What have we learned in the past two years?
How has it changed all of us?
Those are the questions I have been asked over and over since the tragic shootings of Jan. 8, 2011. And certainly at this time of the year, as the anniversary of that terrible day comes around for the second time, the questions are more frequent.
The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School has added urgency, renewing a call to address the issues that lead to mass shootings.
After six people were killed in our city two years ago, it is tragic to know that the violence has continued. Within the past year, seven people were killed in Oakland, Calif.; 12 in Aurora, Colo.; six in Oak Creek, Wis.; five in Minneapolis and 26 in Newtown, Conn.
That’s a horrifying toll: 56 lives lost in five mass shootings. In less than nine months.
We all remember the calls for action after our own tragedy. And we all know that those calls led to no action or changes.
As a father and a grandfather, I am deeply affected by the murder of 20 little ones and six adults in Newtown. I have two granddaughters the same age as the children who were killed. It could have been their school.
As the survivor of a mass shooting, I am determined that no one else should have to endure such grief and loss. And as a member of Congress, I am unwavering in my commitment to take a leadership role in pushing forward with legislation to make a real difference.
Many of these mass shootings—including the one in Tucson—came at the nexus of two issues: an untreated serious mental illness and the easy access to military-style weapons.
It is crucial to point out that this combination rarely causes problems. As Michael Gerson noted recently in the Washington Post, there are an estimated 270 million guns in the country and more than 11 million people who have a serious mental illness.
It is a small percentage of individuals and guns that leads to tragedy. But we must act to prevent future occurrences. This requires that we act to expand mental health awareness and treatment services and to prevent access to assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
I have joined a congressional task force that will develop needed legislation.
Shortly after I was elected, I co-sponsored legislation that would be a step forward in getting help for those with serious mental illness. It was the Mental Health First Aid Higher Education Act, which would provide training to help people identify and respond to signs of mental illness and deal with a psychiatric crisis. The bill did not pass last year, but I am committed to reintroducing it this session.
It also is essential that we protect state and federal funding for mental-health services.
Looking back at our community and how it has moved toward healing in the past two years, many positive things have happened to bring good out of that horrific day.
Jan. 8, 2011 was a day that shocked our community. It broke our hearts and we struggle still to come to grips with it.
Six families lost loved ones and their hearts will ache for as long as they live. My family and the families of the 12 others who were wounded had their lives forever changed.
I, and many others, have wounds that will never leave us. But we move forward and focus on healing. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, shot in the head that morning, has made an inspirational recovery. In the last year, she returned home, and we in Tucson are proud to have her back.
I never will forget seeing my dear colleague die at my side—a young man I worked closely with every day for more than five years. Gabe Zimmerman was the first person we hired to work in Rep. Giffords’ office and he was beloved by constituents and staff alike.
He was my go-to guy and a human being with so much compassion and a great commitment to service. Gabe was a social worker whose brief life was dedicated to helping others.
We lost Judge John Roll, a jurist who strove always for fairness. He was respected by prosecutors, defense attorneys and all who entered his courtroom.
We lost Christina-Taylor Green, a promising 9-year-old with a future that was beyond bright. She wanted to learn about government and meet her congresswoman—and she died because of that.
We lost Dorwan Stoddard, who died while shielding his beloved wife, Mavy.
We lost Phyllis Schneck, a dedicated mother, wife, friend and Christian who lived a full life by serving those around her.
We lost Dorothy “Dot” Morris, who was married for 54 years to her high school sweetheart.
Those six individuals made Tucson a better place. Those six individuals’ lives will not be forgotten.
Nonetheless, I am determined that the 45 seconds of violence inflicted on us two years ago will not define who we are individually or as a community.
Instead, this tragedy has shown us so much about what it means to help each other.
Strangers came to our aid until first responders moved in quickly with professional calm to treat the wounded. At the University of Arizona Medical Center, skilled doctors and nurses saved lives.
We saw our community spontaneously build memorials to those who were killed or wounded.
Members of the community now are discussing how best to permanently memorialize the lives that were lost and those that were altered forever that day.
The most powerful way to honor those killed and wounded in Tucson, in Newtown and elsewhere is to do our best to ensure it does not happen again.
Those of us in Tucson, as well as all Americans, are moving forward—not because of what has happened but in spite of it. Tucson is a special community that was deeply wounded two years ago. But as the nation witnessed in 2011, the healing started as soon as the shooting stopped.
This is a painful journey that we all are taking together. By helping each other, we’ll get there. Of that, I am confident.
This article appears in Jan 3-9, 2013.
Barber has done a great job of using not only one but two horrific tragedies to promote his agenda
Ron Barber took a bullet. It seems to me that he has a unique position of authority and experience to support his so called agenda. Sadly, unlike Mr. Barber, I believe the deaths WILL be forgotten and mean very little unless our self centered and gun greedy culture is willing to learn, evolve, change, and improve collectively from these horrific tragedies. Gun advocates are not willing to sacrifice anything…except human lives.
Rep Barber,I respect you position and having been shot, I can understand it better than most. It was not and is not the gun’s fault. We need to address the issue of mentaly ill people haveing access to weapons. The current laws revent mental healt care professionals from notifying law enforcement of their dangerous potential. The mentally ill are not stupid and will lie on the firearm application and say they are not crazy. One falacy with one of the restrictions in the air now is a limit on magazine capacity. Hi-cap mags are prone to jamb, and if your assailant’s mag hadn’t jammed, the death toll would have been much higher.
I wonder if Mr Barber is working on legislation, which would allow private citizens to access the NICS system, and do background checks on gun buyers, the so-called “Gun Show Loophole”..? If not, why not?
The poster above makes an excellent point about citizens’ ability to access the NCIS system, but I think I can answer the question regarding why it isn’t being worked on. Advocates of more stringent controls on guns don’t want to keep allowing sales between private individuals in the first place. Thus it is unlikely they will do anything to make private sales safer.
The problem with outlawing private sales is that it cannot be effectively enforced without gun ownership being registered with the government. That’s a non-starter with most gun owners and thus won’t happen. It would be better if everyone accepted that and pursued the things that are possible. Along that same line, NCIS should have a registry of stolen guns by serial number and FFL holders at pawn shops and stores dealing in used guns should be required to run the serial numbers through that check also. That isn’t being done now.
The NCIS, BATF and FBI have their own tracking systems, some of which are illegal per congressional rules. Most gun laws are not enforceable and thereby ignored except when conveinent for law enforcement. How many prohibited possessors are there out there carrying weapons the law prevents them fro haveing? It is easier in NYC, Chicago and DC to buy an illegal firearm then legally.
Sen. Feinstein will propose a new Assault Weapons Ban in the next few days and it will hopefully pass the Senate…along with a ban on those multiple clips, and hopefully better funding to enforce laws already on the books. When this bill goes to the House, Rep. Barber will then vote to pass, along with other members from AZ. This is a no-brainer, and those who vote against it will be ostracized.
Unfortunately, Sen Feinstein’s bill does not address the real problem. Crazy people will still be able to buy guns simply by lieing on the purchase forms or stealing. I can shoot and reload with 10 round magazines just a fast as someone with 30 rounds and have a better chance that my weapon will not jamb. Knee jerk reaction will not work.
Well, Ron Barber is entitled to his opinion … but he is not in Congress to voice his opinions! He is their to ensure “We the People’s” opinions in Arizona Congressional District #2 are heard. And the vast majority of us do not want anything that infringes on our Constitutional Rights. Even the vast majority of clergy know that it is our God given right to protect ourselves and our families from harm … to include that imposed by our own Government. I swore the same Oath that Ron Barber has and if he does not embrace our right to unimpeded owning of firearms and ammunition … then he is just another “Socialistic” Democrat not worthy of any ones votes. Certainly, he won’t ever get mine!