Last updated on April 8th, 2018 at 01:51 pm
The Republican opponents of high capacity magazine limits have a new hero. Colorado State Senator Bernie Herpin (Colorado Springs) is fighting to repeal the state’s ban on magazine limits and he is invoking the Aurora Theater shooter James Holmes to make his argument. Herpin, who replaced State Senator John Morse (D) in last year’s NRA-supported recall effort, seems to have taken the insensitivity of pro-gun advocates to a new low with his absurd line of reasoning.
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Herpin’s remarks came in response to a comment by Democratic State Senator Irene Aguilar (Denver) who remarked:
My understanding is that James Holmes bought his 100-round capacity magazine legally. So in fact, this law would have stopped James Holmes from purchasing a 100-round magazine. I was wondering if you agree with me.
Herpin’s bizarre response was:
As it turned out, that was maybe a good thing that he had a 100-round magazine, because it jammed. If he had four, five, six 15-round magazines, there’s no telling how much damage he could have done until a good guy with a gun showed up.
Herpin is not exactly saying he wants Holmes to inflict maximum carnage, but his argument is twisted to say the least. If his rationale is that we should legalize high capacity magazines because they have a tendency to malfunction that is hardly a compelling argument, though it is better than any alternative argument that could be gleaned from his statement. The words “maybe its a good thing” seem wildly inappropriate when discussing James’ Holmes 100-round magazine.
Tom Sullivan, the father of Alex Sullivan who was murdered by Holmes was appalled by the Senator’s comment and he responded by stating:
I’ve had a lot of thoughts since July 20, 2012, but never once did I think anyone was better off because the shooter brought a hundred round drum into that theater. Alex never had a chance. He was watching a movie one second and the next he was dead. The fact is, if the shooter had to change his magazine that would have been a chance for Alex to survive.
Herpin’s dogmatic insistence that we must allow 100-round magazines because, by golly, they might jam up on a mass murderer saving some lives, stands reason on its head. If a 100-round magazine is a good thing because it is hard for a cold-blooded killer to operate with ruthless efficiency, then does it not also stand to reason that maybe it would be a good thing if the killer had trouble getting such a powerful gun in the first place? Maybe it is time to start another recall effort in Colorado, this time to remove Bernie Herpin.
Keith Brekhus is a progressive American who currently resides in Red Lodge, Montana. He is co-host for the Liberal Fix radio show. He holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Missouri. In 2002, he ran for Congress as a Green Party candidate in the state of Missouri. In 2014, he worked as a field organizer for Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick’s successful re-election bid in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. He can be followed on Twitter @keithbrekhus or on Facebook.
