VIDEO

Gabrielle Giffords Tells Lawmakers to 'Be Bold' on Gun Control

'We must do something,' says the shooting survivor in Senate testimony

Jan 30, 2013 by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t

Image: AP

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a gun shot wound to the head during a mass shooting in Tucson, Az., two years ago, urged Congress to "be bold," and "courageous" in passing new gun laws, at a dramatic hearing on gun safety Wednesday.

"Speaking is difficult, but i need to say something important," the Arizona Democrat told the Senate Judiciary Committee in nationally televised testimony. "Violence is a big problem. Too many children are dying. Too many children. We must do something. It will be hard. But the time is now. You must act. Be bold. Be courageous. Americans are counting on you. Thank you."

Giffords' husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, testified about the need for stricter background checks for gun owners. National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre submitted testmony saying "proposing more gun control laws - while failing to enforce the thousands that we already have - is not a serious solution to reducing crime," NPR reported.

President Obama recently proposed a comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence including universal background checks, and a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, following up on a promise to take "meaningful action" after last month's massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. that took the lives of 20 small children, and eight adults including the shooter.

Via NPR and Talking Points Memo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKn7cTE3jTY

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Comments (view in Forum)

Jan '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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Surprise!
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Jan '13

hwyangel

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LOL. Smart A$$

Do think the next issue will be "limiting" private property rights or increased integration?
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Jan '13

tomincali

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@hwyangel that is already in place, any land you think you own can be taken for the "common good" as gov sees fit. i have seen it down in my town for a hiway then change their minds after taking property then sold it without telling the original owners,selling it only a certain group. sad part is they never give what the owners have put into it and sell it cheaper than what they paid.
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Post @tomincali
Jan '13

MongoAPillager

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w are a nation of laws,not emotion..thats why a democracy in an affront to a free people
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Jan '13

MongoAPillager

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is an affront..geesh
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Jan '13

Dan_Tien

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A democracy is an affront to free people? I had always thought that a democracy was the expression of free people. What is better in your opinion? A police state enforces laws very well. Is that a better government for free people?
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Post @Dan_Tien
Jan '13

AlexMIA

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@Dan_Tien Close to 80% of people in every poll or debate I have read are against bans! Lets let democracy take care of it. Put to a vote!
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Jan '13

GmanGSW

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@AlexMIA Definitely agree. Why not put the vote to "the people?"
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Jan '13

methinks

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@Dan_Tien I think what he's trying to say is that we are representative republic which isn't run by mob rule.

I do not want legislation passed that is based on knee-jerk reactions from the mob.

Tommy Lee Jones' character Agent Kay sums it ups like this: "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it."
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Jan '13

SomethinsFishy

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I was wounded by two of my FELLOW soldiers in Germany on July 5, 1971, because of the color of my skin. They thought I was a member of "the ruling class" rather than an immigrant from Southern Europe whose family didn't get to this hemisphere until 1939.
There were A TREMENDOUS NUMBER of racial incidents, violence against "Whites" from African-Americans all throughout the period. Even General Eifler saw an open show of defiance during a military ceremony at USAREUR. To be fair, THERE WAS an awful lot of discrimination in the theater USAREUR/Army back then, but I still fee there was no reason to take it out on fellow soldiers, especially since we didn't do the discriminating. Should I have a special license to talk trash, bigotry, etc. against African-Americans or be influential in the banning of certain kinds of weapons, Hell No!
It's individuals who commit crimes, especially hate crimes, not INANIMATE OBJECTS.
The anti-gun lobby, lacking ammunition from the US Department of Justice Statistics, resorts to lies and emotionalism to enact unjust and unconstitutional laws. Don't let them get away with it! http://tinyurl.com/ammmvgg http://assaultweaponsbanof2013.blogspot.com
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Jan '13

Jeff_Woehrle

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"We must do SOMETHING, even if it's not effective at all!"

Breathless liberals are funny.
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Jan '13

Buzzfriendly

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If they took even one second to think about it they would realize they are trying to ban a type of gun that is almost never used in the actually committing a crime. Emotional and stupid must be a miserable way to go through life.
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Post @Buzzfriendly
Jan '13

texas_cutie75

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We have laws, they aren't being enforced, why can't what we already have in place be utilized, then we can revisit all of these new ideas... just a thought!
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Jan '13

GmanGSW

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There are a lot of them, indeed! LEOs, as I'd brought up, will have to learn a LOT more about their local & state laws, but it can, and should be done.
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Post @GmanGSW
Jan '13

Waynestew

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I agree some of the laws we have are not enforced but that's because they have no teeth begin with.
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Post @Waynestew
Jan '13

Thunderchicken

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'We must do something,' says the shooting survivor in Senate testimony

Yes, but the "something" isn't taking more rights from law abiding citizens. The "something" should be removing criminals from society.
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Jan '13

TBToyia

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Right on for you. This entire argument over gun control is so pathetic, and Im thinking of the libs when I say that. Using victims of shootings for gun control is like pulling a bunch of kids up on stage with you , when you sign a gun control bill..:) And its like.. I was hit by a drunk driver and I survived... so we need to take away all our cars.. what the ? kind of logic is this? Answer: Its not..and they know exactly what they are doing. Its called "Disarm America" my friends. Did you know..that Japan once said.., when talking about the attack on Pearl Harbor , the only reason they did not attack California was because they knew there would be a gun hiding behind every bush .:) I rest my case.
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Post @TBToyia
Jan '13

Medicinebow

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"we must do something". I'm getting tired of hearing this. How about we do something right to correct the problem....not just something? Enhanced backgound checks with improved mental health reporting to the NCIS would be a start. I don't want guns in the wrong hands and "assault" weapon and magazine bans are bandaids that simply will do nothing to prevent further instances of this from happening. Feel good measures do nothing effective. Law abiding citizens aren't the problem. Making more laws will make criminals obey them? Our representatives need to get a clue.
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Jan '13

Thunderchicken

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Amen
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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Well said. Why was Jared Louhner allowed to purchase a gun or ammo? The guy was a known nutcase. This is not about the gun. Because he used a 9mm which would not be banned. This is about thugs and lunatics getting their hands on guns.
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Post @jessejaymes
Jan '13

MarkJM

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Enforce the laws already on the books. Creating more laws won't solve this problem, but only make the problem worse. That is typical of a big bloated Federal government who thinks they can run our lives better than we can...Rep. Giffords, go back into retirement hun, with all due respect your logic is clearly flawed here...
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Jan '13

GmanGSW

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Agreed. Also, re her husband's view point. I do like what Lindey Graham said about a constituent of his having fired 5/6 shots, and unfortunately missed, leaving her with an empty revlover, and with a severe weapons restriction, with SO many laws on the books!

Great! A shoot out in Phoenix, AZ? What the F? Guys, gals, we really need to push mental health laws into action. I also have learned that that 6 year old is still being held by an "adult" gun man, as a hostage?

Sorry, just really "irked" here! On a day with hearings on the Hill? Notn that ppl should do either on any day! I do notice "gun shooting problems" in 3 different categories/areas. Eh, kinda off topic here.
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Post @GmanGSW
Jan '13

bsking

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I feel sorry for her in a way .. She paid a very heavy price for thinking people loved her more than they did. if her husband was there with his gun that he's so ready to claim he owns... he may have been able to stop the whacked out leftist kid who shot her.

This argument is stupid anyway... it's like saying people think they're taxed too much should have a say in how much taxes they have to pay
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Jan '13

Hireman

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Caption Contest! What is Mark Kelly thinking in this picture?
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Jan '13

mtkopf

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"I think that was more than a fart!"
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Jan '13

Hireman

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"You sure got a pretty mouth"
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Jan '13

SmedleyButler

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Guarantee she won't mention the epidemic of SSRI's that are behind these shootings.
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Jan '13

BelinKS

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I'm sorry something happened to them, but I think the NRA is right this time. Enforce the laws already there. That is not being done. If we won't or can't enforce those, how are we going to enforce more?
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Jan '13

NTBFW

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We have 9000 gun laws on the books. Enforce them. We have a CRIME problem. Not a gun problem.
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Jan '13

GmanGSW

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Rigth on! Then again, it's more along the line of 20,000. LEOs are really going to have to learn their state & local laws.
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Jan '13

hertz_doughnut

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We have a rule problem with evil rulers making more and more laws to control the sheeple. Rules on the book deputize teachers. If you are not willing to use deadly force to protect my children then I will not give you custody of them.
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Jan '13

Penn1699

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Whatever...
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Jan '13

kathyparsell

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Victims of crime should heard from. And respected by their audience. However many of their crime story's bare 1 of 2 undeniable links;the mentally ill or a criminal offender The same is offen true of killings that don't involve guns as well. Neither the mentally ill nor criminals should be in possession of fire arms. Make changes, but start with doing just duty by treating the mentally ill and keeping violent offenders in jail instead of drug offenders.
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Jan '13

AlexMIA

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Victims of gun crimes are only heard and respected without contention by senate or congressional hearings when the outcome of their testimony falls in line with their agenda.
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Jan '13

russ

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Well said.....those who have an agenda to remove guns from society are more likely to succeed by parading victims and exploiting mass murder tragedies. After all, emotions trump logic and reason. Sure, they mention criminal punishment and restructuring mental health, but only as an afterthought. I am appalled to see how easily misinformed people can be swayed by purveyors of power. It's only one more example of the true epedimic in America; far too many are falling in line as obedient recipients of propoganda.
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Post @russ
Jan '13

AlexMIA

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Gun Control!!! Seems like most Americans don't want it. Atleast not the way you're propsing it! What we need is politician control!
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Jan '13

RobertJHarsh

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I say let the victims have their say, but common sense needs to prevail in whatever legislation that is created.
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Jan '13

Sillpchs

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I understand their views, but generally they tend to be bias due to their experiances.
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Jan '13

Arumizy

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I say so long as people who use their guns in self defense have as much influence as these victims then it would be fair. Unfortunately the left paints people who use their guns to defend themselves as vigilantes and the victims as Hero and saints
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How influential should gun violence victims be in the gun control debate?

How influential should gun violence victims be in the gun control debate?