Congress votes to make Pulse nightclub, site of jihad massacre, a national memorial

Almost certain to be left unmentioned in the memorial, as it is in this NBC News article, is the fact that the mass murderer, Omar Mateen, was an avowed jihad terrorist.

Here are some of the highlights from his conversations with police:

“I pledge my allegiance to (unidentifiable name) on behalf of the Islamic State”

“Call me Mujahideen, call me the Soldier of God”

“You have to tell America to stop bombing Iraq and Syria. They are killing a lot of innocent people. What am I to do here when my people are getting killed over there. You get what I’m saying?”

In reference to his comments about wearing a bomb vest: “You can’t smell it. Bring your little American bomb dog, they are f**king outdated anyway.”

“They should not have bombed and killed Abu Wahid. Do your f**king homework and figure out who Abu Wahid is, ok?”

It appears Omar was “triggered” by a Pentagon air strike of ISIS leader Abu Wahid, actually Abu Wahib, a mid-level Islamic State commander, which indicates Mateen’s intricate knowledge of the group, and deep commitment to it.

“Congress votes to make Pulse nightclub a national memorial,” by Dan Avery, NBC News, June 10, 2021:

Three days before the fifth anniversary of the attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation designating the site of the gay club a national memorial.

The House passed its version of the bill May 12. The measure now goes to President Joe Biden, who has supported a number of pro-LGBTQ proposals and is expected to sign it into law, though it’s unclear when.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., introduced the Senate bill. Scott was governor at the time of the massacre, which saw 49 clubgoers killed and dozens more wounded before the shooter, Omar Mateen, was killed in a shootout with law enforcement after a three-hour siege.

While introducing the measure Wednesday, Scott said speaking to parents who lost children and attending funerals and wakes for the young victims following the June 12, 2016, attack “was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” according to the Orlando Sentinel.

“[It was] an evil act of terrorism designed to divide us as a nation and strike fear in our hearts and minds,” Scott later said in a statement. “But instead, we came together, and supported each other through heartbreak and darkness, to preserve and rebuild.”

While a similar bill passed the House in 2020, it languished in the Senate. Scott’s measure passed by unanimous consent, enjoying bipartisan backing from fellow Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican, and California Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat.

In a statement, Rubio said he was “inspired by Orlando’s continued resiliency, pride, and strength.”

On Twitter, Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the attack, thanked the Florida delegation “for recognizing our hallowed ground.”

A message from the Pulse nightclub Facebook page also expressed gratitude for the bill’s passage.

“The unanimous consent is such welcome news as we are set to mark the five-year remembrance of the Pulse tragedy,” the statement said. “This recognition from both the House and Senate means so much to the LGBTQ+ community. #WeWillNotLetHateWin”…