Daily Dose: 6/13/16

11:00 AMOur thoughts, condolences and prayers this morning go out to the families and friends of the victims in Sunday’s massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The tragedy exposes — again — the horrific reality of gun culture and gun violence in this country. Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, Century 16 movie theater, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. How many more mass shootings can this country endure before definitive action is taken to get the guns away from violent and mentally unstable people and those bent on terrorism?

The tragedy in Orlando was much more than a shooting. It was an act of terrorism, connected to the Islamic State group. It was also a hate crime committed against the LGBT community, which celebrates its pride month in June. An armed man was arrested, just hours after the killings at Pulse, reportedly heading to a gay pride parade in West Hollywood, California. Though there is no evidence of a connection between the two events, it is apparent that this month of celebration has unfortunately given people a platform to commit violence. The Associated Press’ Christopher Weber and Andrew Dalton have the details.

Certain details surrounding the Orlando shooting are heartbreaking. If you’ve followed the situation in the last day or so, you’ve probably read a lot of information about the gunman, Omar Mateen. But what about the victims? The mother of Eddie Justice, one of the 49 people killed at Pulse, has released a text message conversation between her and her son from the moments leading up to his death. If you haven’t read it yet, brace yourself. ABC News’ Morgan Winsor has the report.

U.S. terrorist attacks have increasingly involved the use of guns. The effect Sept. 11, 2001, has had on our nation extends much further than increased security at airports. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, which until last weekend were the deadliest our country has seen, completely changed the makeup of terrorism in the United States. While it might seem like explosives are a common method of violence, that hasn’t been the case since 9/11, given the fact that federal authorities track their use. Guns are now what terrorists in the United States are turning to. FiveThirtyEight’s Carl Bialik breaks down the numbers.

The sports world reacted to the Orlando mass shooting. Professional athletes are often looked up to as heroes — their voices are as powerful as anyone’s. Taking this into account, it’s always interesting to see how they react when a major world event, specifically a tragedy, occurs. Many U.S. athletes, some of who are openly a part of the LGBT community, responded through social media. ESPN compiled some of the best reactions.

Free food

Coffee Break: Remember Rachel Dolezal? The white woman who was a civil rights activist, African-American studies professor and NAACP chapter president though she lied about her racial identity? Well, she’s back in the news, apparently now filming a documentary at Howard University. Random, right?

Snack Time: When a draft is 40 rounds, it’s hard not to waste a pick or two. That’s exactly what the Seattle Mariners did in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft when they selected Trey Griffey, the son of 2016 Hall of Fame inductee Ken Griffey Jr., in the 24th round. The funny thing is, this pick was simply to pay tribute to Trey Griffey’s father, a former Mariner great. Trey Griffey is a college football player and hasn’t played baseball since he was 11. Don’t think he’ll be signing an MLB contract anytime soon.

Dessert: Artist Fred Martins used the symbol of an Afro comb to commemorate activists, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela, who were imprisoned while fighting for freedom and racial justice.