Carolyn Maloney: “I knew Gabby Giffords to be a warm and caring friend, a rising star in the House with a moral compass as sure as it is…”

“I knew Gabby Giffords to be a warm and caring friend, a rising star in the House with a moral compass as sure as it is true. That is why she recently spoke out against the rising tide of hate speech in our country and the lack of civility in our political process. Guns kill. And those who glamorize gunplay do no service to humanity. Words matter. And those who use inflammatory rhetoric to achieve cheap political gain wound our country and weaken the ties that bind us. Democracy triumphs. The fundamental wisdom that has distinguished our Nation and led her to greatness resides in our unwavering commitment to settle our disputes with ballots, not bullets. My thoughts and prayers go out to Congresswoman Giffords--I hope for her swift and complete recovery--and to her family and to all the friends and family members of the victims of that tragic event. Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: 'to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.'”