Christine Leinonen attends the “Disarm Hate” rally at Potomac Park on Aug. 13, 2016. She appears in a campaign ad that Florida Congressman Patrick Murphy released on Oct. 17, 2016. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Christine Leinonen, the mother of Christopher “Drew” Leinonen, emotionally describes how a gunman shot her son nine times inside the Orlando, Fla., nightclub on June 12.
“He didn’t have a chance,” she says. “And he’s just one of over 100 people who were shot. “He was half of my heart. I’ve lost half of who I am.”
Christine Leinonen’s son and his fiancé, Juan Guerrero, were among the 49 people who died in the Pulse nightclub massacre.
Murphy’s opponent in Florida’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), announced his re-election campaign less than two weeks after the massacre that is the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Christine Leinonen in August criticized the Cuban-American Republican for voting “against every piece of common sense gun legislation” since the Pulse nightclub massacre when she spoke with the Washington Blade at a gun control rally in Washington. Christine Leinonen also described Rubio’s decision to deliver the keynote address at an anti-LGBT conference that took place at an Orlando hotel on the second month anniversary of the mass shooting as “infuriating.”
“I cannot understand how Marco Rubio would go back to Washington, D.C., and do nothing,” says Christine Leinonen in the Murphy campaign ad. “I don’t think Patrick Murphy is afraid to take on the toughest problems, including gun violence, in this country.”
Murphy appears with Christine Leinonen at the end of the ad.
“Marco Rubio puts the gun lobby before Florida every time,” wrote Murphy on a post on his Facebook page that contains the ad. “I’m fighting for Christine, those we lost at Pulse, and Florida families.”
A poll that Quinnipiac University released on Tuesday shows Rubio is ahead of Murphy by a 49-47 percent margin.
Christine Leinonen has also endorsed Hillary Clinton.
She said in an emotional speech at the Democratic National Convention that her son was “a big Hillary supporter.” Christine Leinonen also spoke in support of what she described as “common sense” gun control.
“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,” she said. “I never want you to ask that question about your child.”
Donald Trump also spoke at the same Orlando conference at which Rubio appeared. The Republican billionaire sparked outrage when he reiterated his call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S. in the wake of the Pulse nightclub massacre.
Christine Leinonen, mother of Christopher “Drew” Leinonen, one of the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre, speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 27, 2016. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Why doesn’t she speak out against the hateful ideology that was responsible for her sons death? I guess she knows she would be labeled a “racist”, “hate-mongering”, “Islamophobe”. She should be ashamed of herself for sacrificing her sons memory on the alter of political correctness.
Christine Leinonen has every right to her opinion.
So what if he was born in Queens. Is that supposed to make him any less devout of a Muslim? His father, also a highly devout Muslim attended Clinton rally after his son committed mass murder at the Pulse nightclub. What does that tell you?
So he was born where Donald trump was. Do you have a point other than demonstrating how unbelievably stupid you are?
Exactly. ANYONE who blames the NRA, the second amendment, the tea party, or conservatives in general, for acts of terror committed by radical Muslims, DESERVES to be slaughtered by one. This lady is a filthy sick B.
Islamic texts (not NRA texts)state homosexuals are to be killed. Mohammed himself, who is considered by Muslims as the perfect human and example for all people for all times said of anyone performing or receiving a homosexual act, “Kill the one that is doing it and also kill the one that it is being done to him.” The vast majority of Muslims including those living in the US and including the ones that will immigrate to the US in the future revere Mohammed and his teachings and examples. Of course to tell such truths us considered “racist”, “hateful” and “”Islamophobic”. http://globalnews.ca/news/3006172/another-unacceptable-anti-islam-flyer-shocks-edmonton-resident/
I agree with except when you said “radical Muslims”. While their acts are indeed radical” they are in fact devout.