In the aftermath of the deadly Berlin Pride attack, grief is being pulled between silence, scapegoating and political recruitment – when what communities need is empathy, leadership and difficult conversation.

The attack in Berlin is the moment that brings me to these words. Like so many others, my first response is grief. Our community grief.

What follows isn’t really about explaining Berlin. It’s about what happens as communities walk around grief. Who reaches out to us. Who recruits us. Who stays silent. Who asks us to think more deeply. And who simply waits for another opportunity.

I’ve walked this path before. I remember the HIV/AIDS years. I remember Matthew Shepard. I remember Orlando. These moments don’t simply accumulate. They repeat. They leave us grieving, frightened and searching for meaning. They also leave us vulnerable to people who already know what story they want us to believe. That looks like its happening again.

Within hours of Berlin,........

© Pearls and Irritations