The “March for Our Lives” rally, sparked by the killing of 17 people in Parkland, Florida and held this Saturday, was a testament to the shouts for change and demands for an end to the injustices committed in our own country. Guns have been claiming lives for far too long, and protesters came out to stand in solidarity with victims of these acts of violence who are fed up with the facts. They formed a united front to restrict the prevalence of guns in the United States.
The march, which has been planned for over a month now, was held in D.C., and sister rallies occurred in more than 800 cities. In Boston, the march attracted more than 50,000 protesters to the Common — among them, teachers, parents, doctors and, of course, students.
In fact, it is these students, determined to see an end to these shootings which have resulted in the death of their classmates, who have been leading the movement. The spotlight was shed on them this time, with organizers directing young people to the front of the crowd and encouraging them to be the face of the march. At the Boston rally, college students spoke with emotion and a sense of outrage at what’s happening to kids in this country.
The young people heading the movement, with people like Marjory Stoneman Douglas students Emma Gonzalez and David Hogg delivering emotional speeches in the aftermath of the shooting, are an indication of the desperate times we live in. In a time when it feels like the voices of youth are neither taken seriously nor even heard, “March for Our Lives” and other similar protests are interrupting that pattern.
It’s important that our youth are demanding change because they represent the future leaders of this country. By giving them a platform, they are more likely to later serve in positions of political office with passion and feel invigorated to make change. Hopefully, in the future, we can look forward to seeing actual laws being passed, instead of the stagnant system we have now. Many of these students, some of whom aren’t even old enough to vote themselves, are pushing others to register to vote. Not only do they desire change, but they are also aware of the extent of political responsibility they have.
While it’s inspiring and refreshing to see young people on speaker platforms, it’s also slightly jarring to see children as young as 4 or 5 holding up anti-gun signs. Should children that young be involved in politics? Perhaps it’s a sign of how badly we need change. When legislators aren’t doing anything about the current laws, it’s up to children to demand change, and this movement proves they’re an unstoppable force when they band together.
In the midst of a movement that is calling for a sweeping change to gun control laws in this country, we can’t forget the plight of African-American communities, who have been fighting against gun violence, specifically committed by white, male police, long before Parkland. Hundreds of black youth have lost their lives to police brutality in the United States. The recent death of Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man who was shot at by the police 20 times in his San Francisco backyard, resulted in a series of protests demanding for an end to such unnecessary violence. This is yet another example of the change called for by the Black Lives Matter movement.
But the death of Clark and countless other black men, including teens and fathers, has not received the same amount of attention or overt support by the public — or even lawmakers for that matter. Nothing seems to have changed, other than speculation on the role police should play in the communities they serve. The shooting in Parkland, on the other hand, has sparked the formation of legislative proposals and has caught the attention of members of Congress.
While this is necessary and important, we have to keep in mind the intersectionality behind gun violence, and the fact that black people have been systematically oppressed since the founding of this nation. They deserve support, and now, more than ever, is the time for their voices to be acknowledged. The fight against gun violence in schools and the Black Lives Matter movements are undeniably connected, and both must be a part of the conversation.
This march and its promising turnout shows that change is possible when we support our youth and believe in the power of democracy. When we don’t like what happening, we turn to our rights to demand justice and an end to the countless people who die from guns every day.
