Orlando attack rattles Albertans and drives home importance of pride

There's a helplessness and grief that sweeps over people when they view tragedy from afaran emptiness in the pit of the stomach that makes them want to reach out and connect.

Geography, identity and proximity all come into play with how,when or evenifwe react.

With the mass shooting at a gay nightclub inOrlando, Fla. now listed as the worst in U.S. history Albertanstook to social media to mourn in public; to offer sympathies, condolences, and yes, opinions,anger or to find someone, or some group, toblame.

It's messy, sometimesugly,touching and sad.

The shooting comes on the last day of pride celebrations in Edmonton.

At the NDP convention in Calgary, politics was set aside briefly for a moment of silence as things got underway on Sunday morning.

Of course, politics is only ever paused. Even then, itshades one's view of the world

Wildrose Party LeaderBrian Jeanalso offered thoughts to families of the victims, tinged with a bit of anger at the "hatred" and "terror."

Premier Rachel Notley focused her anger on persecution of LGBTQ people.

Those within Calgary's LGBTQ community expressed sorrow for such a heartbreaking loss.

And showed their defiance and determinationin the face of a targeted attack.

That defiance was on full display in Edmonton, as the tragedymarred the final day of pride celebrations, but acted as a reminder of its importance.

As well as theimportance of symbols and public displays.

In Calgary, the social realm was not enough either, with a vigil organized for Olympic Plaza on Sunday at 9 p.m..

And while there was anger and hate across social media, as people grappled with the scale of the attackin Canada and the U.S., it was #loveislove that was trending on Twitter, not hate, not anger.