Yet another mass shooting has occurred in Colorado, United States, after a suspect walked into Club Q and began to shoot at the crowd. The tragic death of five people was reported, along with over 17 injuries. The suspect was arrested minutes after the shooting, but the public is angry and tired of hearing about these hate crimes.
Club Q is known to be the only LGBTQIA+ club in the area and it becoming the target of a deranged person raised questions about hate crimes and their punishment. Paramore couldn’t stay silent about the shooting and shared a long message about how events like these must be politicized.
“The hatred and the prejudice against any marginalized group is historically political,” asserted the band’s statement. “And did you think that these prejudices stop at the polls? It is a ‘chicken-or-the-egg’ type scenario. The shit that we take to our respective soapboxes echoes on forever. You’re either perpetuating love or perpetuating hatred. Anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric is hatred, be it in policy or a locker room conversation.”
Even though the police are still investigating to ensure this event was a hate crime, Paramore sounded convinced of the fact and called for politicians and people with power to do something about it. Their main concern was how people in power have normalized hatred when they have the choice to be supportive of love.
The band’s statement continued, “Politicians and other powerful people have a choice. Just like walking into a nightclub full of human beings and taking their lives was a choice in favor of hatred. If you spew hate and it echoes, expect an infinite amount of potential outcomes. Including people coming to the conclusion that maybe it’s time to start holding people accountable for the way their power to divide and normalize hatred.”
The band concluded their words by stressing that they stand in solidarity with the victims of this and any hate crime. “Our hearts go to the entire community in Colorado Springs, the LGBTQIA+ community and the families and friends who lost precious people are more than just a statistic or a headline.”
Unfortunately, mass shootings fueled by hatred have become quite common in the United States. The laws that allow any civilian to purchase guns don’t seem to be helping either. Paramore publicly condemned the shooting and the issues surrounding these crimes, and they made sure those who were affected by the horrifying events knew that Paramore stood by them.
— paramore (@paramore) November 22, 2022
