Posted on 02/20/2021 6:34:54 AM PST by real saxophonist
Colorado representative says ‘You have to let go’ to colleague whose son was killed in Aurora theater shooting
by: Matt Mauro
Posted: Feb 19, 2021
DENVER (KDVR) – A Republican state representative on Friday told another lawmaker whose son was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting, “You have to let go.”
Rep. Richard Holtorf made that comment to Rep. Tom Sullivan after Sullivan talked about his son Alex, gun violence and Colorado’s “red flag” law.
The comments from both legislators came during the announcements and introductions of the House Friday morning.
“Today is the 448th Friday since my son Alex was murdered in the Aurora theater massacre,” Sullivan, a Democrat, said.
Alex Sullivan was one of 12 people killed during the shooting in 2012.
Sullivan then talked about Colorado’s “red flag” law, which allows law enforcement officers to confiscate people’s firearms in extreme circumstances. Sullivan was one of the bill’s sponsors in 2019.
“I can assure you that it means plenty to those families who don’t have to endure another year and another empty chair around their Christmas dinner table, like my family has endured the last eight years,” Sullivan said of the law.
“I’m here to remind you daily what gun violence looks like,” Sullivan continued. “Whether you listen or not, I will continue to come to this microphone and tell you about its impact.”
Moments later, Holtorf spoke.
“I will tell you that all of us have suffered loss in our lives,” Holtorf said. “Here’s the most important thing we have to remember: scripture tells us that when something is taken away from us, we must understand that maybe there is a time when God needs the spirit of those children to do something in heaven.”
Holtorf, an Army veteran, farmer and rancher who represents southeastern Colorado, then told the House people should not be vengeful or divisive because of the loss they may have endured.
“Let me tell you,” Holtorf said, in reference to his military service. “The most important lesson I learned — and I offer this to my fellow colleagues, particularly the one that just spoke — is that you have to let go.”
Haven't heard from Tom Mauser lately, I'm sure he'll turn up in April.
I have no problem with what he said, how many times have dims told us to get over it and move on?
He is right but, discretion is important too.
I have no problem with what he said, how many times have dims told us to get over it and move on?
If Repubs aren’t outright supporting the Democrats...at the very least, they’re shooting themselves in the foot.
Cancun anyone?
He is right but, discretion is important too.
If she had thrown a self-pity party that may not have happened.
It’s hard to get over the murder of a child, It’s been since 1989, and I still grieve. I got over the loss of my 33 day old born with a Viral infection, long ago, doesn’t mean you don’t grieve.
Letting go is not easy when there is Injustice. And you have to fight for what little you can eke out. Sickness you can comprehend easier. Some Sociopath wanting thrills killing your child is NOT. There is always who will be his next victim after serving only 8.5 yrs out of a 20yr sentence.
It’s been going on 9 years now.
It is time to let go.
There’s nothing that can be done about it and nothing is going to bring him back.
If it has happened in the last year even, I would say the guy deserved getting his lights knocked out. People grieve at their own rate and the first couple years ARE hard.
But 9 years?
Having had a close friend raped, brutalized, shot, and killed, having met the killer, and permitting hatred into my heart, I understand both sides of this. The sickly sweet desire to hold on to the rage is… destructive.
I'll be blunt: it the tables were turned we'd be torching these Republicans. Indeed, we beat up Obama for golfing during natural disasters, and Carolyn McCarthy in NY who made a career out of gun control off her husband's murder.
Cruz made a rookie error, and Holtorf picked the wrong words - he coulda said "My good man, pushing Red Flag laws will simply guarantee that more innocent people like your son will die. I am asking you, to honor the twelve by overturning these hideous infringements on civil liberties."
The knee-jerk defense of stupid comments by Republicans, of course, is founded upon the fear of the opponent gaining yardage off the yellow flag. But red-flag challenges shouldn't be wasted on clear penalties, and in this case Haltorf jumped offsides. He doesn't have to go on an apology tour, but we don't have to go on a defense of his penalty.
Thank you for correcting the oh so tough Freepers on this thread. One never lets go. They can go on, but the love and loss is a constant companion.
Had someone had a gun at every mass shooting, the odds are good that innocent lives would have been saved and the perp made impotent in the entire meaning of the word. But, such grief makes it difficult to see that. E.g. Gabby Giffords who is still alive with all the mental, physical and emotional effects of such violence.
The headline was designed to make Holtorf look like an insensitive beast, on the bet that most people will not read his full statement. But Holtorf is making the wrong argument. Sullivan should NEVER forget his son and move on. He should channel his experience into productive action to contain criminals and lunatics and to reduce the mechanisms that stimulate them — not take away rights of law-abiding citizens.
Save your lecture, my point is dims have no problems saying these things to conservatives but we have to walk on eggshells to accomodate them!
Discretion also means you don’t use the death of your child to cow people into silence. It’s using a human shield. It’s a method of bullying people into silence. Glad the Republican had the stones to call him on it.
Cancun is another “look, squirrel !” gaslighting media distraction from the real culprits (in this case, an incompetent puppet in the White House who cannot manage the federal response in Texas).
I am so sorry for the loss of your precious child, Gail. My daughter and only child died in her sleep in 2009. We had dinner with her the night before, and she was fine. It took months before we knew the cause. One never “gets over” the loss of a child. As another bereaved mother told me, it gets less bad. The waves of grief get farther apart, but they still come and will come until the day we die. Hugs to you.
A bereaved parent never “gets over” the death of their child. I know. I lost my daughter and only child.
Like most people, I’ve never suffered the kind of loss that he did, but I do know that the only path to peace in any situation of any loss caused by another person, is forgiveness. And that includes those who blame God. He has big shoulders; He can take your anger. And He knows the healing power of forgiveness. I know it because it is Scriptural, and God is not a man that He should lie.
Do you suppose that the person that “needs” red flagged will never be known until it’s too late? As usual, it’s only about control.
Cancun? Probably out for me since I’ve banned myself from flying. Not part of the CV-19 tracker club and no vaccine so..................
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