Former President Clinton Joins Sarah Brady to Celebrate the Publication of 'A Good Fight'

3/27/2002

From: Amy Stilwell of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, 202-898-0792

NEW YORK, March 27 -- Celebrities, political figures and gun violence prevention supporters from New York and across the nation joined the Honorable William Jefferson Clinton in New York City on Tuesday, March 26 to celebrate the publication of Sarah Brady's book, A Good Fight. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March sponsored the event to honor the challenges and achievements of Sarah Brady's incredible life.

Former President Clinton, who honored Sarah at the party, expressed his candid admiration for Sarah Brady: "I love Sarah Brady - she's tough, smart, funny, full of love and without self-pity. Her 'good fight' is worth reading about. Even her NRA adversaries could learn something from her humanity and humor." President Clinton has been invaluable in the fight for sensible gun laws. In 1993 he championed the passage of the Brady Bill, and in his second term he signed the federal assault weapons ban into law.

The reception featured formal remarks from President Clinton and Sarah Brady, as well as barbeque from renowned New York City restaurateur Danny Meyers' new restaurant, Blue Smoke, and live jazz preformed at the Jazz Standard Club.

"Since Jim's life and mine were shattered by a single bullet nearly twenty one years ago, we have fought to prevent similar tragedies from happening to other families," said Sarah Brady. "Along the way, we have been joined by countless friends and supporters, without whom our successes would not have been possible. Tonight is about offering our deepest gratitude to those who have adopted our good fight as their own. I hope you all agree that while it hasn't been easy, it has always been worthwhile."

Former President Clinton's reception and celebration of the book came four days after Barbara Walters interviewed Sarah Brady on ABC's 20/20. The event also marked the unveiling of the website for A Good Fight, www.agoodfight.org, which provides reviews, commentary, appreciation and information about Sarah's book.

Background: Sarah Brady has been active in the gun violence prevention movement since the mid-1980s. In 1989, she became the Chair of Handgun Control, Inc., and two years later, she became Chair of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, HCI's sister organization, a 501(c)(3) organization working to reduce gun violence through education, research, and legal advocacy. On November 30, 1993, Sarah watched President Clinton sign into law the "Brady Bill". The bill, named for her husband, former White House Press Secretary Jim Brady, required a five-day waiting period and background check on all handgun purchases through licensed dealers. Since the law went into effect, gun deaths in the United States have dropped a remarkable 27 percent, from 39,595 in 1993 to 28,874 in 1999, the latest year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In June 2001, the names of Handgun Control and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence were changed to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence to honor Jim and Sarah Brady's hard work and commitment to reducing the terrible toll of gun violence in America.