I’ll never forget the phone call I got 14 years ago, when Gabby was shot by someone trying to assassinate her. It was the worst day of our lives.

Today, I’m thinking of Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika, and his two children. Their kids are going to grow up without a father. It’s a horrible, horrible thing.

In a democracy, no one should ever fear violence in response to political disagreement. No parent, spouse, or child should ever have to face this situation, but these acts of political violence have become terribly common in our country. Leaders on both ends of the political spectrum have been shot and attacked.

I worry every single day that we’ve become too divided to figure out how to stop things like this from happening. That thought weighs heavily on me.

Political rhetoric has gotten way out of hand, and anybody can see that. And weak gun laws give hateful people easy access to powerful weapons. The question before us is what we can do about it.

This has to end. It’s up to us, to me as a United States Senator, to set an example and work to do that. We have to convince people that we’re one nation, and we’re stronger when we work together. We have to recognize that, no matter how intense our disagreements, we’re all Americans. We owe that to our families, our neighbors, and ourselves.

Here’s something that gives me hope: After Gabby was shot, she did not give up. She doesn’t quit — ever. She’s worked for 14 years to stop the gun violence that almost killed her. She’s my hero, and she’s an example to all of us.

We can’t keep meeting hate with hate, violence with violence. There has to be another way.

I love this country, I believe in our democracy, and I am going to do all I can to ensure both of them endure for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you. Please, take care of yourselves.

Mark

MarkKelly.com