EnoughisEnough:StandingTogetherforNeverAgain
Aswewatchinhorrortheseeminglynever-endingstreamofmassshootingsinAmerica,weareremindedthatthetimeforactionisnow.Itisessentialthatwedonotbecomedesensitizedtothesetragedies,butinsteadunitetodemandchange.TheNeverAgainmovementrepresentsasincereandheartfeltattemptbyyoungpeopleacrossthecountrytoadvocateforsensiblegunlawsandanendtothelethalviolencethathasbecomealltoocommonplaceinoursociety.
TheBackground
Itshouldneverbeadebatewhetherornotstudentsshouldfeelsafeintheirschools.Yet,everyyearanaverageof15,000childrenandteensarekilledorinjuredbygunviolence.Inmanycases,theweaponusedisonethatwaslegallyobtainedoreasilyaccessible.TheParklandshootinginFebruary2018wasaturningpoint,anditseemedthatfinally,therewouldbeaction.However,eventhattragedyhasnotbeenenoughtoforcethegovernmentintoaction.Wearestillseeingtheaftermathofthetragedy,withstudentsexperiencingPTSDandanxietyatschooleveryday.
ThePoweroftheMovement
Despitethelackofactionbythoseinpower,atruegrassrootsresponsehassprungupacrossthecountry.TheNeverAgainmovementrepresentsacallforrealchange.Studentshavetakentheleadandaredemandingthattheirvoicesbeheard.Manyyoungpeoplearevoicingtheiropinionsnotjustwithwordsbutalsowithactions.Theyareorganizingevents,walkingoutofschool,andevenlobbyingpolicymakers.Throughpeacefulprotestsanddebates,theyaremakingitclearthattheywillnotsitquietlyandwatchasmorechildrendie.
ThePathForward
TheNeverAgainmovementrepresentsaneweraofactivismthatisdirectedbyyoungpeople.ItisclearthatweneedtohaveaculturalshiftinhowweviewgunlawsandgunownershipinAmerica.TheproblemisnottheSecondAmendment,itisthefactthatpowerfulgroupshaveblockedanyeffortstoenactlawsthatwouldpromotesafety.Whatweneednowisashifttowardcommonsensemeasuressuchasbackgroundchecks,waitingperiods,andregulationsonfirearmsthataredesignedformilitaryuse.Weneedtobesmartandimplementpoliciesthatwillsavelives.
Ultimately,ourresponsewillbejudgedbyhowmuchactionwetaketoaddresstherootcausesofthesetragedies.Itistimetostopwaitingforthenextshootingtohappen,andtakeproactivestepstoensurethatallstudentsaresafeatschool.TheNeverAgainmovementisacalltoaction,anditisuptoallofustorespond.Letusstandtogethertomakeneveragainareality.
