The charity Congressional baseball game will go on as planned tonight, the day after a gunman opened fire at the Republican practice session. 5th District Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty says she hopes there will be a large turnout as a show of solidarity and support. When she first heard about the shooting, Esty says she was shocked, saddened and then relieved to hear none of the staffers, police or colleagues sustained fatal injuries.

Esty says she is fortunate to represent the 5th District in Congress, and today there was a real coming together of members. Speeches on the floor today noted that an attack on any member of Congress is an attack on every member of Congress. Esty went further and said it’s an attack on American democracy. She noted that people have a right to disagree, but that it has to be done civilly and without guns.

Esty says this is an opportunity for Congress, and the public generally, to remember patriotism and a commitment to reduce the questioning other people’s morals. She says the political debate needs to be political and not personal, and to be done with respect.

Esty had only been elected to Congress a month before the shootings at Sandy Hook School. After 12-14, Esty says she received a stern warning from Capitol Police to have an armed presence at public events, and called it a sad reality of life for some members of Congress.

Esty says nobody should have to be worried about their safety, whether it’s a Congressman preparing for a charity baseball game or someone in a classroom or movie theater.

Sandy Hook Promise, a gun safety group formed in response to 12-14, held their annual gala Wednesday night in Washington, D.C. despite most of the town coming to a standstill.

One year ago today, Senator Chris Murphy led a 15-hour Senate filibuster protesting the lack of congressional action on gun control.