Shooting at Colorado LGBTQ club kills 5, injures 18

[MEJHarrison]

I've got two questions. Since when does being non-binary automatically make someone a democrat and/or not-a-republican? Second, since when do democrat mass murderers get a free passes? I think I missed the memo where we're supposed to not care and move on because this person is presumed to be on "our side"?

This is about a crazy person and gun violence.

 

[Eric]

Just wow.

 

[Cmaier]

I've got two questions. Since when does being non-binary automatically make someone a democrat and/or not-a-republican? Second, since when do democrat mass murderers get a free passes? I think I missed the memo where we're supposed to not care and move on because this person is presumed to be on "our side"?

This is about a crazy person and gun violence.

He’s making it up to get out from under the hate crime charges.

 

[rdrr]

Especially given his immediate family. They are loud and proud GOP bigots.From his maternal grandfather that was a homophobe that praised the Jan 6th thugs (and wished for more of the same on Inauguration Day), to his mother who praised her dad for his outlandish yelps, and his biological dad that raised him in a hateful environment. They molded Aldrich to be hateful. Whether that includes self-hate has to be seen/proven as anything a lawyer utters on behalf of their client is suspect.

Oh it gets worse. I think the LGBTQ+ hate is still a thing with this suspect, just look no further than his father. Mr. "We don't do Gay." Something is rotten Denmark with the non-binary assertion, maybe I shouldn't be so suspicious but my trust with these types makes doubt to start to creep in.

Father of Colorado Springs shooting suspect more concerned about son being gay than a mass killer

Aaron Brink said his family was Mormon, adding: ‘We don’t do gay’

news.yahoo.com

 

[MEJHarrison]

Oh it gets worse. I think the LGBTQ+ hate is still a thing with this suspect, just look no further than his father. Mr. "We don't do Gay." Something is rotten Denmark with the non-binary assertion, maybe I shouldn't be so suspicious but my trust with these types makes doubt to start to creep in.

I'm still not doubting the binary thing. Growing up in religion, a father like that, a family like that, and you don't feel male or female (or maybe it's both???). That's got to rip a persons mind down the middle. What you've been told to believe is conflicting with what you actually believe from your own experiences.

It's a mess. Seems like some bad people created a monster who did what monsters do.

 

[rdrr]

I'm still not doubting the binary thing. Growing up in religion, a father like that, a family like that, and you don't feel male or female (or maybe it's both???). That's got to rip a persons mind down the middle. What you've been told to believe is conflicting with what you actually believe from your own experiences.

It's a mess. Seems like some bad people created a monster who did what monsters do.

Normally I'd agree with you. Take them at their word is my usual stance. But... Since the family was able to squash the bomb charge and seal the record to the point where news outlets can't report on it without being threatened with liable, I don't trust that this isn't a tactic to get out of being charged with hate crimes. I am not fully there, but my suspicions are up.

Could I be completely wrong? Yep, and I am willing to take it back if I am.

 

[Herdfan]

I've got two questions. Since when does being non-binary automatically make someone a democrat and/or not-a-republican? Second, since when do democrat mass murderers get a free passes? I think I missed the memo where we're supposed to not care and move on because this person is presumed to be on "our side"?

This is about a crazy person and gun violence.

Since you seem genuinely surprised I will skip the snarky comment. But this is how the media works.

If the shooter is not a racist homophobic white male wearing a MAGA hat using an AR-15 it doesn’t fit the narrative they want. So it will be memory holed by Friday.

He’s making it up to get out from under the hate crime charges.

I can see you watch CNN. That was exactly Alisyn Comerota’s take as it broke live. No evidence at that point to claim that.

Also, as an attorney, is adding a hate crime to 5 murders going to meaningfully increase his sentence?

 

[rdrr]

Since you seem genuinely surprised I will skip the snarky comment. But this is how the media works.

If the shooter is not a racist homophobic white male wearing a MAGA hat using an AR-15 it doesn’t fit the narrative they want. So it will be memory holed by Friday.

I can see you watch CNN. That was exactly Alisyn Comerota’s take as it broke live. No evidence at that point to claim that.

Also, as an attorney, is adding a hate crime to 5 murders going to meaningfully increase his sentence?

I think we should wait it out and see what comes out. It wouldn't surprise me if this was a tactic, just look at the family and you cannot help but raise your eyebrows. However one thought has come up, does being binary automatically exclude this from being a hate crime? Not sure what more a hate crime would gain in Colorado, but yes throw the book at them. Or has the right gotten soft on crime?

As to the other point you were alluding to, that declaring themself non-binary somehow absolves the GOP of all the any anti LGBTQ hate they have spread for... I don't know how long. It also doesn't absolve their stance of gun rights over living a life without the fear of being gunned down by someone at church, school, a restaurant, walmart, a theater, and on and on.

 

[SuperMatt]

Previously, the NY Post mocked and demonized transgender people. They often mock the use of chosen pronouns. They refer to transgender women as men. They openly backed the Babylon Bee for calling Rachel Levine “Man of the Year“ and MTG for calling her Dick Levine.

But in this case, they‘ve decided to respect the pronoun choices of a mass murderer.

 

[AG_PhamD]

He’s making it up to get out from under the hate crime charges.

I agree this could be a tactic or to try an gain some sort of sympathy- but he killed 5 people and injured many more. He’s getting life with or without the hate crime. I’m not sure what difference it makes.

Oh it gets worse. I think the LGBTQ+ hate is still a thing with this suspect, just look no further than his father. Mr. "We don't do Gay." Something is rotten Denmark with the non-binary assertion, maybe I shouldn't be so suspicious but my trust with these types makes doubt to start to creep in.

Father of Colorado Springs shooting suspect more concerned about son being gay than a mass killer

Aaron Brink said his family was Mormon, adding: ‘We don’t do gay’

news.yahoo.com

Apparently he was estranged from his father. Allegedly his name was changed from Nicholas Brink in an effort to avoid being found by his abusive father.

While there is evidence his family held right wing beliefs and his mother was Mormon, I think as usual it’s appropriate for the facts to come out in this case. There is very little background on Aldrich and it’s entirely possible he was not heterosexual or cisgender. And given his family’s beliefs it’s entirely possible they would not know. And it’s not impossible to compensate for self-hating homosexuality with outwardly homophobic behavior.

It’s entirely reasonable to think this was a targeted anti-LGBT violence based on hateful ideology. I think it’s also possible he could have been gay/queer himself and this was a means of lashing out for feelings of rejection.

Also possible, but extremely unlikely, this just happened to be the first large congregation of people he came across when he decided he wanted to kill people. I think it’s highly unlikely, but it’s a possibility that would have to be ruled out. This may have been the case in the Pulse nightclub shooting, the motive(s) is/are still up in the air on that one.

It’s clear this perpetrator was emotionally unstable given his bomb threat history. Most people do not have bomb threat crisis or shoot up a nightclub. Its completely unacceptable the bomb situation was evidently not handled appropriately. This whole red flag system needs to be re-evaluated because too many people evidently fall through the cracks.

 

[Yoused]

If the shooter is not a racist homophobic white male wearing a MAGA hat using an AR-15 it doesn’t fit the narrative they want. So it will be memory holed by Friday.

That is not why the shooting will get "memory-holed".

 

[SuperMatt]

That is not why the shooting will get "memory-holed".

Agreed. Mandatory reading with scads of data on why guns are undeniably the reason for all the mass shootings in America:

Why Does the U.S. Have So Many Mass Shootings? Research Is Clear: Guns. (Published 2017)

Americans advance a lot of theories for why they have so many more gun deaths than other countries do. The answer is lying in plain sight.

www.nytimes.com

(paywall removed)

 

[KingOfPain]

What I don't understand why the right for everyone to have guns still goes back to the Second Amendmend from 1791:
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Does it say "everyone"? No! Are all gun owners in a "well regulated Militia"? No!
Also, this was ratified before a very long time before the eastern expansion, i.e. before the USA were widely settled. There wasn't really police stations or army barracks almost everywhere.
So if they demand guns, give them what was available when this law was ratified: Muzzle-loaders!
EDIT: It's almost hilarious that the so-called Wild West had harsher gun laws than today's supposedly civilized society.

But commenting on the topic at hand:
I'm deeply impressed by the army veteran, who tackled the shooter. What I saw in an interview with him provided the same impression as someone from the police mentioned: he is exceptionally humble for what he did.
He didn't brag about how heroic he was, but felt sorry that he wasn't able to save the lives of five people.

 

[GermanSuplex]

Church, salons, night clubs, school…


This is a problem on the right much like Trumpism. A minority of diehards ruling majority will. The Wal-Mart mass shooting barely made the news. A few more years of this and right-wing republicans will be dealing with voters on this issue much like they’ve had to deal with abortion.

People’s ability to feel safe and actually be safe are clearly at conflict with the second amendment. What the answer is, I don’t know, but the interpretation of the 2A as a free for all is not working.

 

[rdrr]

I agree this could be a tactic or to try an gain some sort of sympathy- but he killed 5 people and injured many more. He’s getting life with or without the hate crime. I’m not sure what difference it makes.



Apparently he was estranged from his father. Allegedly his name was changed from Nicholas Brink in an effort to avoid being found by his abusive father.

While there is evidence his family held right wing beliefs and his mother was Mormon, I think as usual it’s appropriate for the facts to come out in this case. There is very little background on Aldrich and it’s entirely possible he was not heterosexual or cisgender. And given his family’s beliefs it’s entirely possible they would not know. And it’s not impossible to compensate for self-hating homosexuality with outwardly homophobic behavior.

It’s entirely reasonable to think this was a targeted anti-LGBT violence based on hateful ideology. I think it’s also possible he could have been gay/queer himself and this was a means of lashing out for feelings of rejection.

Also possible, but extremely unlikely, this just happened to be the first large congregation of people he came across when he decided he wanted to kill people. I think it’s highly unlikely, but it’s a possibility that would have to be ruled out. This may have been the case in the Pulse nightclub shooting, the motive(s) is/are still up in the air on that one.

It’s clear this perpetrator was emotionally unstable given his bomb threat history. Most people do not have bomb threat crisis or shoot up a nightclub. Its completely unacceptable the bomb situation was evidently not handled appropriately. This whole red flag system needs to be re-evaluated because too many people evidently fall through the cracks.

Agreed that all evidence needs to come out. However the reason the bomb threat got squashed was the connection his grandfather as GOP/MAGA player who most likely pulled some strings. His grandfather is Rep. Randy Voepel, a Republican assemblyman who in the past has aligned himself with the tea party movement and spoken in favor of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. This is all my speculation of course, but highly probable.

Also what is being reported about the family really starting to make think that they are partially responsible for his behavior. Just before the thanksgiving break, is came out that the suspect and mother allegedly used racist slurs against airline passengers during July flight. Non-binary or not (still very suspicious of that claim), he seems to be just raised in a home of hate.

 

[ronntaylor]

He’s making it up to get out from under the hate crime charges.

Colorado Shooting Suspect Mugshot Shows Extensive Bruising and Swelling

The suspected Colorado shooter is appearing in court for the first time since the mass murder.

www.tmz.com

In legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Aldrich's public defender says their client uses they/them pronouns and will be referred to as Mx. Aldrich in future proceedings. It's the first time Aldrich has claimed to be part of the LGBT community on paper or even publicly.

This claim is still coming only from Aldrich's attorney. And it's reported elsewhere that Aldrich used homophobic slurs publicly during disputes with others.

The problem ... it doesn't appear Aldrich has ever identified as nonbinary in the past. As far as we've seen ... Aldrich has never gone by these pronouns. So, naturally, many are questioning whether this could be a play to avoid federal hate crime charges.

Didn't work. Aldrich was charged with five counts of "bias-motivated crimes causing bodily injury" along with murder charges.

 

[ronntaylor]

Right-wing ammosexuals in office should be removed for not enforcing the law. In this case, his arrest and threats against LE should have been more than enough to use Red Flag laws to deny him guns.

After Club Q shooting, Polis, Colorado lawmakers consider next steps on gun control

The governor floated expanding the state’s red flag law, a position echoed by lawmakers. But those legislators had other targets in mind, including a comprehensive approach to gun violence he…

www.denverpost.com

“We’re certainly going to take a hard look at why the red flag law wasn’t used in this case and the case of the King Soopers shooter, what can be used to better publicize, make available and add different parties to make sure that it’s used when it should be used,” [Colorado Governor Polis said on Meet the Press.

Polis focused on the red flag law again during his remarks Tuesday at the memorial.

Passed in 2019, the red flag law allows law enforcement officers and family or household members to petition a court to temporarily bar a person from possessing a firearm if they’re deemed a risk to themselves or others. The suspect in the Colorado Springs shooting, Anderson Lee Aldrich, appears to have been arrested in June 2021 after allegedly threatening family members with a bomb and other weapons.

 

[AG_PhamD]

Agreed that all evidence needs to come out. However the reason the bomb threat got squashed was the connection his grandfather as GOP/MAGA player who most likely pulled some strings. His grandfather is Rep. Randy Voepel, a Republican assemblyman who in the past has aligned himself with the tea party movement and spoken in favor of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. This is all my speculation of course, but highly probable.

Also what is being reported about the family really starting to make think that they are partially responsible for his behavior. Just before the thanksgiving break, is came out that the suspect and mother allegedly used racist slurs against airline passengers during July flight. Non-binary or not (still very suspicious of that claim), he seems to be just raised in a home of hate.

Agreed.

I am very curious to know what happened with his bomb threat incident. If I had to guess, he was taken to court and he was put in some sort of diversionary program which expunged the charges or similarly charges were dropped in exchange for some sort of treatment program. This is pretty typical for young (often white) offenders with a decent lawyer, no criminal history, etc- especially if an actual bomb was not involved. This is especially likely if it arose out of some sort of domestic dispute in his troubled family.

If I had my way, all gun owners would require a psych evaluation with a system to audit the evaluator. I would have no problem grandfathering in existing gun owners just to make it happen. Alternatively/in addition, if the age required to buy a gun was raised to 21 or preferably 24-25 -at least for pistols and AR’s, it would likely prevent a lot of problems. Early male adulthood is defined by raging hormones, not fully developed brains, and an often less than stable life situation.

It’s easy to say ban all guns, but I don’t think that’s a realistic option in many places. For some reason the overwhelming majority of gun overs support more gun restrictions but the NRA does not- but their support has been plummeting recently. I think there is room compromise at the the end of the day to allow gun ownership while preventing it from those who we all agree should not.

 

[ronntaylor]

Agreed that all evidence needs to come out. However the reason the bomb threat got squashed was the connection his grandfather as GOP/MAGA player who most likely pulled some strings.

His mom called the police after he made threats to bomb her home. Once he was taken into custody and no bombs or guns were found, the case was on shaky ground. And then she eventually did not cooperate with the police investigation. So the case was dropped. The grandfather's connections (and money) probably got the case sealed though.

The authorities could have used the incident to keep him away from guns. The outgoing Sheriff is a ultra right-wing ammosexual that basically made enforcement of Red Flag laws nearly impossible. Even in a case where the punk threatened law enforcement.