On October 5, 2017, we wrote an editorial responding to the mass shooting in Las Vegas. We asked when enough will be enough. We wrote about the cycle this country seems to be trapped in: a cycle of arguments on the news, shock from the public, and ultimately, inaction on legislating for gun control. We discussed how we have grown up desensitized to this seemingly endless violence.
In the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Fl., high school students have broken this cycle. They are not falling back into silence, waiting to see what happens next. They are taking charge, speaking out, and creating change. These students have grown up in the age of mass shootings — Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Aurora, Orlando, and now Parkland. They are responding by saying now is enough.
Parkland students have inspired countless protests across the country, reflected by the march led by Baltimore high school students on Tuesday morning. These students challenged the status quo and called BS on lawmakers who have merely paid lip service to caring about this issue. Students are researching legislation, delivering eloquent speeches and defending their positions from people who think that they are merely a bunch of kids.
These students are an inspiration and they’re carving out their own space in this new wave of activism that has emerged across the country — from Black Lives Matter to the Women’s March and #MeToo.
We support these students wholeheartedly and we hope that they continue to bring about the change that is long overdue. Let us join them.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The News-Letter.