March For Our Lives
February 21, 2018
On Feb. 14, a mass shooting occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 people and wounded over a dozen. Like many mass shootings in the past decade, the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, used an AR-15 semi-automatic style weapon. A fairly easy gun to purchase, the AR-15 has no waiting period in Florida and the age restriction is only 18 years old.
Following the horrific tragedy, teenage survivors of the shooting have taken to social media and spoken with news sources to demand the government passes laws on gun control. While President Donald Trump has visited victims in the hospital on Friday and has said in a tweet he is “working with Congress on many fronts”, he has yet to mention if they will work to pass gun control laws.
Frustrated by the lack of action coming from politicians following the school shooting, students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are saying ‘thoughts and prayers’ are not enough. Instead, these students have decided to take matters into their own hands to demand change. Students are organizing ‘March For Our Lives’ rallies that will be held in Washington, D.C. and across the nation on March 24, 2018. The goal of the march is to call for stricter gun control legislation to prevent future school shootings from happening in the United States. Additional marches and school walkouts are being scheduled throughout the months of March and April with the shared goal of making the voices of students heard by politicians.
The message coming from the survivors of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is loud and clear, and one which students across the nation share: a demand that their safety and lives become a priority.
Yes, guns and the Second Amendment play a large role in the lives of many American people, but one’s right to bear arms should not come before the right for children to go to school without having to worry about their safety. The goal of gun control is not to ban all firearms– the goal is to increase safety regulations by requiring more rigorous background checks and mental health checks as well as increasing restrictions on assault weapons.
To bring an end to gun violence and mass shootings in schools America, we must come together and demand change. Make your voice heard. Stand up for what you believe in. Be the change.
Get involved:
Students Walkout Against Gun Violence
Twitter: @studentswalkout
When: Wednesday, February 21 @12:00 p.m.
#Enough
Twitter: @womensmarch
When: Wednesday, March 14 @10:00 a.m. for 17 minutes to honor the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting
March For Our Lives
Twitter: @AMarch4OurLives
Facebook: March For Our Lives Kansas City
When: Saturday, March 24 @1:00-4:00 p.m.
National School Walkout
Twitter: @schoolwalkoutUS
When: Friday, April 20 @10:00 a.m. (19th anniversary of Columbine shooting)
Denise McHenry • Feb 23, 2018 at 11:15 am
Dear Lauren and students of Blue Valley High School: Along with several other mothers and teachers in our area, I have been encouraging the adult organizers of March for Our Lives KC to involve local students, early on, in the organization of this march. They have been a bit slow to come to this, so I contacted the Parkland students asking for their input and received the following email from student, Casey Sherman: ““That’s so great to hear you guys are organizing a march in Kansas City! While it is appreciated that you guys as adults are taking the initiative to plan your sister march, it is important that students be involved in the process and understand what is going on. As a student-led movement, we hope to involve everyone in this fight, but students really are one of the most integral factors. If the students at these local schools do not express an interest in marching that is one thing, but I believe it is important they be offered the opportunity to get involved! This comes from a student who actually did just arrive home from Tallahassee as well, and I have seen an overwhelming number of students across the state, country, and globe who care about this cause and want to help but just don’t know how. I don’t doubt that kids in your area are facing similar obstacles. If you have any further questions or troubles, please do not hesitate to continue reaching out!” I’d like to encourage you to contact the local march organization and the Parkland students if you’d like to get involved. Please pass the word on to other local schools too. The Parkland students have two Facebook pages and an excellent website. If you would like the email address of the student who wrote to me via email, please contact me personally. Thank you!