April 20, 1999: two Colorado high school students attacked their school, killing 12 students and 1 teacher. 21 additional people were also injured in the shooting.
December 14, 2012: in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, 26 people were shot and killed by a stranger. 20 of these victims were under the age of 8.
October 1, 2017: 59 people were shot and killed at a music concert. 527 people were injured and 200-300 bullets were fired before the shooter was stopped.
Last Friday, in Parkland, Florida, 17 high school students were shot and killed by one of their peers. But we can’t talk about that right now. Now is a time of grieving. We are still grieving over all of these incidents and victims. But why does that mean we can't take action?
The thing about all of these events, no matter how long ago they may have been, is that I did not need to even describe them for them to be recognized. What is the first thing you think of when you hear these words: Sandy Hook? Las Vegas? San Bernardino? Columbine? Pulse Nightclub? These places have become synonymous with the word "shooting".
The only way this ends is with action. Grieving can only take us so far, until we channel that grief and use it as motivation. This is exactly what the students of Parkland, Florida and so many others are attempting to do: create a movement to stop the murders. These voices that are now standing up, walking out of classes, and marching on Washington, are the ones who hid in closets for 4 hours with their peers.
They are the ones who stared down the barrel of an AR-15 rifle. They are the ones who showed up to class a week later and sat down next to an empty chair, one which will never be filled again. They are the ones who will suffer PTSD and go to counseling and never ever forget Valentines day, not because of the holiday itself, but because that is the day they texted their parents "Goodbye" and "I love you" for what they thought was the last time.
Now, two weeks after this horrific event, the people who were directly involved and affected are speaking out. They understand how to channel their grief and they know what needs to be done for this country to make a change. So why do we continue to let politicians decide when it has been enough time before diving into a conversation about guns? These high school students aren't anymore, and the results of them calling b.s. have started a wave of support. America's ears are open and everyone is asking the same question, #MeNext?
