Chicago man makes cross memorial honoring Orlando shooting victims

There has been a lot of support from people all over the country for the victims in Orlando, touched by the tragedy, visiting the area to pay their respects.

There are now 49 crosses that contain each of the victims' names killed in the nightclub shooting."It's a monumental effort to do this," one visitor to the memorial said.

But 65-year-old Greg Zanis, who is about to retire, said it's worth it, "I'm here to hope to change the message and my new message is love your neighbor, love your brother."

Zanis came from the Midwest to central Florida, "This is a man coming from Chicago to show I love my brother. I love my neighbor."

49 crosses: One for each soul lost at Pulse nightclub when an enraged gunman opened fire."I started Sunday right after church and I worked until midnight. So that was a short day. Just building," Zanis said.
....
This is personal for Zanis. He said his father was murdered

Link

The man makes the crosses and drives 1200 miles to deliver then. There are still many caring people out in the world despite so many awful events happening.

Hope it helps a bit with the healing.

originally posted by: roadgravel

There has been a lot of support from people all over the country for the victims in Orlando, touched by the tragedy, visiting the area to pay their respects.

There are now 49 crosses that contain each of the victims' names killed in the nightclub shooting."It's a monumental effort to do this," one visitor to the memorial said.

But 65-year-old Greg Zanis, who is about to retire, said it's worth it, "I'm here to hope to change the message and my new message is love your neighbor, love your brother."

Zanis came from the Midwest to central Florida, "This is a man coming from Chicago to show I love my brother. I love my neighbor."

49 crosses: One for each soul lost at Pulse nightclub when an enraged gunman opened fire."I started Sunday right after church and I worked until midnight. So that was a short day. Just building," Zanis said.
....
This is personal for Zanis. He said his father was murdered

Link

The man makes the crosses and drives 1200 miles to deliver then. There are still many caring people out in the world despite so many awful events happening.

Hope it helps a bit with the healing.

Nice effort.

But, crosses might be inappropriate for some. He should have a back up plan for diversity.

Good grief ... someone who practices what they preach.

Thank you roadgravel ... it is good to know that people like Mr. Zanis are still among us!

S&F

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: roadgravel

There has been a lot of support from people all over the country for the victims in Orlando, touched by the tragedy, visiting the area to pay their respects.

There are now 49 crosses that contain each of the victims' names killed in the nightclub shooting."It's a monumental effort to do this," one visitor to the memorial said.

But 65-year-old Greg Zanis, who is about to retire, said it's worth it, "I'm here to hope to change the message and my new message is love your neighbor, love your brother."

Zanis came from the Midwest to central Florida, "This is a man coming from Chicago to show I love my brother. I love my neighbor."

49 crosses: One for each soul lost at Pulse nightclub when an enraged gunman opened fire."I started Sunday right after church and I worked until midnight. So that was a short day. Just building," Zanis said.
....
This is personal for Zanis. He said his father was murdered

Link

The man makes the crosses and drives 1200 miles to deliver then. There are still many caring people out in the world despite so many awful events happening.

Hope it helps a bit with the healing.

Nice effort.

But, crosses might be inappropriate for some. He should have a back up plan for diversity.

Yeah, shove the nice gesture. It's crap because it wasn't diverse enough.

Did you ever stop and think that your attitude is part of what's wrong with the world? That you can't just accept a gesture for what was intended, but have to still find a reason to criticize it?

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: roadgravel

There has been a lot of support from people all over the country for the victims in Orlando, touched by the tragedy, visiting the area to pay their respects.

There are now 49 crosses that contain each of the victims' names killed in the nightclub shooting."It's a monumental effort to do this," one visitor to the memorial said.

But 65-year-old Greg Zanis, who is about to retire, said it's worth it, "I'm here to hope to change the message and my new message is love your neighbor, love your brother."

Zanis came from the Midwest to central Florida, "This is a man coming from Chicago to show I love my brother. I love my neighbor."

49 crosses: One for each soul lost at Pulse nightclub when an enraged gunman opened fire."I started Sunday right after church and I worked until midnight. So that was a short day. Just building," Zanis said.
....
This is personal for Zanis. He said his father was murdered

Link

The man makes the crosses and drives 1200 miles to deliver then. There are still many caring people out in the world despite so many awful events happening.

Hope it helps a bit with the healing.

Nice effort.

But, crosses might be inappropriate for some. He should have a back up plan for diversity.

Yeah, shove the nice gesture. It's crap because it wasn't diverse enough.

Did you ever stop and think that your attitude is part of what's wrong with the world? That you can't just accept a gesture for what was intended, but have to still find a reason to criticize it?

I'm not one of the victims, or their family.

I hope no one complains, but they do have that right.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: roadgravel

There has been a lot of support from people all over the country for the victims in Orlando, touched by the tragedy, visiting the area to pay their respects.

There are now 49 crosses that contain each of the victims' names killed in the nightclub shooting."It's a monumental effort to do this," one visitor to the memorial said.

But 65-year-old Greg Zanis, who is about to retire, said it's worth it, "I'm here to hope to change the message and my new message is love your neighbor, love your brother."

Zanis came from the Midwest to central Florida, "This is a man coming from Chicago to show I love my brother. I love my neighbor."

49 crosses: One for each soul lost at Pulse nightclub when an enraged gunman opened fire."I started Sunday right after church and I worked until midnight. So that was a short day. Just building," Zanis said.
....
This is personal for Zanis. He said his father was murdered

Link

The man makes the crosses and drives 1200 miles to deliver then. There are still many caring people out in the world despite so many awful events happening.

Hope it helps a bit with the healing.

Nice effort.

But, crosses might be inappropriate for some. He should have a back up plan for diversity.

Yeah, shove the nice gesture. It's crap because it wasn't diverse enough.

Did you ever stop and think that your attitude is part of what's wrong with the world? That you can't just accept a gesture for what was intended, but have to still find a reason to criticize it?

I'm not one of the victims, or their family.

I hope no one complains, but they do have that right.

And it would be poor form to complain. But don't worry, you're offended on their behalf.

Look, if someone offers me a bouquet of flowers after a loved one died, and they are all red, I am not going to say, "That's nice, but you should have thought that maybe I don't like red flowers and find them inappropriate." I would graciously accept the gesture for its intent because I am not a d-bag.

Not to mention, this was a latin night at the club. Many Hispanics are Catholic.

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: roadgravel

There has been a lot of support from people all over the country for the victims in Orlando, touched by the tragedy, visiting the area to pay their respects.

There are now 49 crosses that contain each of the victims' names killed in the nightclub shooting."It's a monumental effort to do this," one visitor to the memorial said.

But 65-year-old Greg Zanis, who is about to retire, said it's worth it, "I'm here to hope to change the message and my new message is love your neighbor, love your brother."

Zanis came from the Midwest to central Florida, "This is a man coming from Chicago to show I love my brother. I love my neighbor."

49 crosses: One for each soul lost at Pulse nightclub when an enraged gunman opened fire."I started Sunday right after church and I worked until midnight. So that was a short day. Just building," Zanis said.
....
This is personal for Zanis. He said his father was murdered

Link

The man makes the crosses and drives 1200 miles to deliver then. There are still many caring people out in the world despite so many awful events happening.

Hope it helps a bit with the healing.

Nice effort.

But, crosses might be inappropriate for some. He should have a back up plan for diversity.

Yeah, shove the nice gesture. It's crap because it wasn't diverse enough.

Did you ever stop and think that your attitude is part of what's wrong with the world? That you can't just accept a gesture for what was intended, but have to still find a reason to criticize it?

I'm not one of the victims, or their family.

I hope no one complains, but they do have that right.

And it would be poor form to complain.

That's a matter of opinion.

If the man made Jewish Stars and placed them, would that be acceptable?

originally posted by: Annee

But, crosses might be inappropriate for some. He should have a back up plan for diversity.

What, like an ambiguous blob of... clay? That doesn't represent anything at all?

With inscriptions of empty platitudes scrawled on it in as many languages as possible so as not to offend any Zimbabweans passing through Orlando?

Maybe they should each get a cross, a davidic star, a crescent moon, a pentagram, and a colander. We'll just pile up as much s# as we can to be as inclusive as possible.

Seriously. Your obsession with not offending people is probably most offensive to the victims, who are completely forgotten in your quest to defecate on Christianity at every perceived opportunity.

a reply to: Annee

No it wouldn't matter. Can't the snowflakes just take a gesture for what's it's meant? It has to be diverse. It has to be politically correct. You have to worry about someone's feelings, before you can simply say, "Sorry this happened".
You wonder why you lot get on our nerves?

originally posted by: DAVID64
a reply to: Annee

No it wouldn't. Can't the snowflakes just take a gesture for what's it'e meant?

So, you say a Jewish Star would not matter or be inappropriate, and there would be no opposition?

If someone did this for me, I would thank them, and be appreciative.

a reply to: Annee

I would be fine with a Star Of David, or anything else for that matter (even an amorphous lump of clay). While I appreciate a lot of what you have to say, you put forth a lot of negativity. And I suppose I am too, by pointing it out. But seriously, why bitch about this? It's like you just have to, it's a compulsion.

Later in the day Thursday, volunteers went out to the memorial and placed photos of the victims by each cross.

His hope he says is to give people a place to share a message by writing on the crosses and offering their personal condolences -- a gesture that touched many who appreciated his kindness.

I suspect the families will be OK with his effort.

originally posted by: chelsdh
a reply to: Annee

I would be fine with a Star Of David, or anything else for that matter (even an amorphous lump of clay).

Then I hope everyone feels and reacts the same way you do.

This is not the first time this man has done this.

Greg Zanis, an electrician from Aurora, Illinois, said he has built 13,000 crosses in that time, each a memorial for a victim of an American tragedy. He traveled to Tucson, Arizona, after the 2011 shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, ventured to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts after John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a 1999 plane crash there and went to Colorado after the Columbine school shooting that same year. religion.blogs.cnn.com...

originally posted by: roadgravel

Later in the day Thursday, volunteers went out to the memorial and placed photos of the victims by each cross.

His hope he says is to give people a place to share a message by writing on the crosses and offering their personal condolences -- a gesture that touched many who appreciated his kindness.

I suspect the families will be OK with his effort.

I honestly sincerely hope so.

God bless him,

originally posted by: Stormdancer777
God bless him,

Good. Now you can help donate to his GoFundMe. (except they took it down):

Wait, there's another. A GoFundMe page for building A Mini Car High Speed Tunnel Protect. (not my spelling): www.youtube.com...

This guy must have his own YouTube channel.

a reply to: Annee

Annee as an atheist i find the consumerism and blatant bull# surrounding Christmas to be disgusting, however in the same breath i realize ritual is apart of the human experience and has its merits, when someone is in pain i can't say im praying for them but i can say my thoughts are with you and if you need anything at all let me know. People say this in many different ways and its all the same and essentially equals the same message, don't be authoritarian, i think you need to review some of your idea's mainly those on diversity and abuse of power (involving law enforcement) otherwise i like a lot of what you have to say.

originally posted by: Annee

Nice effort.

But, crosses might be inappropriate for some. He should have a back up plan for diversity.

Are you being sarcastic?

...OMG you are actually serious.

I dont even know what to say. It just seems like perfect sarcasm and satire for some punchline, like a political comic... but you are actually suggesting it.

You people, holy #.

originally posted by: TechniXcality
a reply to: Annee

Annee as an atheist i find the consumerism and blatant bull# surrounding Christmas to be disgusting, however in the same breath i realize ritual is apart of the human experience and has its merits, when someone is in pain i can't say im praying for them but i can say my thoughts are with you and if you need anything at all let me know. People say this in many different ways and its all the same and essentially equals the same message, don't be authoritarian, i think you need to review some of your idea's mainly those on diversity and abuse of power (involving law enforcement) otherwise i like a lot of what you have to say.

No, I don't think so.

I said, personally, I would not have an issue.

Are you aware of the fight in the military to replace crosses with appropriate recognition of correct belief (or non)?

Its something I've been aware of for a long time. Someone dies, you stick a cross on it. Maybe that is not correct.

originally posted by: CaticusMaximus

originally posted by: Annee

Nice effort.

But, crosses might be inappropriate for some. He should have a back up plan for diversity.

Are you being sarcastic?

...OMG you are actually serious.

I dont even know what to say. It just seems like perfect sarcasm and satire for some punchline, like a political comic... but you are actually suggesting it.

You people, holy #.

Are you Christian?