Swift debate over Rohrbough writings

Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News

Friday, September 21, 2007

Brian Rohrbough, whose son, Dan, was murdered at Columbine, wanted to spur debate with his inscription at the Columbine Memorial.

He did, indeed.

Part of the inscription, in which the father sought to answer his fallen son's question about why Columbine happened, blamed it on "...a Nation that legalized the killing of innocent children in the womb; in a County where authorities would lie and cover up what they knew and what they did; in a Godless school system your life was taken. Dan I'm sorry."

Rohrbough, who is president of Colorado Right to Life, ended the inscription with the Bible verse: "There is no peace," says the Lord. "for the wicked." Isaiah 48:22

The father's inscription for the memorial that will be dedicated this afternoon sparked fiery reaction — for and against — in Rocky's Web forum, www.RockyTalkLive.com, today.

"Using the death of his child to score some dubious and inconsistent political points on behalf of his employer says more about Mr. Rohrbough than it does about the society he critiques," wrote one anonymous reader.

"Better we allow these types to show themselves by giving them the freedom to indulge their vanity and conjure an artificial 'controversy' even if it temporarily sullies the underlying purpose of the memorial to remember and honor those children who were killed."

Others defended Rohrbough.

"For all of you who are critical of Mr. Rohrbough's comments: Step up to the plate and give the life of your child," wrote Rex. "Then and only then, can you judge what is appropriate or not in your child's memorial. Until then, keep your pie hole shut. Agree with his words or not, he has the right to express them."

Like many loved ones of Columbine victims, Rohrbough has long criticized Jefferson County sheriff's officials' failure to pursue early warnings about Columbine killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold , their response on the day of the tragedy and their failure to reveal key records afterward.

Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink, who didn't hold his post when the tragedy occurred, chose not to directly address Brian Rohrbough's comments.

"Our hope is that the Columbine Memorial serves as a place of comfort and healing for the community," Mink said simply in a statement issued today.

The nearly 90 comments posted on Rocky Talk Live by midafternoon ranged from calls for peaceful dialogue to the profane.

"Mr. Rohrbough is welcome to put whatever he wants on his designated plaque space, who cares?" wrote Willie. "The real issue here is the hypocritical holier-than-thou attitude that he and his ilk project. For example, the article states he and his ex-wife wrote the inscription. That means he is DIVORCED, right? Isn't that a major, unforgivable SIN? You see, he has no place lecturing everybody else on what is right or wrong, regardless of what happened at Columbine."

Others tried to guide the heated exchanges back to respectful debate.

"There seems like an awful lot of venom directed at Mr. Rorhbough. It is possible to disagree with his statement (I do, while still supporting his right to say it) and not attack him personally," said a reader identified as "Uncommon Sense."

"We all react to grief differently, and the loss of a child (especially through a vicious act like Columbine) is, I am sure, something most of us could not imagine. It just seems wrong to judge a man so harshly whose major offense appears to be harshly judging others."

gathrighta@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5486

Inscription excerpt

Below is Brian Rohrbough’s portion of the inscription honoring his son, Dan. The 15-year-old’s mother, Sue Petrone, wrote a separate inscription to honor him that will be unveiled this afternoon when the Columbine Memorial is dedicated.

"Dad, I have a question." Why?

My son in a Nation that legalized the killing of innocent children in the womb; in a County where authorities would lie and cover up what they knew and what they did; in a Godless school system your life was taken ... Dan I’m sorry.

"I love you dad I'll see you tomorrow."

7:00 p.m., April 19, 1999.

"There is no peace," says the Lord. "for the wicked." Isaiah 48:22