In a somewhat surprising move, the Senate has unanimously voted to designate the Pulse Nightclub as a National Memorial. The move comes just days before the 5th anniversary of the horrific shooting that left 49 people dead and led to a standoff with the police. It was the deadliest mass shooting in American history until the Las Vegas shooting just a year later.
What’s really surprising is that every horrifically anti-LGBTQ Senator voted to commemorate the Pulse Nightclub, which is perplexing considering that these same senators are currently propagating fear and hatred against the LGBTQ community and are trying to unleash a flurry of anti-LGBTQ legislation in states across the nation.
However, CBS Orlando might have found the reason why Republicans are onboard. According to the news site, “The bill states the site shall not require or permit Federal funds to be used for any purpose related to the site.” So, in essence, since no tax dollars were on the line, this could have been an easy way for Republicans to hide their bigotry and avoid an unwanted backlash.
Recently, Governor DeSantis of Florida blocked funding for mental health services for the survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting, along with a string of other anti-LGBTQ legislation. Hopefully, by being designated a National Memorial site this will ensure that the event is never forgotten, never erased from history, and never downplayed or altered.