On March 14th, 2018, several hundred students across Bladen County walked out of class in honor of those who lost their lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School one month prior. Children braved the cold as they walked out of class for 17 minutes, one for each life lost in the school shooting that took place. At East Bladen High, several students including myself spent a month organizing this event. When I heard about the horrific tragedy that happened in Parkland, Florida on Valentines day, I thought of the lives of the victims and how their loved ones would be changed forever. Parents sent off their children in the morning, never to see them again. Adults left home without ever returning. Regardless of political stance, it was a time to come together to mourn the loss of these amazing people, all due to gun violence. Students across the nation spent a month organizing rallies and walkouts in protest of our legislators' failure to take action in making sure this tragedy will not happen again. We walked out to honor the lives of victims of gun violence everywhere and to shine a light on untreated mental illness, gun control, and bullying that happens in schools across the globe. This event was organized by students everywhere that wanted to take action. There may have been a few that used it to skip class, but that doesn't take away from the students who did it to call attention to the issues listed above. During the walkout at East Bladen High School, students gathered at the football field while I read out the names of victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. After that, a moment of silence pursued. Ashlee Rivenbark and Mariah Smith both gave speeches that shed a light on why we gathered there. People argued against it. Adults complained that we needed to stay in school, or that the school was using us as political pawns to send a message. What they failed to understand was that this was organized by students. As I stood in front of the hundreds of students with a megaphone, I felt a sense of responsibility. It was my duty to lead a peaceful protest and to educate my fellow classmates why we were standing in the cold. It was my responsibility to stand in solidarity with kids across the nation who wanted to take action and fight against gun violence. We are future voters, legislators, and leaders of this country. We are who is responsible for this nation in the future and it is our duty to be the change we want to see in the world. There is no time like the present to make your voice heard.
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AuthorMy name is Ethan Fletcher. I live in Elizabethtown, NC and love art, music, and political activism. ArchivesCategories |