Gabrielle Giffords Marks Giffords’ 10th Anniversary with Good Morning America Interview, USA Today Op-ed
Washington DC — January 8th marked the 12th anniversary of Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ shooting and the 10th anniversary of the founding of Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization she founded in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting. Former Congresswoman Giffords marked the meaningful anniversary with a joint interview by Robin Roberts with her husband, Senator Mark Kelly, that aired on Good Morning America today.
WATCH THE FULL GOOD MORNING AMERICA SEGMENT HERE
Additionally, Gabby authored an op-ed, “Why I’m optimistic about reducing gun violence in America,” published by USA Today, which recounts the progress the gun safety movement has made over the last decade and the reasons she is hopeful about more progress to come in the years ahead.
Excerpt from the op-ed:
“I know from my own journey that when progress happens slowly, it can sometimes feel small. But think about how far the movement has come. When I founded Giffords in 2013, gun safety was a political third rail. Candidates in swing districts, like the one I used to represent, bragged about their endorsements from the National Rifle Association. Fearing public backlash, those who privately supported gun safety often shied away from the issue on the campaign trail.
“In recent elections, a dramatic shift has occurred: Gun safety has become a winning issue for candidates. Now, across the country, voters want stronger gun laws by 2-to-1.
“The same is true in battleground states like Pennsylvania, where half the electorate say they’d never vote for a candidate who opposed universal background checks. A new generation of leaders, like Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., has been elected by putting gun violence prevention at the center of their campaigns. And these days, the NRA is in disarray.
“This political evolution did not happen by chance. It happened because we worked hard and built a movement of survivors, students, medical professionals and responsible gun owners that is changing hearts, minds and laws.”