On Tuesday, a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 15 — 14 children and one teacher. It’s the most devastating school shooting since the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012 and it left a nation overrun by gun violence once again in shock, exacerbated by lawmakers’ perpetual inaction. Shortly after the tragedy, one of them took to the floor of the Senate to beg GOP leaders to help them do something, anything.
That lawmaker is Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who was previously a representative for the district that included Sandy Hook Elementary School. His voice cracking, he addressed his colleagues to finally spring into action.
“Sandy Hook will never, ever be the same,” Murphy told his colleagues. “This community in Texas will never, ever be the same. Why? Why are we here? If not to try to make sure that fewer schools and fewer communities go through what Sandy Hook has gone through. What Uvalde is going through.”
Instead of mere grandstanding, Murphy tried to reach across the aisle to effect real change.
“I am here on this floor to beg — to literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues,” Murphy thundered. “Find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that make this less likely. I understand my Republican colleagues may not agree to everything I support, but there is a common denominator we can find. There is a place where we can achieve agreement…”
He added, “What are we doing? Why are we here? What are we doing?”
You can watch Murphy’s full, fiery speech in the video above.
(Via CBS News)