Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was shot and wounded when a gunman opened fire on one of her events in 2011, touted the needs for resilience and strength in a powerful speech Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention.
Giffords, who was shot in the head during the deadly attack, says that she while she “known the darkest of days,” she chose to respond with “grit and determination.”
“I put one foot in front of the other. I found one word and then I found another. My recovery is a daily fight but fighting makes me stronger,” Giffords said.“Words once came easily, today I struggle to speak. But I have not lost my voice.”
Giffords has become a symbol for the Democratic fight for stricter gun laws, founding the organization Giffords in the wake of her shooting, an advocacy organization that pushes lawmakers to pass sweeping gun laws.
The former congresswoman then related her personal fight to the current state of the country and her support for Biden.
“America needs all of us to speak out, even when you have to fight to find the words. We are at a crossroads,” Giffords said. “We can let the shooting continue, or we can act. We can protect our families, our future. We can vote. We can be on the right side of history. We must elect Joe Biden. He was there for me, he’ll be there for you too. Join us in this fight.”
Giffords' taped speech was introduced by a video on her life voiced by actress Regina King and featured video of the former congresswoman playing the French horn, something she did often before her shooting.
“It was an honor to help share Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ story of perseverance and courage as part of the Democratic National Convention,” King said in a statement. “Her determination to never stay silent, against all odds, should be inspiration to us all.”
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