Massive crowds have taken to the streets across the United States to protest gun violence and to collectively call for tougher legislation to control the sale of firearms, assault style weapons and ammunition. From Los Angeles to Boston, Atlanta to Chicago, ‘The March For Our Lives” events have been spearheaded by school students in the aftermath of a mass shooting that claimed 17 lives at a high school in Parkland Florida on 14 February. The main event was held in the nation’s capital at the foot of Capitol Hill as hundreds of thousands rally both there and up the road in New York.
They came in their numbers with early estimates suggesting Washington could see well in excess of half a million people while in New York, young and old packed the streets of Manhattan calling for changes to gun legislation.
“Well, I think it’s really important that we stand up for what we believe in and we should put an end to this. Starting with like the young kids, we’re the next generation, so if we get really involved, we’ll make a change one day,” says one of the protesters.
Another protester says; “I don’t want anyone to get a gun, there needs to be more regulations, the second amendment is out-dated and it needs to be fixed.”
Seventy nine -year-old protestor Barbara Colton placed the lack of action firmly at the door of President Donald Trump.
“I’m out here today because gun violence has been going on for too long, I remember President Kennedy’s assassination 55 years ago. I thought now something would happen but it’s been 55 years and hundreds of deaths since then, many of them children and it’s got to stop especially with the current administration. Mr Trump who is an evil, horrible man and everybody surrounding him, his entire administration, is corrupt and brings shame and dishonour on our country and he has got to go and guns have got to go.”
Student survivors of the Parkland, Florida massacre have galvanized a country into action warning members of Congress that their perpetual reluctance to change the country’s gun laws will have ramifications at the ballot box. A war veteran Donald Nobles shared the sentiment.
“They are keeping their jobs in jeopardy because as these kids grow up, they’re going out. They’re the last vestiges of a horrible policy run by a horrible group and when these kids are 18, shortly, and this movement as you can see, the impact is there. They’re on the way out and that’s why they’re desperately scrambling.”
Another Protestor Marlene Rowland has a personal story to share. “We need to ban the assault rifles and the ammunition for them. I’m here for the children of Sandy Hook and my girlfriend’s granddaughter was killed in Sandy Hook and my neighbour’s daughter was murdered in Boston and so I’m here for them.”
The White House issued a statement applauding the courageous young Americans while former first family President Barack & Michelle Obama tweeted encouragement to the young people who made Saturday’s marches happen nationwide. But the challenge for the protestors is translating the energy and action they displayed on the streets into legislative action on Capitol Hill so as to fundamentally reduce the number of mass shootings that have become synonymous with these United States.
