Dear Robert,

Shortly after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, we drove from New York to Newtown to meet with some of the parents and members of the community who lost so much on that day.

We had no idea what to expect.

We had experienced firsthand the wreckage left in the wake of a mass shooting, but to us, and the entire nation, Newtown felt different . . .

After speaking with the families, Gabby slowly walked over to an empty chair and collapsed into it. “So awful,” she said …” Enough.”

It wasn’t Tucson that inspired us to start Americans for Responsible Solutions — it was Newtown, and visiting with those families solidified our resolve.

Every time we hear of another school shooting, both of us are brought back to that day. All of us are, no doubt.

Yesterday, it was a high school in Washington State, where just two days ago Gabby met with local leaders to discuss how we can keep our communities safer from gun violence.

And once again, we’re left to wonder when our national response to tragedies such as these will consist of more than regret, sorrow, and condolence.

In the past, there’s always been an expected protocol that after an event like this you put out a statement while implicitly agreeing that “now is not the time to talk about politics.”

But maybe that is the wrong approach. If not now, then when?

We must continue our work to keep guns from the hands of domestic abusers, criminals, and the dangerously mentally ill. Laws — passed, and passed on — have consequences. And we won’t shy away from talking about that.

It’s what we assured the families in Newtown almost two years ago, and it remains our promise to you today.

Thank you for standing with us,

Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly

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66 COMMENTS

      • The gun community should never forget that “The Great Communicator,” Ronald Regan, sold us down the river during the final vote on the 1994 Clinton “Assault Weapons” ban. The night before the vote, Regan called Representatives and urged them to vote for the ban. Yeah, that’s right. “The Great Communicator,” “The Hollywood Cowboy,” the “staunch conservative,” sold us out. I’ve never had any use for him since. Oh, the conservative crowd tried to keep it hushed up, because it really gave them a black eye with the constituency, but it happened, and the word got out. Don’t put this traitor up on any pedestals, he doesn’t deserve it.

        • Relax and learn some history before going hysterical. Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a couple of months later and Nancy Reagan was fully running his affairs at that time. Nancy, whose husband was shot, was cravenly manipulate by core people who made up the Brady campaign.

  2. No law they want would have stopped this as far as I know.
    Good family, in fact the victims were related.
    But it is such a nice emotional plea.

    • Which is the reason this case won’t stay in the news very long. Same with the cops being killed in California; a twice deported murderous illegal doesn’t really help the overall anti-gun proggie narrative. Of course they will be used as general reference cases, but the details will be scrubbed from their collective consciousness.

    • Murder is illegal, oh wait that didn’t work
      Wounding with a weapon is unlawful, that didn’t work
      Having a firearm on school property is illegal, hmmm that didn’t work either

      It’s almost as if those determined to break the law to harm people will find a way to do it

      • I think you’ve hit on something–someone should list all of the charges that could have been filed had the shooter lived. It would be quite the list, starting with assault, ADW (five counts), GFSZA, possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of ammunition, illegal discharge of a firearm, two counts of murder, theft, etc. And then ask the rhetorical question of Gabby et al: this young man violated all of these laws that criminalize “gun violence.” None prevented his crimes. What makes you believe than any other law that you might propose would have prevented it?

        • Oh, they have a law in mind. Ban all guns. That’s what they really want.

          Of course, even that wouldn’t stop murderous crazies, but it would render defenseless the rest of us.

  3. “We must continue our work to keep guns from the hands of domestic abusers, criminals, and the dangerously mentally ill by limiting new gun sales and implementing registration followed by full confiscation”

    Finished the statement for them. They can pound sand.

  5. While you’re at it I could just donate to Bloomberg They have the same agenda until they have everyone’s firearms. Until no civilian firearms they won’t be happy so donate help take more of our rights away. I live in Connecticut they were here a week or so ago and the speech they gave about the gun laws that were passed they weren’t strict enough are you kidding me you know how’s restrictive gun laws are in the state of Connecticut it’s ridiculous yeah go ahead donate some more money to donate to Bloomberg he needs it too. Why don’t we just through our guns in and give up the 2nd.

    • Well… you could just go ahead and sell your guns and give that money to Bloomberg. That would make them doubly happy.

      No…. wait…. no background check if you sell the gun. Can’t have that because that would fall into the gun-show loophole.

      You could take your guns to the scrap yard and throw them in the furnace and take whatever they offer you for the metal. You could give that money to Bloomberg. That would make them doubly happy and would save them so much time and trouble.

  7. It warms my heart to know that Gabby and Mark will put their full support behind more effective guarding of our southern border, now that we’ve seen two LEO’s in CA murdered by a twice-deported Mexican felon. I do understand their wish that the Arizona portion of that border be the first to receive much greater vigilance.

    Mark no doubt realizes that effective surveillance of our southern border will prevent more violent crime than any amount of low-life grave dancing pursued to increase his political name-recognition.

    • Close. Old protocol = wait for blood on shirt to dry before waving. New protocol = wave bloody shirt while still wet.

    • Such embarrassing, self-serving twaddle. Now they’re sounding more and more like Rev Al and the race hucksters. The bodies aren’t cold, and they’re already grinding out the agitprop. Shameful.

  10. Ummm…yeah you included a donate button RF? Nothing would have prevented the deranged 14year old from shooting his friends and family. Anyone know if dads gun was legal/locked up? I don’t see a lot of traction here. The kid was non-white,a jock football player and “bullied” with evil white racist taunts.

  11. We must continue our work to keep guns from the hands of domestic abusers, criminals, and the dangerously mentally ill. Laws — passed, and passed on — have consequences. And we won’t shy away from talking about that. So was the kid legally classified as any of the classes mentioned in the previous sentence?

  12. Please show a little compassion for Gabby and her Space Cadet. They are competing with the other hate groups, like MDA, for scarce dollars. Sure, a wealthy friend loaned them a $25 million dollar private jet to fly around in, but they still have expenses. Spreading distortions and lies around the country is hard work and they are just trying to get paid like everybody else.

  13. “We must continue our work to keep guns from the hands of domestic abusers, criminals, and the dangerously mentally ill. Laws — passed, and passed on — have consequences. And we won’t shy away from talking about that.”

    what about passing laws that have no discernable effect and washing our hands of the whole thing?

    will you shy away from talking about that?

    I won’t willingly let my family and loved ones become criminalized for being able to protect themselves.

  14. The whole school shooting in WA is nearly off the front page of the news because it was windy and rainy last night and some people lost their power.

  19. Imagine haring about a shooting and the first thought is “better get in the car and go see if we can find us a puppet.” I know not all are like this, but some are, and it’s a little disturbing.

  20. we need to have armed good guys there to protect our children now more than ever with all this crazy radical Islam madness. Btw, why so long for the cops to get inside at newtown?

  21. “Yesterday, it was a high school in Washington State, where just two days ago Gabby met with local leaders to discuss how we can keep our communities safer from gun violence.”

    Sounds like we should consider banning Gabby, everywhere she goes somebody gets shot.

    “If not now, then when?”

    NEVER

  22. Sooooo basically the Giffords’ family hopes or a payday because some nutjob killed some folk…makes you wonder who is more screwed up…the shooter or the people trying to PROFIT FROM IT.

  23. Yes, the Space Cowboy never was one to let a drop of blood go unremarked, nor a warm body undesecrated. If you cut yourself shaving he will send out 10k pieces begging for a donation to end the bloodshed. Huckster.

  24. CAPT Kelly. Have yo no shame, sir?

    You talk about respecting the grief of the families, then turn about and dance in the blood of the victims.
    You are a man who has achieved much, through discipline, logic, and rationality applied in your aviation career, yet you abandon all that in your emotional appeals that make no sense, except to advance the discredited cause of those politicia s who would deny the constitutional rights to self defense, for the law abiding, as set forth in a document you swore an oath to serve and protect. And that Offficers Oath has no time limit, as I recall.

    I give you the benefit of the doubt you mean well. Any compassionate person can sympathize with you and Gabby for her tragic injury, and understand your misdirected zeal to do somthing, anything, to make something good come from it. But, with the greatest respect, Sir, you are being misled, and used, as many fine heroes, and wojnded have, by politicians who do not care for your ssrvuce, or reputation, and are simply using you for their dreame of power and control.

    If you truly want to help troubled young men, like ths teen in Washington State, or lost souls post secondary school, like Jared Loughner, then would it not make more sense to aim your energy at the mental health systems, for under-funded facilities, and better school social worker and LEO training to recognize early signs of those in need?. Tragically, that same initiative was under way, in Marysville, due to rollout there as one of three pilot sites. Yet no mention is made, specifically, here in your pleavwhen if anyone can speak to that by example, it is you and Gabby.

    And it is yiu, Captain, and Gabby who can remibd the anti-gun activists that the same “treat the illness, not the tool” idea was underway, in Sacramento, at least according to the orininal sponsor, Assmywmn Siner, in CA, until that effort was hijacked by Democratic Senate Leaders in Sacramento, grandstanding to focus on seizing guns, vs treating the mentally ill person, post Isla Harbor.

    CAPT Kelly: How much more good could an honorable man of integrity, and his former politician spouse do, than to speak to these obvious truths, that far too many other politicians dare not, for fear of poltical correctness, or worse, some imaginary loss of power for deviating from the gun-grabber meme.

    Will you once and forever denounce the hypocrisy of the left, to do good, or tarnish your own honor, servuce, and years of service in uniform, otherwise, playing the lackey, to elites like Bloomberg, Soros, and moneyed tech types, who seek glory through faux campaigns and sock puppeted social justice, riding on your reputation and sympathy for your wife?

  26. “In the past, there’s always been an expected protocol that after an event like this you put out a statement while implicitly agreeing that “now is not the time to talk about politics.”

    But maybe that is the wrong approach. If not now, then when?”

    Just stop. After the Newton shooting you were pushing your gun grabbing agenda within hours.

  27. the fact that the details of the gun’s origin have not been disclosed is interesting. Seems like Dad and uncle are cops and the gun is 40 cal.
    D emcorats love exempting cops from gun control.

    • Chris you are correct, I can’t find any info on how the kid got the gun. Mum. Just that it was Dad’s and a 40 as u say.

      • There is a man with the same name as the father listed as Fryberg a reserve police officer of the Tuilipa Tribe. There is some kind of citizen complaint against Tulipa “police officer” with mane spelled marlin Fryeberg.

        Tribal police are officially law enforcement by federal definition in the federal laws exempting them from certain controls.

        I got suspicious when I read 40 cal Beretta, because although sure there are non cops who own them, everyone is know with 40 cal beretta is a cop.
        I don’t know for sure, but If this is the source of the gun — http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marlin-fryberg-jr/4a/428/85a then he, thanks to Democrats, is exempt for a lot of current and proposed gun control laws even for his personal non official firearms

  28. When will these people realize you can not legislate evil. We have plenty of laws now to “prevent” these type things. What they don’t have in their heads is the people committing these acts know what they are doing is wrong, they just do it regardless. We don’t need more laws we need to enforce the ones we already have, we need to actually PUNISH the wrong doers. Being sent to a prison is not punishment, they have regulated the prison to such high standards its basically a free resort. There are many that continue to put themselves there because they know they are guaranteed 3 hot meals, and a clean place to sleep for FREE. Not to mention they have a free gym membership and cable TV in the deal as well. Anything less would be “inhumane”. Put the criminals back to work, and warm up THE CHAIR. Crime rates will go down if prison is not as pleasurable a place to be in.

    • Will, I have a feeling you don’t know what you are talking about.

      There are “country club” type “prisons,” of course. That’s where the VIPs and so forth go. Mostly Fed things.

      I suggest you actually go visit any state prison, especially in Texas. Most of the incarcerated are non-violent, mala prohibita type people, and their living conditions are terrible. I’ve seen it. My son wound up there for a little while, one of those bogus “plea bargains.” You don’t actually have to be guilty of anything.

      The ideal outcome of a violent attack is the grave injury or death of the aggressor at the hands of the intended victim or their guardian. It doesn’t matter what the motive of the aggressor might be, or their “mental health” status.

      Gabby and the rest, even given the very most altruistic slant on it, live in a make believe world where wishes are horses. Daily indulgence in the insanity of doing the same things over and over, expecting different results = anti-gun legislation.

      • I am over exaggerating on the conditions I know, but there still is not much correction going on in “corrections facilities”. They go in they do their time and they get out. There are a changed few I’ve met, but most are just as bad on the inside as they are on the outside. We have a federal prison where I live, I have been in it many times to pick up patients(I’m a paramedic with local EMS). No it is not the Hilton, but the living conditions are not horrid, better than many have outside of prison. I’m not saying degrade their living conditions, just actually in listing punishment in prisons. Most people hear that and immediately think of dungeons and torture. Though effective, that is not at all what needs to be done either. Bring back the chain gangs and the license plate stamping. Contract out the prisons for government labor. We have a fire department in the next county over that is almost fully staffed by inmates. They are dang good, the tax payers money is utilized, and when these guys get out they have the ability to gets jobs with the certifications and experience they accrued.

        • Seems to be some contradiction here, Will. You seem to advocate harsh conditions and slave gang tactics, while admitting these won’t change the violent ones. Others, however, are “good” as firemen. Why should they live in harsh conditions at the expense of taxpayers if they’d do well as firemen? I’m a bit confused here.

          Actually, the only “crime” is that which harms another person in some tangible way. The right response is first, defense by the intended victim, and then restitution by the aggressor if there is financial loss. There would be the occasional case that didn’t fall in either camp, but grownup human beings should be able to deal with that among themselves.

          What we have, and you seem to advocate more of, is the useless and destructive warehousing of millions of people, most of whom have never harmed anyone. All of the police, courts, jails and prisons produce nothing benificial, and cost billions in stolen goods. They also predispose those who are released to a life of crime, since it is almost impossible for them to get a job or start a business. They wind up on the dreg edge of life, whether they were actually guilty of a real crime or not.

          “Punishment” accomplishes little or nothing in these people. Rehabilitation is basically impossible if they are not going to be able to rejoin society in any meaningful way. So, it would seem to me, the smart answer would be to let people take responsibility for themselves and work things out. The few truly dangerous criminals who do not meet their death at the hands of their intended victims might need to be kept off the streets, but then those invoved would have to figure out how to pay for their keep.

          Much easier for some folks to call anything they don’t like a “crime,” pay the billions in “taxes” for the current injustice system, and close their eyes to the destruction all of it brings. Hmmmm.

        • Good points Mama. China’s incarceration rate is lower than ours. Disgusting. We seem to enjoy locking people up and ruining their lives. The cost in dollars and human tragedy is staggering. There is a very mean and arbitrary thread running through our society that is very disturbing to me because punishments go well beyond what is necessary for society to protect itsself from crime.

  29. Gabby Giffords may have been the one shot in the head, but I think Mark Kelly is the one with the damaged brain.

  30. Of course the goal is to grab guns. But the condition of mental health care for people clearly unstable is deplorable. Streets and jails are the new psychiatric hospitals, in the name of “pursuit of happiness”. The courts really blew it on that one.

  31. Dear Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly,
    It seems you have us all figured wrong. We despise this kind of violence as much as you do. I remember, even as a casual observer, the terrible knot that formed in my stomach when I heard of the toll of Newtown. I am far from sympathetic: I am right there with you. We must take steps to stop this from ever happening again.
    The pro-gun movement always proposes solutions to these types of incidents. Heck, the NRA (though I do not like them much) came up with one of the most fantastic responses to this sort of violence: A program to help schools actually do something about armed individuals when they (inevitably) step onto school grounds.
    Unfortunately, more often than not, the response of organizations and groups such as yours is to propose solutions not too far off in nature from what has been done in both the UK and Australia. The result in each of those cases was (far) fewer guns, but a much higher incidence of violent crime. This leads the general populace to believe that organizations such as yours are committed not to reducing violence, but to a crusade against physical objects (which, in this case, are closely tied to our freedoms in this country). In addition, whenever gun control is proposed that purports to target only dangerous individuals that certainly have no business possessing firearms, such measures are invariably found to affect those who pose no danger to society and wish only to defend themselves, their families, and their neighbors from evil.
    If your mission is to reduce violence, you are treading a road whose end is already known to be failure, which is unpopular enough with those of us who know the numbers and the statistics. Unfortunately, the road itself is full of potholes: our Constitution, and the American people’s favorable view of it.
    We all want the same thing. We want what has been shown to work, statistically speaking. You are pushing for a repeat of history, which has always ended in more tears, and more bloodshed. It should come as no surprise that we do not support your mission to lead us down that road.
    Americans want what works, and what does not violate our rights. We already know how to get there. We have been heading down that road for a while now, according to favorable statistics which coincide the liberalization of gun rights throughout the country. This road does not have to include headlines like those out of Newtown. We only await acceptance by lawmakers, and those such as yourselves, that there are evils in this world that cannot be negotiated with; that cannot, and will not, abide by four or five or ten new anti-killing laws when they have already made the terrible decision to violate the very first one: ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ Once we realize that pure evil requires a very specific and focused response, the neglected bastion for murderers across the nation known as the ‘gun-free school zone’ can be tied up, and nothing on the scale of Newtown need ever happen again.

  32. Okay, I’ll discuss “reasonable” reform of gun laws. Let’s start with this: what, short of complete civilian disarmament, would have prevented any of the tragedies you exploit for political gain? As you dance in the blood of children in Washington state, what restrictions come to mind that could have prevented what happened?

    Have such measures been tried anywhere? If so, where? And what was their effect?

    You want to stop school shootings? Simple:

    1. Repeal the Gun-Free School Zone Act
    2. Require schools to maintain a minimum ratio of armed faculty/staff to students
    3. Pay for the training, certification, and CCW permitting of any teacher who volunteers to carry while at school

    Oh, but you wouldn’t consider such measures to be “reasonable”, now would you?

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