Liberty United turns illegal guns, bullets into jewelry
By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times
I know the holidays are a time to be joyful, but they are also a chance to take a moment and reflect on our troubles and tribulations over the past year. Never has this been a more relevant concept than on the first anniversary of the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. I do not want to delve into a political rant about how I believe our country is sorely lacking in a gun control policy that makes any kind of sense…that is painfully apparent.
I stumbled across this video of a father who lost his beautiful, first grade daughter that day. It is an example of how, even in the most catastrophic situations, we can overcome.
Please, watch.
Now that you are finishing drying your eyes, I saw a segment on The Today Show about a business called Liberty United (www.libertyunited.com) that takes illegal guns and ammunition and turns them into incredible and meaningful jewelry. This company was born out of the creative genius of a man named Peter Thun, who originally focused his efforts on the rampant violence in Africa. What began as a designer collection of pieces made from AK-47’s taken out of the hands of African children turned into a United States project after the terrible school shooting in Connecticut.
In fact, our own city of Philadelphia is a partnering police department that contributes weapons (once cleared from evidence) to Liberty United. There are a variety of pieces on the website including rings, necklaces and bracelets, but this is my favorite…
Every piece has the serial number of the gun or bullet now out of circulation stamped into the metal. On this particular cuff, the opposing side has the number and the words “remade in the USA”. There is also an option to engrave your own message.
Portions of the profit can be designated directly to the city of Philadelphia to aid in gun control programs and support.
What an amazing way to give back and honor those who lives have been cut short by gun violence.
Happy Holidays to all.
