Student survivors of the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School spent the weekend speaking out powerfully about what needs to change—about the change they plan on creating. They sent a message to the National Rifle Association and to the politicians in its pocket, promising ongoing shame for lawmakers who continue to stand in the way of stronger gun laws. The students are taking that national on March 24:
“We’re marching because it’s not just schools. It’s movie theaters, it’s concerts, it’s nightclubs,” [Alex] Wind told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “This kind of stuff can’t just happen. You know, we are marching for our lives, we’re marching for the 17 lives we lost. And we’re marching for our children’s lives and our children’s children and their children.”
The national demonstration, set to take place March 24, will feature calls for lawmakers to take up legislative remedies to improve mental health and expand regulations on guns, the students said.
The Parkland shooting has, in the worst way possible, created a new set of powerful speakers and leaders for gun law reform:
“This is about us begging for our lives; this isn’t about the GOP, this isn’t about the Democrats, this is about us creating a badge of shame for any politicians accepting money from the NRA and using us as collateral,” [Cameron] Kasky said.
And they have no patience for the standard lies:
“Politicians who sit in their gilded House and Senate seats funded by the NRA telling us nothing could have been done to prevent this, we call B.S,” student Emma Gonzalez said at a rally Saturday. “They say tougher guns laws do not decrease gun violence. We call B.S.”
Consider the notice served by a new generation of leaders. And it’s on the rest of us to support them and join in their movement.