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A Walkout, march, and rally took place today at 8:17 a.m. to remember 17 victims
~Photos by Claudia Ferro
In response to the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and the epidemic of mass shootings in the United States, Somerville’s newly formed Students Against Gun Violence is launching actions which included today’s school walkout, march, and rally beginning at Somerville High School. At exactly 8:17 students over 300 students walked out of their classes and assembled outside the building. They all sat down in silence for the next 17 minutes in honor of the 17 Parkland victims. Protesters marched with signs down Highland Ave to the rally at Trum Field. Once they arrived at Trum field, students met with organizers who have set up tables with the contact info of legislators who will then be flooded with calls, emails, and letters lobbying for constructive action towards comprehensive gun control.
They are calling this “Walk Out Wednesday” and they plan to do this every Wednesday until the end of the school year.
The group’s Mission Statement includes the following:
In 2018 alone, the United States has experienced almost seven thousand gun related incidents resulting in the deaths of nearly two thousand Americans. The aftermath of every tragedy is the same: the men and women elected to represent us and our values call for change but still fail to take legitimate action. We refuse to remain complicit in the murders of our fellow Americans any longer. If we want to properly honor the victims of years past, Congress must work towards comprehensive gun control.
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I’m glad to see that people are finally fed up with nothing being done about this situation. Those politicians funded by the NRA are trying to spin this issue into being that people are against guns altogether instead of just banning the use of assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, which is far from the truth.
The only hope in getting any kind of action taken is to hit congress and the NRA where it hurts – their pockets. If enough people boycott businesses that support the NRA, or work to oust politicians who are getting money from the NRA, there will be no choice but to finally work on getting legislation passed to make it harder to get these kinds of weapons. If “money is speech”, then let our money shout from the rooftops.
Politicians opt against legislation by using the excuse that those who want them will always find a way to get them, but that’s just a weak argument. Yes, it might be true of anything illegal, but why should they make it easy to get them legally anyway?
If making it harder to legally get an assault rifle saves even one life, it’s still one life more that’s not the victim of a tragedy like this.
Let’s hope that this time around, legislators will not be able to drown out the sound of protesters and say this is not the time to talk about gun control. There will never be a better time than now.
Somerville Pride is Somerville Proud of the young students getting involved. Keep it Strong & Long. Carry it in your heart and minds as
you grow and get a career or go on to college after graduation. Remember your freedom and choice. Use it to vote for those candidates who will represent you not themselves. Students asked Senator Marc Rubio if he would reject NRA donations? He danced around denying to answer the student’s question. Made a remark about his ideas, bla..bla..bla.. & goals. He was elected to serve & represent the students and their families. Not himself. Stand strong! Remember the young military people serving around the world protecting all of us. Remember the power you have to elect the good and reject the bad. I am so proud to see what you all did today. I cried with pride of the Students at Somerville High. Have a great and safe year and God Bless all of you.
I do think walking out of school was a bad decision and possibly should add on an extra day at he end of the year to make up for it. That being said I have never touched a gun in my life. Although I have wanted one in my home in Somerville. I never thought assault weapons should have been on he market in the first place. I don’t think they are needed for hobby and home protection. As I understand it there are millions of these out there and the laws will really do nothing to stop access to them. I am also aware that there are factories making guns under the radar so even stopping guns being sold and ammo is really not even going to slow it down. I know I can’t think of any good answer to the problem of getting these weapons and I have no clue why anyone wold would do these kind of things. I am sure most of us are frustrated with how to solve this and I am not sure any law will make a difference. I am not sticking up for the gun people or the politicians as I don’t think either of them can solve this. The only maybe to my mind is when big brother can detect these things from a satellite anywhere they happen to be there is a chance it can be stopped ahead of time. But technology changes quickly so who knows. I would certainly like to have the answer.