A protest for life

Justin Yost, Editorial Writer

A little over a month ago the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Florida took place. Yesterday another shooting in Maryland has left two students injured, one in critical condition.

One week ago on March 14, thousands of students across the nation walked out of their classrooms at 10 a.m. in solidarity with the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Many were in defiance of school officials, who were split on whether they should let their students leave their classrooms or not. This was the first, but not the last, major coordinated student-led action for gun-control.

The students have made some impact in Florida, where the governor signed a bill raising the minimum age to buy a firearm to 21. On a national level, some thought the students were making waves when President Donald Trump held meetings over gun-control and even said he would write an Executive Order to ban bump-stocks. Trump has not written an Executive Order, and has not said a word about gun-control since his initial two meetings. Another walk-out is being planned for April 20, the anniversary of the Columbine shooting.

This coming weekend survivors and thousands others will march in Washington under the motto #NeverAgian. This march is being led by the students of Stoneman Douglas, but is being helped by many celebrity individuals who want to stand up and help. Jimmy Fallon, George Clooney, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey are just a few who have pledged money or support for the march. Trump has been reported to be leaving D.C. to go to his Mar-a-Lago resort during the protest in Washington.

Organizers of the march are hoping to inspire concrete legislative outcomes out of congress. School safety should not have to be a political issue, it should be common sense for all. But here we are. Participants are also coming together to register and pre-register future voters.