Carper on Orlando massacre: “focus love on those who suffer”

As the ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, U.S. Senator Tom Carper of Delaware Carper weighed in on the massive shooting at an Orlando nightclub. 

 

As the aftermath of Sunday morning’s deadly shooting in Orlando settled into what has become similar refrains from many in the political arena, Senator Carper talked to reporters in Dover about the need to focus on the victims and their families. “While we focus our fire and our fury on ISIS and those who would try to do us in, we need to also focus love on those who suffer today.”

Carper added that the types of people attracted to ISIS and these types of mass shootings are typically loners who are looking for a big event to make their life memorable. “We always have to be especially mindful on the heels of whether it be 9/11 or this shooting or what happened in San Bernardino, very mindful of the threat of copycats. It’s especially important for particularly folks of the Muslim faith to be a part of the team that’s speaking out and saying to young people: ‘don’t do this.'”

Delaware’s other U.S. Senator Chris Coons issued a statement on the shooting on Monday, calling the killings an attack on our freedoms. “Rather than encouraging us to question our values, this tragedy should cause us to redouble our basic commitments to freedom, acceptance and openess,” Coons said.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services announced some resources available to the community in response to the shooting. Adults and young people struggling with grief can contact Delaware’s help hotline by dialing 2-1-1. “Many of our hearts were broken yesterday as we woke up and learned about the Orlando shooting,” said DHSS Secretary Rita Landgraf. “Now is the time to wrap ourselves around our LGBT youth, and indeed the entire community, and say we stand with you as our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends and co-workers.”

A vigil is planned for Wednesday night at the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew in downtown Wilmington. A time of prayer and reflection will be held in the church sanctuary starting at 5:30 p.m.