In response to this morning’s mass shooting in Orlando, People For the American Way President Michael Keegan issued the following statement:

“On behalf of all the members of People For the American Way, I want to express my deepest sympathy to all those affected by today’s shooting. The victims, their families and the entire Orlando LGBT community are in our thoughts.

“But our sympathies are not enough. This tragedy, the worst mass shooting in American history, is the result of a toxic brew of intolerance and easy access to firearms. Today is a heartbreaking reminder that despite decades of progress, anti-LGBT hatred and violence is still a deadly reality, and it’s crucial that we recommit ourselves to challenging bigotry in all its forms. It’s a reminder, too, that a nation awash in guns isn’t inevitable. It’s the result of policy choices driven by pro-gun extremists and enabled by politicians who refuse to stand up to them. Our elected leaders could take sensible steps to keep weapons of war away from those who would use them to murder innocent people. They’ve simply chosen not to.

“As we mourn the victims of this horrible tragedy, it would be inexcusable to ignore the steps we can take to prevent the next one.”

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