Colorado Senate Majority Leader Chris Holbert, a Republican from Parker, took to Facebook last week to share his views on the purpose of the Second Amendment.
Holbert wrote, “The Second Amendment is our defense against tyranny,” then he clarified his statement with a comment that seemingly argues recreational gun ownership is secondary to what he views as the true purpose of the constitutional right to bear arms. In an apparent nod of agreement, state Sen. Tim Neville liked the post.
Several people commented on the post, apparently interpreting it to mean that the Second Amendment guarantees the right to use gun violence against political opponents they view as tyrannical. One commenter even suggested it should even be used against government for being “too large and over reaching it’s limits.”
Some comments even more obviously suggest the use of violence. One commenter wrote that Hillary Clinton and her 2016 presidential campaign chairman John Podesta “should have been tried and hanged by now.”
Holbert apparently has no issue with allowing the comments on his page, as he has not yet deleted them or made any attempt to suggest that people shouldn’t go around murdering those with whom they disagree.
The Facebook thread comes just weeks after the shooting of Congressman Steve Scalise at a GOP baseball game, which was apparently politically motivated. Many Republicans, including some in Colorado, blamed the shooting on what they say is hateful political rhetoric on the left.
Holbert’s post is reminiscent of this tweet from U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, which he was criticized for following the Scalise shooting:
