Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), a gunshot survivor and gun control advocate, called for patience on gun reform in a column published in The New York Times on Wednesday.
In the op-ed, printed on the third anniversary of the assault that left six of her constituents dead and Giffords in critical condition, the former representative wrote of her "endlessly repetitive" and "painful" rehabilitation. She admitted congressional inaction on gun control has left her "disappointed," but expressed optimism in an important election year:
We’re not daunted. We know that the gun lobby, which makes money by preventing sensible change, relies on dramatic disappointments to wound us, reduce our power, push us back on our heels.
Our fight is a lot more like my rehab. Every day, we must wake up resolved and determined. We’ll pay attention to the details; look for opportunities for progress, even when the pace is slow. Some progress may seem small, and we might wonder if the impact is enough, when the need is so urgent.
But every day we will recruit a few more allies, talk to a few more elected officials, convince a few more voters. Some days the steps will come easily; we’ll feel the wind at our backs. Other times our knees will buckle. We’ll tire of the burden. I know this feeling. But we’ll persist.
We can get tough and win elections. We’ll support our allies. And those who stood in the way will face a powerful advocacy community standing between them and re-election.
Giffords tweeted a link to her column, telling followers of the progress she's made in the three years since the shooting:
Read the full column at The New York Times.
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