Thousands Lit Candles Against The Darkness of Gun Violence

 » by Dennis Henigan on January 11th, 2012 Permalink

Family and friends of Christina-Taylor Green lit candles during a private ceremony at the family farm, where she was born
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once observed that “Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that.” On Sunday, the sad first anniversary of the Tucson shooting, many thousands of Americans joined together to light candles of remembrance and protest against the darkness of gun violence.
They lit candles of remembrance for the six killed in Tucson, including 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green. They lit candles of remembrance and hope for the thirteen who were injured but survived, including the courageous Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who summoned the strength to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at a ceremony in Tucson. They lit candles of remembrance for all the gun violence victims in our nation’s recent history, over 500,000 murdered with guns since Dr. King fell to an assassin’s bullet in 1968.
They lit candles of protest as well. The candlelight vigil campaign, culminating in sixty-eight vigils and related events in twenty-two states and the District of Columbia on a single day, unified under the name TooManyVictims. They sent a single message. Our nation has seen many victims of gun violence. It can no longer be endured. It must stop.
They lit candles from New York City to Chicago to L.A. They lit candles from Duluth to Austin. From Reading to Columbus to Eugene. They lit them in public parks, at courthouses, at city halls, in places of worship, even at barber shops and on street corners.
They lit candles at the National Historic Site honoring the Brown v. Board of Education decision in Topeka, Kansas, where Park Rangers honored one of their own — Ranger Margaret Anderson, recently killed by gunfire in the line of duty at Mt. Rainier in Washington State.
And the victims’ voices were heard. Even those whose lives long ago were cut short by gunfire. Their loved ones stepped forward and told their stories. They told them to those who gathered with candles; they told them to the world through the Brady Campaign’s website, www.toomanyvictims.org.
The question is: Are our political leaders listening? Too many of them hear only the intimidating drumbeat of the National Rifle Association and the gun extremists the NRA represents. When a horrible shooting like Tucson happens, too many of our leaders freeze with fear – not fear for the next innocent victims that may be struck down, but fear of gun lobby political reprisal against any politician who dares to call for sanity in our nation’s gun laws.
However “difficult” it is for a politician to stand up to the gun lobby, it is far more difficult for a parent to bury a child, for a sister to bury a brother. Indeed, the fatal shooting of Park Ranger Anderson was a bitter reminder of the human cost of appeasing the gun lobby – the Coburn Amendment passed two years ago legalizing loaded guns in national parks.
If Dr. King were alive today, he would have led a candlelight vigil against the devastation of gun violence. If more of our political leaders had a fraction of Dr. King’s moral courage, countless lives could be saved.
The “Too Many Victims” candlelight vigils were only a beginning. Every American who is tired of cowardly politicians who dance to the NRA drummer should follow the path lit by those candles on Sunday by getting involved. Join committed Americans like Yoko Ono, Beau Bridges, Lewis Black, Plaxico Burress and Kate Walsh, who all spoke out to say there have been too many victims and the killing must stop. Go to www.bradycampaign.org and you’ll see how you can join with many thousands of other Americans to seek a safer America.