Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Wichita Falls Responds To Orlando Mass Murder With Lucy Park Candlelight Vigil

Via today's Wichita Falls Times Record News, my new town's newspaper of record, I learned a thing or two I did not know before about Wichita Falls.

One being that apparently there is an alternative spelling to Wichita.

Wichtia.

I assumed Wichtia/Wichita Falls had a LGBT community due to the fact that pretty much the entire world has a LGBT community, although some locations on the planet don't recognize this particular reality.

I'll copy four paragraphs from the Times Record News Wichtia Falls’ LGBT community responds to Orlando tragedy article in which you will read a new thing I learned about Wichita Falls....

Mel Martinez is doing something some might see as unexpected following the deadliest mass shooting in the United States.

She is inviting the Islamic Society of Wichita Falls to her church to join its members in praying for the victims of the tragedy that unfolded early Sunday morning, when gunman Omar Mateen killed at least 49 people and injured 53 others, some critically, at a popular gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

Mateen claimed allegiance to the Islamic State and expressed support for the Tsarnaev brothers, who orchestrated the Boston Marathon shooting.

"I've been reminding folks we have to be willing to reach out to one another and learn from each other. ... We need to be proud of the diversity in town," said "Pastor Mel," as she's more popularly known to the congregation of Wichita Falls' Metropolitan Community Church, which she helms. The church, while it is open to everyone, serves the city's gay community.

Does my old home zone in Washington now have an Islamic Society of  Mount Vernon or Burlington or Skagit  County? I have no idea. I do not recollect any Muslim presence of any sort when I lived there.

In addition to inviting the Wichita Falls Islamic Society to her church Pastor Mel has organized a Candlelight Vigil taking place today, at 6:30 pm in Lucy Park. No mention was made of where in Lucy Park the Vigil will take place. It ought not be too difficult to find the spot where people are gathering.

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