Will the US Finally Fix Their Gun Laws? US Students Plan Mass Walkout In Protest of Gun Violence

Students are demanding change after another school massacre.

Last week, 17 people were tragically killed at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when a former student, Nikolas Cruz, fired at them with a semi-automatic rifle. 

The school's student news director, David Hogg, began interviewing his fellow students about whether they were surprised that a school shooting was occurring, while in hiding from the gunman. They were not surprised.

"The fact that a student is not surprised that there was another mass shooting," David began saying. "But this time it was at his school—says so much about the current state that our country is in, and how much has to be done."

This wouldn't be the first school shooting in the United States' this year, either. The Washington Post reports there have already been more than five shootings resulting in injury or death, despite incorrect claims that there have already been 18 this year. Regardless, anything more than 'one' is too many.

Each time a tragedy like this occurs, there are renewed calls for more regulation. After the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, where 20 students aged seven or under and six of their teachers were murdered, much of America assumed that this would be the turning point for gun regulation. Six years and many more school shootings later, still nothing has changed.

So, now, the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and their peers across the United States are turning their anger and grief into action.

As one of the students, Christine Yared, from the school wrote in an article for the New York Times, "we need to vote for those who are for stricter laws and kick out those who won’t take action."

Another student, Emma Gonzalez, gave a passionate speech against President Trump's comments and exclaiming that this should be the last school shooting ever.

The rest of the students from the high school are demanding change to gun control laws (which are very lax in Florida) from politicians and are organising multiple protests and walkouts.

On 14 March, the organisers of the Women's March are calling for protestors to descend on Washington D.C. to demand action. Ten days later (24 March), another march, the March of Our Lives, will be organised in Washinton D.C. and any other cities that wish to participate. 

Then on 20 April, students in the United States will walk out. On the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre, they are encouraged to attend school like any other day and then at 10am, leave school in protest for the rest of the day.

Attention: All students, teachers, coaches, counselors, janitors & administration working across America’s school systems:

On April 20, 2018, the anniversary of the Columbine shooting, lead a peaceful walkout at 10am & peacefully protest this nation’s lax gun laws.

RT & share.

— Simar (@sahluwal) February 17, 2018

Students, let’s join our voices in a fight against gun violence in our schools. Students, let’s join our voices to rise above the petty politics of Congress. Students, let us join voices to tell our government to DO SOMETHING. Students, let’s march. #NeverAgain

— Flynn Begor (@BegorFlynn) February 18, 2018

There are three different national actions already announced to end gun violence in America.

March 14: @WomensMarch Action
March 24: #MarchForOurLives
April 20: #NationalSchoolWalkout

Let’s support them all.

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) February 18, 2018

The world is watching to see if the United States' politicians can turn tragedy into triumph and make gun-related massacres a horrible occurrence of the past.

Photo: iStock.com/EyeJoy