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Thursday, June 16, 2016

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com NEWS

“We must continue to stand 

against violence and stand together 
as members of communities, as allies 
and as people affected directly or 
indirectly by this senseless act of vio-
lence,” she wrote. “We are, of course, 
all affected by this tragedy, often in 
different ways. We know that many 
members of our own community 
share the multiple identities with 
those directly impacted by these 
events, and it can make things par-
ticularly difficult for us to learn, to 
study and to care for others.”

An unidentified group of students 

chalked the Diag in rainbow colors 
with the words “Michigan stands 
with Orlando” and “In memory of 
our friends in Orlando” Sunday after 
news of the shooting broke.

In an interview with the Daily, 

Will Sherry, director of the Spec-
trum Center, said they will be host-
ing an open center for students 
Monday and Tuesday for those who 
wish for community in this time of 
tragedy.

“We are a space that seeks to 

create a safe environment where 
LGBTQ students can thrive, he said. 
“We are having our space open for 

people to come and reflect.”

Jeffery Noble and Danny Clergy, 

two University of Michigan alumni 
who were relighting vigil candles 
set up next to the chalking, said they 
had also attended a vigil at Aut Bar. 
The vigil featured speakers from 
several community members, Jim 
Toy, founder of the Spectrum Cen-
ter and Jim Toy Community Center 
and Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher 
Taylor; State Rep. Adam Zemke 
(D- Ann Arbor) was also in atten-
dence. 

In his remarks Taylor empha-

sized the need to use this act of 
violence as a pathway towards 
fighting extremism and hatred in 
a broader sense. 

“What do we do with this?” 

he asked. “We live our lives 
with a renewed commitment 
to speak out against and defeat 
the notion that a gun-riddled 
America is a safer America; to 
speak out against and defeat vio-
lent extremism; and to speak out 
against and defeat rank bigotry in 
all its forms.”

Sherry said the Spectrum Cen-

ter had a presence at the vigil in 
order to pay their respects and 
offer support.

“We were there to be with one 

another and reflect on the sad-

ness of lives lost and to give our 
condolences to the families of the 
victims,” Sherry said.

Noble said he feels the need to 

raise awareness of the need for soci-
etal acceptance and tolerance so that 
it can be a starting point for change.

“I feel that this is the most we 

can do,” he said. “I mean, we want 
to do more, but the only way we 
can help is through publicity and 
getting the word out so that this is 
a cause of change in society.”

The 
shooting 
has 
sparked 

renewed discussions of gun safety 
and hate crimes against members 
of the LGBTQ community.

In his speech, Obama called for 

solidarity with the LGBTQ com-
munity.

“This is an especially heart-

breaking day for all our friends 
— our fellow Americans — who 
are lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans-
gender,” Obama said. “The place 
where they were attacked is more 

than a nightclub — it is a place 
of solidarity and empowerment 
where people have come together 
to raise awareness, to speak their 
minds and to advocate for their 
civil rights. So this is a sober-
ing reminder that attacks on any 
American — regardless of race, 
ethnicity, religion or sexual ori-
entation — is an attack on all of us 
and on the fundamental values of 
equality and dignity that define us 
as a country.”

mentioned the Ann Arbor’s com-
munity’s impressive ability to 
come together and show support 
in such a short notice.

“In the wake of such tragedy, 

it is heartening to know that we 
have the ability to come together 
as a community,” Schlissel said. 
“We are artists and activists, 
leaders and students, faculty, staff 
and community members.”

Schlissel 
finally 
noted 
the 

importance of upholding values in 
the aftermath of violence.

“We must remember that our 

differences are precious,” Schlis-
sel said. “That those of all reli-
gions, ethnicities, beliefs, sexual 
orientations and gender identities 
make us a complete community,”

Mayor Taylor offered advice 

on how to interpret Sunday’s vio-
lence, as well as how to move for-
ward.

“It is our first instinct to view 

these killings as a senseless 
slaughter, and in one respect this 
surely is true,” he said. “The risk 
is in attributing too much cultural 
meaning to the actions of a soli-
tary killer, for this amplifies and 
gives power to the despicable.”

Taylor took a distinctly pointed 

tone, condemning and calling for 
action on what he viewed as a lack 
of gun control, and also called for 
acceptance of the Muslim com-
munity. Taylor received two sepa-
rate standing ovations from the 
crowd, though some members of 
the audience shook their heads in 
disagreement when Taylor con-
demned the role of guns in Ameri-
can society.

“I believe that what we can do is 

that we can live our lives. We can 
live our lives with a renewed com-
mitment to speak out against and 
defeat the notion that a gun-rid-
dled America is a safer America,” 
Taylor said, as he was interrupted 
by spontaenous applause. “We 
must have a renewed commitment 
to live our lives with openness, 
pride and joy, to defend and affirm 
the full membership of our Mus-
lim brothers and sisters in our 
communities large and small”.

Jim Toy, described by Taylor as 

an LGBTQ icon and community 
legend, concluded the speeches. 
Toy asked audience members 
to hold hands with one another 
and speak words of equality and 
peace.

Following 
the 
introductory 

speeches, the performance of 

Mozart’s 
Requiemcommenced, 

performed by students and faculty 
from the School of Music, Theatre 
& Dance, as well as local musi-
cians. The ensemble, composed 
of 50 instrumentalists and 135 
singers, was assembled with just 
48 hours’ notice. The piece was 
conducted by Kevin Fitzgerald, a 
University alum who received his 
master’s degree in orchestral con-
ducting in 2015.

In his speech, Taylor comment-

ed that the piece was fitting for 
the occasion.

“It is a very appropriate work. 

Mozart’s Requiem is famously 
unfinished, much like the lives of 
those lost in Orlando,” he said.

The performance was con-

cluded with a moment of silence 
to respect the lives recently lost. 
This was followed by a series of 
prayers and words of faith given 
by community members. The 
group of prayer leaders included 
observers of Christianity, Juda-
ism and Islam.

Before the doors to the perfor-

mance opened, a small group of 
gun control activists bore signs in 
front of the auditorium. A group 
of five volunteers held orange 
signs that read “Moms Against 
Guns.”

The demonstrators came from 

a grassroots volunteer branch of 
the national organization Every-
town for Gun Safety. Rosalie 
Wright, the leader of the group, 
talked about how they are try-
ing to spread the word about gun 
safety and bring people together 
to create a unified front.

“If enough people engage in an 

organized way, then something 
can happen legislatively, in terms 
of law, awareness, gun safety for 
children,” Wright said. “We are 
going at it on all fronts.”

The group was asking people 

to sign a petition in support of 
increased gun control legislation 
upon entering Hill Auditorium. 
According to Wright, they had 
“pages and pages” of signatures.

Music, Theatre & Dance sopho-

more Bailey McMillian said she 
found the performance and over-
all event to be beautiful. She said 
the outcome of such an incredible 
event put on in such a short notice 
represents the Ann Arbor and 
University communities.

“The fact that we showed up 

here at 7:35 p.m. and there was 
a huge crowd already waiting to 
get in was incredible,” McMil-
lian said. “This is what I wanted 
U-M to be, this is what I thought 

it would be and what Ann Arbor 
would be and this is exactly what 
it is.”

Don Lyons, a recent LSA gradu-

ate, had a similar reaction to the 
event. He particularly appre-
ciated 
the 
religious 
diversity 

expressed during the introduc-
tory speeches and the concluding 
period of prayer.

“I thought it was a really beau-

tiful performance,” he said. “I 
thought that it was especially 
great to have so many voices, 
difference voices of faith. It was 
great to hear voices that came 
from people of faith and those 
who are secular.”

Jeff Ellison, one of the choir 

singers and a member of Universi-
ty Musical Society Choral Union, 
said he and the members of the 
organization were contacted by 
e-mail and asked if they would be 
willing to volunteer their voices 
to the show. He said the crowd 
that showed up was incredible.

“It was heartwarming to see 

such a nice group turn out, and 
to feel the energy in the room 
was just fantastic,” Ellison said. 
“This was a time of mourning and 
everybody came with that idea, 
but everybody also came with the 
idea that love is the way forward.”

REQUIEM
From Page 1

ORLANDO
From Page 1

