Florida is in the spotlight of the entire world, and it’s the best thing ever.
Recently, a tragedy happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School in which 17 innocent lives were abruptly cut short because of a mass shooting that occurred. Though they have the culprit in custody, this now makes 2 mass shootings in Florida in the span of just 2 years. Florida students from MSD have been putting up a fight saying “We WILL be the LAST mass shooting” and “When is enough, enough?”. They have been raising awareness and causing the world to shift their focus on Gun Control, why it’s so important, and giving the youth of this generation a voice to be heard. They’ve been able to get onto the news, and speak to Senator Rubio himself. They’ve created a wave of commotion, that it truly shows that these wonderful and brave young souls came here to fight, and they aren’t playing games. They’ve seen lives lost in the hallways of a place where they came to learn, to feel safe. These walls that seemed impenetrably stained with the blood and tears of lives that once roamed the halls and filled them with smiles and happiness. This shooting makes 18 mass shootings in just this year alone. We’re only 2 months in to 2018. These kids have made a statement and are not holding anything back. They put Florida on the map and I’m rooting for them. They’ve inspired so much change, and so many conversations. As mentioned, they were able to speak their minds to the news stations who sought out their interviews, they spoke to Senator Rubio and left him almost speechless and how much they cared for their cause, one of their students made it to DC to speak in front of the President himself to tell his story and share the experience on the news. They’ve inspired movements with the hashtag “March4OurLives” which took place here in Florida this past week, and is sparking movements in other states who are also staging school walkouts to protest for more Gun Control. They’ve mentioned seeing the hashtag spark in many states, and they’ve been asked for help in coordinating as well as seen schools just come together and coordinate it on their own. These kids have caused a wave that I hope will change this generation and those to come, so we can finally begin to get things done as a nation. They’ve inspired teachers to come up with their hashtag as well “ArmMEWith___”. This is a movement in which teachers are completely disagreeing with the President’s wishes to arm teachers and staff, as they prefer to be armed with the tools to further allow the success of their students, and continue to expand the plethora of knowledge they can give and possess. They’ve even been able to get onto Ellen, in which she in collaboration with Shutterfly are going to be donating a whopping $50,000 to the March 4 Our Lives Walk in DC. With all these wonderful things happening, it is not with it’s setbacks, as Florida and these students are in the spotlight, others are talking and trying to bring them down. I’ve seen people say they’re too young to be taken seriously, and that they’re only using the death of their fellow students to politicize them so Gun Control can get the attention. Most rude comments are coming from adults, with voices of their own. It’s okay to speak your mind, but to do so respectfully, and not refer to these students in negative ways as I’ve seen Katie Hopkins (reffered to Emma Gonzalez as a shaven headed angry lesbian) and Dinesh D’Souza (who made an insensitive comment about a photo of students crying that lawmakers voted down on a ban for assault weapons, which stated “Worst news since their parents told them to get a summer job”). These people continue to try and bring them down, to bring anyone who thinks differently down, and they do it in the most brutal and disrespectful ways. They claim they are just kids, however they stoop down to levels much lower than that, as if they themselves are children as well, to try and break them. NOT ANYMORE. These brave students are finally doing what so many of us have always wanted to do, and sparking movement after movement, a wave of change that will surely follow suit. I’m proud to be from Florida, and I’m proud to be apart of this movement. To those brave soldiers, I want to tell you to keep pushing on, we are standing beside you. Don’t let anyone break you, don’t let words of hate spill into your minds. Be bigger, be better. This is the change we’ve always wanted, and it’s here to stay, and finally; Thank you. Thank you for putting Florida in the spotlight so we can continue fighting and becoming as brave as you. #MSDSTRONG
Interview with Student from MSD at the White House Ellen’s Video with MSD Survivors #ArmMEWith Campaign Katie Hopkins Video Dinesh D’Souza’s Tweet