The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
Mark Barden, a father of one of the young children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, shares his thoughts on the President's actions to reduce gun violence.
Today, President Obama is taking action to keep guns out of the wrong hands and make our communities safer. This morning, Mark Barden -- a father of one of the young children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012 -- reflected on his tragic loss and what we can do to help ensure no other family never has to endure that kind of pain again. He introduced the President at today's event.
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We called him the custodian of all living things.
If an ant had crawled its way into our kitchen, he'd gently pick it up and carry it out outside to rejoin its family. If he saw a classmate sitting alone, he'd be the first to provide company and comfort. At 7 years old, he cared, he listened, and he loved more deeply than many adults I know.
On December 14, 2012, he was killed by a man with a gun. My son Daniel was one of the 26 lives taken from us at the hands of a mass shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Since that day, President Obama promised us that he would use every tool available to him to spare another family the overwhelming pain of losing a child in such a horrific way.
Today, he is taking additional steps to reduce gun violence.
No words can fully convey the overwhelming loss we feel each day. No amount of sympathy will bring our sweet, little Daniel back. And no one action can fully prevent the kind of tragedies that happened in Newtown, in Aurora, in Tucson, in Charleston, in Oak Creek, in San Bernardino, and in too many other communities across the country.
But we can do more than we've done since that day in Newtown. Today, the President is doing what is in his power to reduce the unspeakable violence that stole our son from us.
So, please, see what the President had to say today.
Daniel was a protector of living things. If we can take just one action that will prevent another child from dying the way he did, then we will do honor to the way he lived his life.
Thank you.
Mark
Mark Barden
Newtown, CT
