Students, teachers send message during local March for Our Lives
Despite rain, sleet, and snow, more than 1,000 people gathered downtown last Saturday to stand in solidarity with the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and others who organized March for Our Lives.
The nationwide demonstration was organized by students at the Florida high school shortly after the Feb. 14 shooting when Nikolas Cruz, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, was accused of opening fire with an AR-15 rifle and murdering 17 people.
During the local demonstration on Saturday, March 24, local students, teachers and others with concerns about gun laws held signs with the names of the victims while others took to the stage to voice their frustrations and call for stricter gun laws and other changes.
As wet snow fell on the hundreds of protesters in attendance, Aidan McCarthy, a sophomore at Reagan High School, urged those who can to make a difference at the polls. He said, “We’re gathered here today to send a clear resounding message to our representatives that we will no longer tolerate their corruption or their complictness in murder.
“Our representatives have shown the inability to make common sense decisions to protect us. We must make the decision for them; their votes against common sense gun regulation will be the last votes they ever make as our elected officials.”
Christy Robinson, a former kindergarten teacher, echoed McCarthy’s statements when she spoke during the demonstration. She said also sent a message to members of the National Rifle Association (NRA) who believe more guns are the answer.
“The number of us who want safe schools for our children is vast. The NRA has money; we can look to our own Senators Burr and Tillis. Of the 535 members of Congress, they were ranked second and fourth in total money received in the support of guns,” Robinson continued. “$11.4 million bought their silence, bought their complacency but trust us when we tell you that we are profoundly invested in making this right.
“…We are marching for our lives. We are marching for our student’s lives. We are marching for our children’s lives.”
