The Democratic Party has made combating gun violence a central theme of its campaign, dedicating a significant portion of its final night at the Chicago convention to the issue. Survivors and relatives of victims took to the stage to share their deeply personal stories, highlighting the devastating impact of gun violence on communities across the country.
Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, a survivor of a 2011 shooting, spoke about the unwavering support she received from Joe Biden during her recovery. She praised Biden’s commitment to gun safety and expressed confidence in Vice President Kamala Harris’s ability to combat the gun lobby and gun trafficking. “Joe is a great President,” she said. “Kamala will be a great President. She is tough. She has grit. Kamala can beat the gun lobby. She can fight gun trafficking.”
Rep. Lucy McBath, another gun safety advocate who tragically lost her son to gun violence, spoke passionately about the need for action. She emphasized the resilience of those affected by gun violence and their determination to create safer communities. “Our losses do not weaken us,” McBath said on stage, surrounded by a group of survivors and relatives of other victims. “They strengthen our resolve. We will secure safer futures that we all deserve. We will organize, we will advocate. We will run for office, and we will join with Americans from small towns and big cities to keep our communities safe, and we will elect leaders like Kamala Harris who won’t just empathize, but will act.”
Abbey Clements, a survivor of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, spoke about the enduring pain and the urgent need for change. “I carry that horrific day with me: 20 beautiful first-grade children and six of my beautiful colleagues were killed,” Clements said. “They should still be here.”
Kim Rubio, whose 10-year-old daughter was killed in the Uvalde school shooting in 2022, shared the profound loss and enduring grief of losing a child to gun violence. “Parents everywhere reach for their children. I reach out for the daughter I will never hold again.”
Melody McFadden, whose mother and niece were victims of gun violence, highlighted the ongoing struggle for justice and the need for continued advocacy. “Ten years of waiting, and Sandy’s murder is still unsolved. I’ll keep calling and I’ll keep fighting.”
Edgar Vilchez, a survivor of a school shooting in Chicago, spoke about the lasting impact of gun violence on young people and the need for a new approach to safety. “They say schools are for learning, and I did learn a lot that day. I learned how to run, how to hide and drop. That what happens in the news can happen to me. But I learned something else too, that we can write and must write a new story if we choose to.”
The segment concluded with a video highlighting the importance of freedom from fear of gun violence and emphasizing Vice President Harris’s commitment to addressing the issue. “I have full confidence in Vice President Harris,” one supporter said, “that she’s dedicated to and committed to finding a solution to end gun violence.”
The Biden-Harris Administration has taken significant steps to address gun violence, including passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, creating the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and implementing executive actions to curb gun trafficking. Democrats have also released a comprehensive gun safety plan that includes universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, safe storage requirements, ending gun industry immunity, a national red flag law, and increased funding for law enforcement and research into gun violence.