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John, Not sure if you saw, but there was big news on the Parkland school shooting case this week. On Tuesday, the victims’ families reached a $25 million settlement with the school district. Yesterday, the shooter pled guilty to 17 counts of premeditated murder. I can only hope that these milestones bring some measure of justice for the students, families, and Parkland community members whose lives were forever changed on February 14, 2018. But, I know all too well – from my own experiences and the trial of my son Jordan’s killer – that justice alone does not bring closure after a loved one has been taken away by gun violence. The media scrutiny of a high-profile case and coverage of a trial can force you to relive the tragedy over, and over, and over. The verdict can leave you feeling hollow. And of course, no guilty verdict or amount of money can ever bring your loved one back. As my friend – former Parkland Student and gun safety advocate David Hogg – told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell yesterday: “There is ultimately no closure, our students and teachers are still gone.” John, this is why our fight for common-sense gun safety reform in Washington must continue. As a gun safety advocate working in Florida and around the country when it happened, the Parkland shooting and our federal government’s lack of response were absolutely shocking to me. It was a moment for bold action and political bravery, but instead, we got only “thoughts and prayers” from our leaders. The Parkland community was outraged, too. They stood up, they spoke out, and they used a platform they didn’t want or ask for to demand change from state and federal legislators. Their bravery inspired me to stand up and run for Congress, and tell my story – Jordan’s story – on the national stage. To share my story on the campaign trail and in Washington, the same way they were using theirs to fight for gun safety reforms. Today, we are still fighting for common-sense gun reforms that will save lives like Jordan's and prevent tragedies like Parkland from happening again – and we still have so much work left to do. So in the wake of this latest news, I’m sending extra love out to Parkland parents like Fred Guttenberg – who are members of the same club that I’m in – a club that nobody wants or chooses to join. I’m also sending extra love out to the “Parkland kids,” who have stood up, spoken out, and demanded change for the last three years – as they’ve built the March for Our Lives movement into an advocacy powerhouse. We’ve shared snacks on my office couch and fellowship at marches around the country as we fight for gun safety reform. We never would have picked this responsibility, but we’re in this together. And finally, I’m sending love to the entire Marjorie Stoneman Douglas community and families in Parkland. We’ve become close over the last three years. We’ve developed a kinship. I will always have your back. I will always be by your side. Today, we remember and grieve. Tomorrow, we will continue our gun safety fight harder than ever before. With love, — Lucy
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