Another act of pointless carnage

As the Orlando massacre became the worst mass shooting in American history early Sunday, it demonstrated again humans’ vast capacity to harm one another senselessly.

In this case, the lone gunman may have thought he was serving two causes. According to news reports, he expressed allegiance to the Islamic State via a 911 call, and he indirectly expressed antipathy toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by targeting a popular LGBT bar and dance club. His father told NBC News his son had been outraged two months ago in Miami at the sight of two men kissing.

How could someone who apparently was born and reared in the United States turn on our nation in favor of Islamic extremism and terrorism? How could anyone believe it honors God to kill fellow human beings at all, let alone because of whom they love? And why couldn’t this soulless individual have kept his hate to himself, rather than perpetrate it on people simply trying to enjoy themselves on a warm June night?

Yet because of his actions, 50 families are grieving. Dozens more people are suffering from physical injuries and emotional trauma.

And the nation once again is coming together in shock, prayer and a search for answers and remedies.

There will be debate over whether easy access to high-powered guns makes us more or less secure, and what else we might to do fortify the homeland against terror attacks small and large. Even as we desperately wish the bloodshed would stop, we know it surely won’t.

But Americans’ gratitude goes to the law enforcement officers who prevented the Orlando gunman from ending more lives in the latest act of pointless carnage.

This story was originally published June 13, 2016 at 12:08 AM with the headline "Another act of pointless carnage."