#OrlandoUnited

June 14, 2016 - 2 minutes read

Dear colleagues and friends,

The Orlando massacre shook our nation, and in times of national grief, we look for answers to very complex societal problems.  As we learn more about the terrorist and how the attack unfolded, we will naturally look to what steps might have prevented this horror.

As a nation, we will undoubtedly come together to mourn the deceased victims and support the survivors and their families. We will praise the response of law enforcement and first responders who bravely came to the rescue of hundreds and who witnessed the unspeakable horror of that scene. In the weeks and months that follow, as the tears dry from our eyes, we must continue to remain focused on preventing future attacks.

From the corporate-security perspective, it is increasingly clear that terrorists are beginning to focus on our nation’s “soft” targets – ones without the robust security protocols found in some federal facilities and large entertainment venues.  As a nation we have witnessed mass shootings on college campuses, a government-funded social services agency, an elementary school, and now a night club.  The unimaginable is now imaginable.  The possible is now creeping toward the probable.

In the wake of Orlando, my sincere hope is that our nation shakes its collective state of denial – the mindset that bad things will not happen here; they only happen somewhere else.  We must not allow ourselves to be distracted by the next news cycle; we must stay focused on the task at hand.  How do we protect night clubs, shopping malls, schools, office cafeterias, local fairs and summer concerts on town commons?

Let us ensure the Orlando victims did not die in vain, and make their legacy a safer nation in all 50 states where the American public can venture out safely to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

Sincerely,
William B. Connors, Jr.