People Acting for Change and Equality (PACE) has issued a statement about the mass shootings in Orlando.

PACE members mourn with the families and friends of the victims of the nation’s deadliest mass shooting that occurred this weekend in Orlando.  It took the lives of 50 LGBT people and allies and left over 50 with critical injuries.  It is difficult to accept that we live in a world where atrocities like this can happen to innocent people.  Sadly, LGBT people are no strangers to such deranged acts of hate.  But no one is born hating others because of their race or religion or ethnicity or sexual orientation or gender identity.  That kind of hate is taught.  So we encourage civilized people to use the horror of Orlando to personally pledge that they will themselves practice love, not hate, and will teach their children love, and not hate, for we have to believe that over time, love is stronger than hate.

PACE will move ahead with the already scheduled “Pride in the Park” picnic this Saturday. It's from 11-2 at Betty Virginia Park. The goal of the gathering is to advance equality in Northwest Louisiana so that LGBT people can lead" open, honest, responsible, and safe lives in this community."

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