# Giffords Fuels Gun Control Rally on Parkway

https://youtu.be/nbH173jIQMU Former Congress woman Gabby Giffords led a chant of “fight” at a rally organized by vocal majority. Giffords, who was seriously wounded by a gunman while she was greeting constituents 5 years ago, was joined by Congressmen John Lewis, and mothers and fathers who lost their children to gun violence. Giffords and Lewis called on both parties to take action. “Stopping gun violence takes courage, the courage to do whats right. The courage of new ideas. I've seen great courage when my life was on the line," said Giffords. “We have got to push and we have got to pull and we must never ever be satisfied until we get the congress to act," seconded Lewis. Richard Martinez, who's son Christopher was killed in the 2014 UC Santa Barbra shooting, talked with us about his son’s death. “He left us on that day, we could not have known or imagine that we would never see Chris again.” Martinez wasn't the only family member at the rally in memory of a lost loved one. Tyisha Harris, a senior spokeswoman for Mothers in Charge of New Jersey, lost her cousin Jermaine Kelly in Philadelphia to gun violence. Her biggest concern about gun legislation is people who suffer from mental issues. "We need to have some kind of comprehensive gun control, some kind of mechanism to screen people before they are allowed to have weapons. We are not against the second amendment, and we believe people are allowed to have the right to bare arms, but we want it done responsibly.” For Brett Sabo and Joan Petters, both members of Moms Demand Action, the attacks in Sandy Hook and San Bernadino inspired them to join the gun advocate movement. “How fortunate that I haven't lost anyone to gun violence, but that I really felt like just a matter or time, and I wasn’t okay with just sitting there waiting for that to happen,” said Sabo. “Crying in the car after Sandy Hook. I can’t imagine a country where you can kill kids like that, and do nothing to stop gun violence,” added Petters. After the rally Giffords possed for pictures with supporters including one woman who was overcome with emotion. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty told us voices matter but only as votes. “For far too long the gun lobby has been able to intimidate politicians in thinking they’ll be punished to vote to do the right thing, and this is the year, this is the year when we need people to vote to say congress needs to respond to the needs of the american people,” said Esty.