Seattle mayor visits Capitol Hill to fight fear

SEATTLE — One week has passed since the terrible events in Orlando, but here in the heart of Seattle's LGBTQ community, the deadly shooting is not far from anyone's mind.

"It's terrifying," said Sierra Edson, standing outside, smoking. "Just talking about it tonight you see all these cops out on the Hill, and it's scary. But it's also sad."

Edson came to Capitol Hill from Tacoma on this busy Saturday night.

"Pride is about love," she said. "And it sucks to have people scared to go out and be around each other."

So the news that Seattle's first openly gay mayor would be here, too, was welcome at already bustling establishments like "Stout."

"Ever since we had the vigil last weekend here on the Hill, I just think the community has really pulled together," said Patrick Kelly, bar manager at Stout.  "So having someone of that countenance from the city here is always a boon."

When Mayor Ed Murray did show up just before 10 o'clock, he was with his husband, Michael Shiosaki.  The couple was there, they said, to implore others not to succumb to fear.

"This is Capitol Hill," said Murray, who has lived here 32 years. "This is a great neighborhood; this is a safe neighborhood.  And this has been our LGBT neighborhood for decade after decade after decade.  So Michael and I are out because we're not afraid and we can't give in to fear."

"To give into the terrorists, that's not what we want to do," said Shiosaki. "We want to be out here. We won't be intimidated."

Right now, a march organized by a Seattle man who lost a friend in the Orlando attacks is beginning here at Cal Anderson Park.

Their motto: hate is our enemy, hope is our message.

It is becoming a kind of rallying cry in this community.

Cox Media Group