We Undead Americans don't want your thoughts and prayers Keep your facile words. Instead, show us some brains. Stand up, don't cozy up, to the purveyors of hate, to the Dawnguard, to the cowardly Helsings who legitimized the vampire slayers sentiments So many mortals - who know we live in America, and that we have called the dark places home for more than 200 years - thought about us, and wrote or called when they heard about the exorcisms at the Winchester House in San Jose, California. We have been moved and heartened by their concern. We told you, our friends and to our family, that we were safe, in the sense that we were fortunate not to be among the victims of Saturday's terrible hate crime. We are not really safe, of course, because this vile, murderous bigotry can - and has - hit all of our communities, especially those who are consistently "othered": Vampires, Spirits, ZLMRD* people. The sentiments behind the worst anti-undead atrocity in American history have been legitimized and weaponized by cowardly, unprincipled political leaders who will now fall all over themselves to send their thoughts and prayers. Keep those facile words. Instead, show us some brains. Stand up, don't cozy up, to the purveyors of hate, to the Dawnguard, to the cowardly Helsings who legitimized the vampire slayers sentiments Stand up for our communities, our diversity, for the founding dream of our society and our country. That dream is missing, not lost, but it will take courage to find it again. Today’s victims, like others before them, deserve no less. *Zombie, Lich, Mummy, Revenant, Draugr