized through laws that can only be described as hate legislation. We further call on it to help curb gun violence in our communities by passing common-sense gun safety legislation. While this incident targeted the LGBTQ+ community, the pattern is all too familiar—these incidents have targeted schools, synagogues, movie theaters, concerts, and grocery stores. Thoughts and prayers are not enough.

Similarly, we call on communities of faith to end policies and rhetoric of bigotry and exclusion, noting that the core teachings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all proclaim the dignity and worth of all. We do not yet know the killer’s motives, but we note that Colorado Springs headquarters many conservative non-profit religious organizations, many of whom openly engage in homophobic rhetoric, pressuring legislative bodies nationwide to encode their beliefs into law. Tragically, those beliefs have driven many LGBTQ+ youth from their homes and in far too many cases ultimately to suicide. It is time for people of faith to look inward and understand that words and policies have consequences. Be pro-life.