In response to continued inaction by Congress on gun reform, Pride Fund officially launched in Orlando highlighting those impacted by the Pulse nightclub tragedy.
ORLANDO, FL.– Pride Fund to End Gun Violence launched last night in Orlando. Survivors of the June 12 Pulse nightclub shooting and family members of victims joined Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan and Pride Fund Executive Director Jason Lindsay at the Hammered Lamb to kick off Pride Fund’s presence in The City Beautiful.
“Today we are here to call on all members of Congress to take action. We are here to say ENOUGH. We will no longer take the status quo. Too many people have been taken from us and too many more will continue to be murdered until sensible gun policies become law,” said Jason Lindsay, Founder and Executive Director of Pride Fund. “Pride Fund gives the LGBTQ community and its allies a strong, concentrated voice to fight back against the gun lobby and its puppet politicians who are unwilling to act on this important issue.”
Commissioner Sheehan called out the red herring tossed to Orlando and the LGBTQ community by politicians and others who only send “thoughts and prayers” to heal her community by saying, “I have to make tough decisions all day long as an elected official. I could not stomach the endless parade of spineless cowards who came to our city to say this is not the time to talk about guns, and they stood in the victims’ blood while they said it.” Continuing to call out the silent treatment that many prefer, Sheehan continued, “They would prefer that we simply hold moments of silence for the victims. They want us to shut up.
The NRA is laughing at us as we sit in silence. I will be silent no more! Harvey Milk said “Hope must never be silent” — we must no longer be silent. We want sensible gun legislation now. Join the Pride Fund. This is what we have to do. We have join together. We have to form our own PAC to elect people who will protect the LGBT community to protect us from weapons of mass destruction. Join us. We have to save our own community to save our own lives.”
“We at the Pride Fund are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with this strong, resilient community,” added Lindsay. “Yesterday, at our official Orlando launch party we committed ourselves to holding Congress and the gun lobby accountable, so they can no longer get away with ignoring the cries from their constituents who demand common sense gun reforms.”
In his moving speech, Pulse shooting survivor Brandon Wolf moved attendees and attacked politicians who would use this tragedy for their own political gain, “They’ll tell you to “stay strong” so they can use you as a step ladder to reelection. March [Rubio] said Orlando is the reason he’s back in the race. That he needed to fight for us. Well guess what? We don’t need you, Marco. Orlando doesn’t need your manufactured pity. My pain is not your stepping stool. My best friends did NOT die to revive your failed career.”
Commissioner Sheehan ended her comments with a plea for everyone to work to ensure the LGBTQ community’s safety, “This is probably the most important thing that we’ve done since ACT-UP for AIDS, for all the protections that we have put in place, now we have to protect our young people from gun violence.”
About the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence
Pride Fund to End Gun Violence (Pride Fund) is a Political Action Committee (PAC), organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect pro-LGBTQ candidates at the national level who support sensible gun reforms.
