The March for Our Lives 2022
According to the Gun Violence Archive, in 2022 there have been 246 mass shootings. These days, it feels like these shootings happen anywhere at anytime, and that no one is truly safe. Even places that we all venture to daily don’t feel safe- malls, churches, concerts, movie theaters, stores, high schools, elementary schools, universities, synagogues, the list goes on and on. We all remember where we were when the news broke about certain mass shootings- Columbine (1999), Sandy Hook Elementary (2012), Orlando night club (2016), and more. I remember who told me about specific shootings, or where I saw the stories break first, The horrifically tragic moments when innocent lives are taken in a matter of seconds, constantly occurring in a terrifyin, devastating loop. Every time I see another story about a shooting somewhere in the country, I think to myself- when will it be the last time? What is it going to take to finally see change, both politically and socially? How many people have to lose their lives in order for us to wake up and act? Well, the time to act is now. In just 5 days, a second March For Our Lives protest is scheduled to take place in cities all over the country, and here’s what you need to know.
On May 24, 2022, 19 year-old Salvador Ramos went to Robb Elementary School in Ulvade, Texas and shot 19 students and 2 teachers, and also injured 17 other people. Since the shooting, the public has heavily criticized law enforcement in Ulvade for their delayed response. Reportedly, the police who were at the school waited for reinforcements and did not pursue the shooter right away. The response from the public following the shooting has been so strong, that some of the survivors of the Parkland shooting in February 2018 at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School including David Hogg and others, have come together to host a second March For Our Lives.
The first March For Our Lives was organized in response to the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018. On that tragic and unforgettable Valentine’s day, Nikolas Cruz shot and killed 17 students and teachers, and wounded 17 others. Just days after the mass shooting, the students of MSD who survived the shooting, including X González, David Hogg, Cameron Kasky, Aalayah Eastmond, and others, founded The March For Our Lives organization and began pushing for gun reform. According to their website, the organization is a “youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence.” Eventually, they organized the first March For Our Lives, which took place on March 24, 2018 and had over 880 sister marches that took place nationwide and globally. I attended the branch of the march held in New York City with my family, and it was both the most heartbreaking and fulfilling experience of my life. People from all walks of life attended the march, and as painful as it was to remember all those we have lost, it gave me hope for the future that still burns bright today.
The second March For Our Lives is set to take place on June 11, 2022 in Washington D.C. to protest gun violence and push for gun reform. 100 sister marches are also expected to take place in 45 states across the nation. The protest, meant to push for gun reform and new legislation, is crucial in attempting to save the lives of men, women, and children all over the country and honor those who were taken from this Earth too soon. Those marching will push for putting in place universal background checks on gun sales, raising the legal age to purchase a gun to 21 (it’s currently 18), and more. I’m planning to march, and if you want to see change, you should too. Go to https://marchforourlives.com/ in order to locate a march near you.
Steps to take in order to push for gun reform:
Contact your Senators about taking action to prevent gun violence now
Attend one of the marches nationwide
Donate to various organizations working towards gun reform (including March For Our Lives, Everytown.org, etc)
Sign online petitions for government officials to push for gun reform
