I posted this to Facebook last night and wanted to share it here as well. This blog will always be more than just makeup and clothes.

---

I don’t usually comment on sensitive world events publicly, however waking this morning to yet another mass shooting at a concert has compelled me to break that rule.

Concerts have been a second home to me since I moved to Toronto, 12yrs ago. Before that, they were a lifelong dream. They’ve been a place of pure bliss. They’ve been my therapy. They’ve been a place to escape to in both the good and the bad times. They’ve been a place I can venture to on my own, knowing that I will be surrounded by so many others living out the same blissful dream as me. Live music brings people together and stands for so much that is good in this world. It is universal. What it should never be is a death sentence.

Two years ago, I was in San Francisco, and scheduled to attend a concert on my last night there (checking an item off my life’s to-do list – Seeing a concert in another country). Then the attack at the Bataclan in Paris happened. I was shook. It didn’t feel right attending a concert the following night. I had the ticket cancelled. How could I ever see another concert the same way again; Worry-free, filled with only bliss?

The answer is, I haven’t. Sure, I’ve seen many concerts since, however there is always that fear, and the what-ifs planted in my mind. The complete carefree nature has been stolen. But the joy is still there. The love. The spirit of it all.

The reality is, we need to keep attending. We need to keep dancing, and singing our hearts out. We must not stop. We must never stop. Terror can never win. Hate can never be allowed to trump love. Kindness. Togetherness. All the good that these gatherings put out into our lives and we send out into the world. In these times, when so much is wrong with our world, we must not let fear trump these slivers of joy between the madness.

At the same time, something must be done. I’ve seen so many people say “not today” but if not, then when?

As a Canadian, I’ve watched time and time again as news of another mass shooting pours out of our beloved neighbours to the south. We share the pain, we send our love and support. But it’s not enough. So many of us sit here, helpless, watching as the U.S. stands by and let’s gun violence prevail.

Tell me, what is the purpose of an automatic weapon other than to kill the most number of people in the shortest amount of time? What other purpose does a hand gun possess other than to take another life? It baffles me how one can defend ownership of such. How easy it is to purchase these machines designed with only one purpose – To hurt and kill other human beings.

Guns were of no protection last night, however they were used as a means to injure, and ultimately, to kill. So many. So many people simply out living one of life’s purest joys. Together.

Guns don’t kill people but people with guns do.

I urge all of my wonderful neighbours in the U.S. to consider this. To do your part in ensuring that your country sees stricter gun laws so that other innocent people don’t have to die so senselessly. In this day, is that really so much to ask?

In the meantime, we all stand with Las Vegas. With the injured, with those taken from us, with he families, and the citizens. Let’s keep dancing for them. Let’s keep the light, the bliss, the love and unity that music brings shining for them. Let’s make change because we’re all in this together; One big crowd of singing, dancing people, hopefully using our voices for good.

Sing loud.