For Seattle’s mayor, Orlando attack is also personal

By Essex Porter
KIRO 7

As news of the horror in Orlando spread, Mayor Ed Murray told us he woke up to a text message from his staff.

As Seattle’s first openly gay mayor, who got into politics to fight for LGBT civil rights, Murray felt it personally. “You can’t help but to. I mean, it was meant to intimidate gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. It was meant to instill fear.”

He called his friend, Patty Sheehan, who is Orlando’s first openly gay City Council member.

“She described a horrific scene, blood all over the sidewalks, a situation where people were literally climbing out to the back to die.”

Murray says Seattle police are capable of stepping up security now.

But longer-term, he says, they need more surveillance cameras they can use to keep track of emerging situations.

“If something really horrible were to happen, as in Orlando, I just wish we had a little bit more technology to be able to have eyes on the situation.”

Asked if Seattle needs to pay special attention to Muslim communities here, Murray responded, “When we stigmatize any group, whether it is gays or Muslim, it only leads to these sorts of tragedies.”

He rejected the suggestion that his answer was “politically correct.”

“I don’t think it’s politically correctness. I think it is being a true American to say we’re going to reach out to folks who are different from each other, than ourselves.”

The mayor attended Sunday night’s vigil on Capitol Hill. He’s lived there for 33 years.

“I have no intention of being afraid to go out in my own neighborhood.”

And he urges others not to be afraid.

“It is important not to hide. It is important to live your lives. It is important to be out there. It remains the most political thing you can do.”