“The weapon that murdered my son fires 30 rounds in one minute.”
The mother of Orlando nightclub shooting victim Christopher ‘Drew’ Leinonen, a 32-year-old who died along with his boyfriend Juan Guerrero, gave an emotional speech about the importance of common sense gun control policies at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday.
Christine Leinonen, who was accompanied on stage with two of her son’s friends, said Christopher was her only child.
"It was in his DNA that love always trumps hate," she said, adding that he was also "a big Hillary supporter."
"That is why I'm here," she added.
Leinonen, a former Michigan state trooper, said that on the day she went into labor, the hospital told her to put away her off-duty gun in a safe.
“I did not argue. I know common sense gun policies save lives," Leinonen said. "The weapon that murdered my son, fired 30 rounds in one minute.”
“I’m glad common sense gun policy was in place the day he was born. But where was that common sense the day he died. I never want you to ask that question about your child. That is why I support Hillary Clinton.”
"It takes about five minutes for church bells to ring 49 times.
I know this because last month, my son Christopher, and his boyfriend Juan, and 47 others were murdered at a club in Orlando. Christopher was my only child. As I used to tell him you can't do better than perfect. He had so many friends, two of whom are here tonight representing hundreds and hundreds more.
All his life he brought people together. In high school, he won the Anne Frank humanitarian award for starting the Gay Straight Alliance. Christopher's paternal grandparents met and fell in love in a Japanese internment camp. It was in his DNA that love always trumps hate.
Christopher was a big Hillary supporter. That's why I'm here. So that I can tell you about the day he was born. At the time, I was a Michigan state trooper. When I went into labor, the hospital put my off-duty gun in a safe. I didn't argue. I know common sense gun policies save lives.
The weapon that murdered my son fires 30 rounds in one minute. An Orlando city commissioner pointed out the terrible math. One minute for a gun to fire so many shots, five minutes for a bell to honor so many lives.
I'm glad common sense gun policy was in place the day Christopher was born. But where was that common sense the day he died? I never want you to ask that question about your child. That is why I support Hillary Clinton."
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/2avMPV2
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