Many SOTU guests will be used to highlight gun control

Hidaya Pendleton, the 15-year-old majorette who had performed during the weekend of Obama's inauguration, who was killed as a result of a gang fight in Chicago isn't going to be stopped by any gun control measures being discussed.  I have a hard time seeing how her death accelerated calls for gun control.

USA Today:

The parents of Hidaya Pendleton, the 15-year-old girl killed during a random shooting last month in Chicago, will be among the guests sitting with the first lady during Tuesday night's address by President Obama to a joint session of Congress. . . . 

Hidaya's death accelerated calls for gun-control legislation; Obama is expected to discuss his legislative package to combat gun violence during his State of the Union speech. . . .

From the Los Angeles Times:

Nugent's invitation, which came from Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas), was announced Monday, about the time Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced she had invited Josh Stepakoff, a 20-year-old California man who was injured in a San Fernando Valley shooting when he was a child. . . .

Among the guests will be Natalie Hammond, a teacher at Sandy Hook who was injured in the shooting; Carlos Soto Jr., whose sister, 27-year-old teacher Victoria Soto, was killed while trying to protect students at Sandy Hook; and a mother and daughter who live in Newtown, Conn., but were not involved in the shooting. . . .

From The Hill Newspaper:

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and her husband, Mark Kelly will attend President Obama’s State of the Union address as guests of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Ron Barber (D-Ariz.), a Barber aide told CBS News. . . .