By Lubiana Mahrin
On March 14th, many Manhattan Center students walked out of class at 10 am to join the National School Walkout in remembrance of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas students who were killed in the school shooting on February 14, 2018. Students walked out holding signs and chanting, “ This is what democracy looks like,” and “ Hey, hey, ho, ho, the NRA has got to go!” Model UN co-presidents, Ashanna Ramdial and Sayem Hossain, and Senior class president Shadiya Ema, prepared powerful speeches regarding the national walkout and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting. Model UN member, Christiana Kallon, expressed her thoughts on the issue with a poem.
The Stoneman Douglas school shooting is only one among the many that have happened in America during the past few years.This includes similar tragedies at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech University, Sandy Hook Elementary School, even a rural high school on an Indian reservation. It seems that almost every grade and age group has now become a target.
Obviously students should be able to go to school and feel safe without worrying about the possibility of a school shooter. Unfortunately, politicians seem unwilling to understand or appreciate the value of someone’s life over the value of their own money.
On March 24th there was more March for Our Lives student activism in Washington DC and around the country, where thousands came to support the end of gun violence. Many student survivors from the Parkland school shooting, plus pop stars (from former Beatle member Paul Mccartney to singer Ariana Grande and the rapper Common) showed up to participate. One of the many speakers in D.C. was student activist Emma Gonzales, a person who brought a powerful message about the impact of these shootings. She first gave her statement, then remained silent for another 6 minutes and 20 seconds of her time before the crowd. This pause represented the same amount of time that the Parkland school shooter used to kill 17 people and injure 15.
Another memorable young activist who spoke onstage in D.C. was Naomi Wadler, an 11 year old who came to honor victimized African-American girls. These are the victims “…whose stories don’t make the front page of every national newspaper, whose stories don’t lead on the evening news,” as Wadler said during her speech.(https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/31/naomi-wadler-the-11-year-old-helping-lead-a-protest-movement)
Her words were intended to show how gun violence against people of color is still not represented the same way in the media as it is when gun violence injures white victims.
Many politicians and adults have said that we are too young to be talking about gun reform, or that we are too young to be able to understand how politicians work for reform. If students are the ones getting killed in these mass shootings, then we are the ones who are going to speak up. We are not too young to talk about change, because we need change! Students, look out for future marches and protests. Vote for intelligent politicians when you come of age, or are of age. This is the way we can bring change. We need to show how furious, ambitious, and hungry for change we all are!
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/us/school-walkout.html