Black and white photos of the vigils and protests stare out at us from newspaper pages, testimonies to the fact that the quest for equality is no longer one sided. We are all in this together. Gay rights is not the only issue that demands the support of the entire community. As accountable individuals in a society, we are responsible for working to end the prejudice, racism and intolerance that separate us on every level. Straights need to oppose homophobia, whites must fight racism, men should be feminist.
Causal community begins with sympathy, then moves toward action.
If reading propels you to care, the next step is to do something about the outrage the event has inspired in you. Intolerance and hatred of any segment of society hurts the community as a whole. Sometimes it's just hard to realize this if you have never been a victim yourself. If you're not motivated by obligation, then you ought to be motivated by fear. When the shifting winds of intolerance turn, it could be you who suffers.