To the victims and the survivors,
Words. Words cannot begin to explain the sorrow this nation feels after this tragic event. Words cannot begin to explain the heartbreak that friends and families are feeling. Words cannot begin to explain the fear every student now lives in.
I am sorry. We, as a nation, are sorry.
Sorry. Sorry that we could not protect you the way you deserved. Sorry that we did not take action after the last 17 mass shootings. Sorry that our thoughts and prayers were not enough to save the 17 victims. Sorry that survivors now fear going to school every day, unsure of how safe they are.
While we hope the sympathy from the nation does not go unnoticed, we are aware that it does nothing to solve the problem of the gun control in this country.
We must act if we want to protect the children of this country. It is time to take our thoughts and prayers and turn them into a voice. People across the nation are coming together to honor you all. We are taking to social media, spreading awareness of this tragedy, and making our voices heard – by the president, by representatives, by celebrities, and by anyone that will listen.
What we must do, to honor all those forgotten and all those traumatized, is change. The problem at hand is gun control. We must cut ties with the NRA, as well as with politicians and leaders who care more about personal gain than the safety of this nation. Guns are not the answer; they are not protecting us.
We must change, because if not now, then when? If we don’t start acting now, then there will be another Parkland Florida, another Nikolas Cruz. If we are not satisfied with the actions of our leaders, we need to step up.
We will NOT let you be forgotten. You are not another statistic. You are not another memory.
You are a reason for change. A reason for action. A reason to become a better country.