title:  Congresswoman Brings The Bullet That Almost Killed Her During Historic Sit-In
text: Here s something a lot of people may not know: a current member of Congress was a victim of a mass shooting.California Rep. Jackie Speier, a progressive Democrat, brought a unique perspective to the historic House sit-in initiated by civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis. As members of the House read the stories and names of countless victims of gun violence, Congresswoman Speier told her own story, a story that would shake anyone to their core.But with her speech, she also brought something special with her on the House floor: the bullet the almost killed her.In 1978, Speier, at that time a Congressional aide to Rep. Leo Ryan, accompanied the Congressman and several others to Jonestown to investigate human rights abuses at the hands of cult leader Jim Jones. Upon leaving the encampment, Speier and the others were ambushed in a guerilla attack from members of the cult. Congressman Ryan was killed, along with five others, and Speier was shot five times. She waited 22 hours for help to arrive.This issue was so personal to the Congresswoman that she flew back to D.C. from California just to be in solidarity with her colleagues and the thousands of victims all across the country. Holding up the bullet, still in its FBI evidence bag, Congresswoman Speier laid out just how personal and important this fight is not just for her, but for everyone who has ever been a victim of gun violence:This was taken from my body. Five bullets ripped through my body. I can t begin to tell you what that is like. I can tell you what it s like to live with a disfigured body the rest of your life. I can tell you that this dumdum and my disfigured body are things that remind me each and everyday why what do here now is so important. We cannot continue as business as usual.The Congresswoman, who keeps the bullet in her drawer, has never showed the public before. The act drew gasps from her colleagues, but praise for her act of courage.While Republicans went and smoked cigars, Democrats stood up, and some relived tragedy, like Speier and Rep. Debbie Dingell, a victim of domestic abuse with a gun. The House sit in sums up perfectly the old saying: a liberal says  This should never happen to anyone, and that s why I care. A conservative says,  This hasn t happened to me, so I don t care. Speier lived through the most horrific tragedy, and that s why she cares. Thank you, Congresswoman.Featured image via Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images