IT’S almost a week since tragedy struck in a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, but the shockwaves are still very much reverberating all across the world as we try to make sense of what happened last Saturday night.

In what has been described as the worst mass shooting in modern American history with 49 people dead and 53 injured, fresh calls have now been made to once and for all ban the use and sale of guns in America which, let’s be honest, would be the only sane course of action in response to this horrific incident.

Pulse nightclub is a LGBTIQ venue so let’s make no mistake here – this was absolutely a hate crime first and foremost, no matter what the gunman might have declared at the 11th hour.

It has since come to light that he himself may have been a closet homosexual and had visited the nightclub – which was more than100 miles from his home – at least a dozen times before that fateful night and so was therefore known to staff and patrons of Pulse.

The details that have emerged have been too much to process at times and seeing the pictures of those innocent victims who just went out to dance and have fun in a place they felt safe in would simply break your heart.

Text messages from the young man to his mother as he crouched terrified in a bathroom cubicle begging her to come and help him as he was sure he was going to die, or the young girl videoing herself dancing with friends when all of a sudden rapid gunshots are heard in the background and the video simply goes blank are beyond harrowing. We now know both of these innocent people never made it out of the club alive along with 47 other poor souls.

So who or what is to blame? Guns, God, homophobia or maybe all of it?

With regards to gun laws in America I firmly believe guns should be banned completely but at the very least answer me this.

How is it possible that a man who had been investigated by the FBI was able to walk into a gun store and purchase an assault rifle used by military professionals?

As for homophobia, I am simply at a loss as to why this word even exists in 2016.

Honestly, forget gender, we are all human beings and if you can find love in this world then it should be celebrated not victimised and violated.

As for the issue of God I can only speak for myself and my own beliefs. I am a person of faith, of great faith, and I do absolutely believe in God which I know will offend many as I’ve been reading so much on social media this week from some asking people not to pray for the victims of Orlando as they simply don’t want our prayers because these killings were apparently made in God’s name.

I understand their anger and rage but I thinks it’s unfair to tar all people of faith with the same brush.

I take great issue with so many man-made laws in my religion and challenge those beliefs on a daily basis but my faith is completely different and belongs to me.

I do believe in God, I try to and treat others how I would like to be treated myself,

I fully respect everyone’s right to live their livesfe as they see fit and I hope that when I leave this world I will once again meet with my family and friends who have gone before me.

I know it might all sound hocus pocus to some and I accept that but that’s how I live my life.

In cities all across the world people came out in their thousands to show their love, support and unity with the people of Orlando with song and rainbow flags flying high.

Glasgow was, of course, no different and the LGBTIQ community and supporters did our city proud as always in George Square on Monday evening.

Let’s hope, and dare I say pray, that we never again see a tragedy like it and that the families of the victims and the survivors can find some peace and strength to overcome this nightmare they are currently living in.

lSCOTTISH Actress Keira Lucchesi is travelling all the way to Malawi to personally deliver aid directly to the poor communities affected and destroyed by famine and she needs your help.

Keira, who is a Director of the Humanitarian Glasgow-based charity Spirit Aid, will be bag-packing all day today and tomorrow at Tesco in St Enoch’s Centre and she’ll be joined by a host of Scottish celebrities doing their bit including include River City’s Garry Sweeney and Sanjeev Kohli.

SpiritAid is fantastic children’s humanitarian charity who do so much incredible work all over the world so why not come down and say hello over the weekend and donate to an extremely worthy cause.

To find out more about Spirit Aid log onto http://www.spiritaid.org.