June 12, 2016
At a gay nightclub during Pride
49 dead

June 17, 2015
In a church during a Bible study group
9 dead

Dec 14, 2012
A grade school in Connecticut
26 dead
This month, the first-grade survivors are graduating from high school.

I've been reflecting on these anniversaries a lot this month.

During my time in the Army, I ran willingly into gunfire and had friends of mine killed by assault weapons on the battlefield. No one should experience that in American neighborhoods. It makes me all the more disgusted by Brian Fitzpatrick's actions to single-handedly block commonsense gun legislation last year.

Serving in combat? That takes courage. Voting "yes" for universal background checks and an assault weapons ban? Easy.

As Sandy Hook survivor Emma Ehrens recently told ABC News, "People that have the power to make change should do it – instead of 17, 18 year olds trying to do their work for them."

It's really that simple. And it's why I'm determined to defeat Brian Fitzpatrick and be the fighter for policy and change that every single one of us deserves from our elected leaders.

Thanks for being in this fight with me as my co-pilot,

Ashley 🚁