By Gabrielle Giffords
(Photo: Wikipedia)
TUCSON, Arizona — As you have heard, over the weekend Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were assassinated in their home by a gunman impersonating a police officer.
The gunman also shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, who are thankfully awake and recovering in the hospital.
Melissa was a champion for gun safety who I worked with to pass lifesaving background checks and extreme risk protection laws. She was a true public servant and a dedicated leader. Minnesota is safer today because of her leadership.
I am heartbroken. But we will never be intimidated.
My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting all too well.
Fourteen years ago, I was a congresswoman from Arizona, hosting an event to meet with my constituents outside of a Safeway in Tucson.
A gunman, filled with hatred, tried to assassinate me. Eighteen people were shot, and six died. Our lives changed forever, and I vowed to save others from experiencing what my family — and Tucson — did that day.
An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself, and political violence has become far too common in the United States.
When there is a threat of violence in the halls of our government buildings or against our elected officials, it jeopardizes our democracy — the soul of our nation. We cannot accept political violence as normal or excusable in our society.
At GIFFORDS, we are committed to keeping up our work to fight back against political violence and uphold our democracy.
*
Gabrielle Giffords, a member of the Jewish community, is a former congresswoman from Arizona.