“My parents, Trenna and Damian Meins, were high-school sweethearts, married in 1979.  My Dad was extremely intelligent, hard-working, and good-humored and he loved spending time with his family.  Dad felt that life was a grand adventure, and he made the most of it by taking care of his friends and family, helping others when he could, and embracing every opportunity to learn and experience the world.  My parents were married for 36 wonderful years until they were parted by death, last year, on December 2nd.  

That day, there was a mandatory work training event at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, CA.  My dad was standing by the Christmas tree during a break, when another co-worker and his wife, who had pledged allegiance to the terrorist group ISIS, burst through the doors, spraying bullets from their semi-automatic rifles. My dad, along with 13 of his co-workers, was killed.  He was shot five times; he died within seconds. 

 I think about my Dad every single day. He was the smartest, funniest, kindest, most tolerant and compassionate man I knew.  He was my travel buddy and best friend. He was a perfect father to me and my sister Tawnya, and an exceptional husband to my mother.  He deserved so much better.   

 I am heartbroken.  I am also angry.  Our parents, our siblings, our children are falling victims to gun violence every single day, in our churches, workplaces, schools, salons and movie theaters.  Enough is enough.  Things MUST change.  I don’t have all the answers, but I do know we need to make it harder for people with evil intentions to carry out evil acts.  I know that there is nothing that can be said or done that will bring my father back.  But perhaps we can make changes so that no other families come to know this sorrow.  

In 2006, my father and I viewed the Eastside Gallery at the Berlin Wall.  Our favorite painting had a quote that read: “Many small people who in many small places do many small things that can alter the face of the world.”  I am only one small person, in one small place.  But together, we can do many small things that will alter the scourge of gun violence in our country.”

-Tina Meins, Washington, D.C.