Gabrielle Giffords Quotes & Sayings

Senators say they fear the N.R.A. and the gun lobby. But I think that fear must be nothing compared to the fear the first graders in Sandy Hook Elementary School felt as their lives ended in a hail of bullets. — Gabrielle Giffords

We know that silence equals consent when atrocities are committed against innocent men, women and children. We know that indifference equals complicity when bigotry, hatred and intolerance are allowed to take root. And we know that education and hope are the most effective ways to combat ignorance and despair. — Gabrielle Giffords

Hope and faith. You have to have hope and faith ... Long ways to go. Grateful to survive. I's frustrating. Mentally hard. Hard work. I'm trying. Trying so hard to get better. Regain what I've lost ... I will get stronger. I will return. — Gabrielle Giffords

The Capitol looks beautiful and I am honored to be at work tonight. — Gabrielle Giffords

Mile by mile, it's a trial; yard by yard, it's hard; but inch by inch, it's a cinch. — Gabrielle Giffords

Be bold, be courageous, be your best. — Gabrielle Giffords

Dangerous people with guns are a threat to women. — Gabrielle Giffords

Our country must be strong enough to solve problems, and that means we must learn how to work together again. — Gabrielle Giffords

Rehab is endlessly repetitive. And it's never easy, because once you've mastered some movement or action or word, no matter how small, you move on to the next. You never rest. — Gabrielle Giffords

While my speech is getting better every day, throughout my recovery, I have been able to sing to some extent. — Gabrielle Giffords

I had planned to spend my 40s continuing my public service and starting a family. I thought that by fighting for the people I cared about and loving those close to me, I could leave the world a better place. — Gabrielle Giffords

Gun owners and non-gun owners alike agree on expanding background checks, making gun trafficking a serious crime with stiff penalties, making it illegal for all stalkers and all domestic abusers to buy guns, and expanding mental health resources so the mentally ill find it easier to receive treatment than to buy firearms. — Gabrielle Giffords

From Texas to New Hampshire and everywhere in between, we know that support for policies such as expanded background checks continue to be popular in both parties. — Gabrielle Giffords

Countless hours of physical therapy - and the talents of the medical community - have brought me new movement in my right arm. It's fractional progress, and it took a long time, but my arm moves when I tell it to. — Gabrielle Giffords

Expanding background checks will help create a uniform standard for all gun purchases and prevent criminals and the dangerously mentally ill from obtaining powerful weapons. — Gabrielle Giffords

My resolution, standing with the vast majority of Americans who know we can and must be safer, is to cede no ground to those who would convince us the path is too steep, or we too weak. — Gabrielle Giffords

Music therapy was so important in the early stages of my recovery because it can help retrain different parts of your brain to form language centers in areas where they weren't before you were injured. — Gabrielle Giffords

Every time guns fall into the wrong hands and are used to intimidate, injure, or murder women, it erodes the rights of responsible gun owners everywhere. — Gabrielle Giffords

My position is to listen to my constituents, learn from the best information available and ultimately make sound, rational decisions that are going to be beneficial to the people of the 8th Congressional District. — Gabrielle Giffords

Music has always been really important to me. — Gabrielle Giffords

We're in Sarah Palin's 'targeted' list, but the thing is that the way she has it depicted, we're in the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they've got to realize that there are consequences to that action. — Gabrielle Giffords

Some might consider me an unlikely advocate for gun rights because I sustained terrible injuries in a violent shooting. But I'm a patriot, and I believe the right to bear arms is a definitive part of our American heritage. — Gabrielle Giffords

Many may look at me and see mostly what I have lost. I struggle to speak, my eyesight's not great, my right arm and leg are paralyzed, and I left a job I loved representing southern Arizona in Congress. — Gabrielle Giffords

I was elected six times to represent southern Arizona, in the State Legislature and then in Congress. — Gabrielle Giffords

As gun owners, my husband and I understand that the Second Amendment is most at risk when a criminal or deranged person commits a gun crime. These acts only embolden those who oppose gun ownership. Promoting responsible gun laws protects the Second Amendment and reduces lives lost from guns. — Gabrielle Giffords

Pursue your passion, and everything will fall into place. This is not being romantic. This is the highest order of pragmatism. — Gabrielle Giffords

I strongly believe that crossing the aisle for the good of the American people is more important than party politics. — Gabrielle Giffords

Generations of gun owners have taught their sons and daughters that it takes as much patience and skill to be a good shot as it does to be a good steward of a powerful weapon. — Gabrielle Giffords

Our democracy's history is littered with names we neither remember nor celebrate - people who stood in the way of progress while protecting the powerful. On Wednesday, a number of senators voted to join that list, — Gabrielle Giffords

I've been working hard: lots of therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, yoga too. — Gabrielle Giffords

But the safety of the world, in some sense, depends on your saying no to inhumane ideas. Standing up for one's own integrity makes you no friends. It is costly. Yet defiance of the mob, in the service of that which is right, is one of the highest expressions of courage I know. — Gabrielle Giffords

I will get stronger. I will return. — Gabrielle Giffords

Your future shines bright - find your purpose and go for it. Starting tomorrow, you can change the world. — Gabrielle Giffords

I'm fighting hard to make the world a better place, and you can, too. Get involved with your community, be a leader, set an example, be passionate, be your best. — Gabrielle Giffords

Even though many couples are choosing to marry later in life, our laws haven't been updated to address dating partner abuse. — Gabrielle Giffords

Speaking is physically difficult for me. — Gabrielle Giffords

Be passionate. Be courageous. Be your best. — Gabrielle Giffords

Our office corner has really become an area where the Tea party movement congregates and the rhetoric is really heated. Not just the calls but the e-mails, the slurs. — Gabrielle Giffords

It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I got to see firsthand the sacrifices that Israelis make in the name of security because of the dangerous state of affairs there. I will always be a strong supporter of Israel. — Gabrielle Giffords

People have told me that I'm courageous, but I have seen greater courage. — Gabrielle Giffords

I am still fighting to make the world a better place and you can, too. — Gabrielle Giffords

In the absence of a Congress ready to act to reduce gun violence, we will keep working to create a different Congress. — Gabrielle Giffords

Violence is a big problem. Too many children are dying. Too many children. We must do something. — Gabrielle Giffords

My spirit is as strong as ever. I'm still fighting to make the world a safer place, and you can, too. — Gabrielle Giffords

The Congresswoman was depressed by the fact that a woman of her standing could no longer count on making it to the rest room "in time" during the extensive rehabilitation that followed her shooting. Her husband, commander of a space shuttle crew, encouraged her by identifying with her limitation. Even revered astronauts, he revealed, have bodily limits and have to rely on Huggies during extended launch exercises. — Gabrielle Giffords

Moments ago, the U.S. Senate decided to do the unthinkable about gun violence
nothing at all. Over two years ago, when I was shot point-blank in the head, the U.S. Senate chose to do nothing. Four months ago, 20 first-graders lost their lives in a brutal attack on their school, and the U.S. Senate chose to do nothing. It's clear to me that if members of the U.S. Senate refuse to change the laws to reduce gun violence, then we need to change the members of the U.S. Senate. — Gabrielle Giffords