By Rena F., 6th Grade Student, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation
What started as a typical day at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., ended with the loss of 17 innocent lives. Within hours after the mass shooting, the students at Stoneman Douglas High School demanded change and organized a national march in Washington, D.C. in front of the U.S. Capitol March 24, 2018. With more than 200,000 supporters in attendance that day, the march included speeches, performances, chants and rallies.
Among the hundreds of thousands of supporters were members of the Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation community. “I definitely wanted to come to the march. I support restricting gun laws, and nobody needs an AR 15,” said David N., a KSDS 6th grader.
Parents took their children to the march to teach them real-world lessons and to get them involved in current issues. “I went to the march with my two school age children because I felt that it’s important for them to understand what the politics of this are,” said Jay Finkel, a KSDS parent.
Thousands of signs displayed at the march expressed sorrow, anger and frustration. Lev S., another 6th grader at KSDS, crafted a sign that read “Arms are for hugging, not guns.’”
Signs also sent messages to legislators. David’s sign shared the message “Congress get your head straight,” intending to show that the government “is not doing what’s right, and they are not doing what’s smart,” he said.
Some signs were about the NRA and had pictures on them. “Our sign had the NRA [logo] with a circle around it and a slash through it, and that was an illusion to the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms,” Finkel explained.
The march also featured songs with important messages. Celebrity vocalist Jennifer Hudson sang “Rise Up” with a middle school choir from Washington, D.C. The powerful song urges people to step up and take action.
“The young people are now coming of age; they are coming of voting age. Now the government has different priorities from the older generation, and these children, I believe, are going to show the rest of us how to change the politics, particularly on guns,” Finkel said.
The march produced many memorable moments. Powerful speeches were delivered, and videos were shown to spread awareness. “To hear the speech by the granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and for her to express so eloquently what gun violence has done even to people as young as herself was the most memorable moment at the march,” Finkel explained.
Some Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students were also in attendance. “Actual MSD students came over to where I was standing, and it was so meaningful to see someone who had gone through what I was marching for,” David said.
The historical March for our Lives in Washington, D.C. will, hopefully, make a difference in protecting innocent lives. It was meant to change the government’s mind about guns. Some people think it will change their minds, while others disagree. “I feel that it will not change the lawmakers’ and politicians’ minds, but it will sort of force them to do it,” Lev explained. The government may feel compelled to makes changes because of how many people attended the march.
“Eventually they have to change the laws. The entire nation is starting to get involved, and the government cannot just leave an entire nation in the dust,” David said.
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