PHILADELPHIA — Former Orlando Police Chief and candidate for Congressional seat District 10 Val Demings spoke out against gun violence Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention. She was part of presentation made by the Democratic Women of the House led by minority leader Nancy Pelosi. Demings is the only person from the Orlando area to be featured at the DNC.
The former top cop has called for Congress to step up and take action on the issue of gun violence prevention.
“Our city takes it personal that Congress refuses to disarm hate,” she told the DNC.
Last month’s mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub provided the framework for her moving speech.
“I know firsthand the tragedy that gun violence inflicts on families in America,” she shared with the audience. “And after 49 people were murdered at a nightclub in Orlando last month, let me tell you: our city takes it personally that Congress refuses to disarm hate. You don’t need to be a police chief to know that our communities are less safe when criminals and suspected terrorists can walk into gun shops or gun shows and leave with a weapon.”
Demings repeated a theme first mentioned by First Lady Michelle Obama during her speech at the Convention when the First Lady said: “[B]ecause of Hillary Clinton my daughters and all our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States.”
Demings understands the impact of being first on future generations. She understands that glass ceilings often prevent the most qualified person from even being considered for the job. She understands because she was the first woman ever to wear the title of Chief of the Orlando Police Department. She put in her time, and she earned the job. And she believes that a woman is fully capable of leading this nation.
“On issue after issue, it’s the leadership of women that makes a stronger America,” Demings said in wrapping up her speech. “With Hillary Clinton in the White House and these strong House Democratic women, together with women and families all across our nation, we will show the world what this statement really means: When Women Succeed, America Succeeds!”
