March, Not Run, For Our Lives
A reflection of the March for Our Lives movement sweeping the country.
By: Kara Harper
In the wake of yet another horrendous school shooting the issue of gun control is reaching a boiling point. And students across the country are taking action in the form of protest. The “March for Our Lives” rally occurred recently on Saturday March 24, where thousands descended on Washington D.C. to rally against gun violence. In addition, other cities across the country showed their support by participating in localized marches and rallies of their own. One of which took place in our own backyard. The March for Our Lives event in Boston began at 11a.m. at Madison Park High School where thousands converged on the city and marched in unison toward Boston Common for a rally. There was a static almost palpable energy among the crowd, projecting a feeling of empowerment and hope. When the rally began, one by one powerful speakers and advocates took center stage so to speak and engaged the crowd in their arguments for gun control and the assertion that change needs to be made.
I took it upon myself to ask some fellow marchers what this movement meant to them and one reply that was particularly powerful was “It means everything really. It’s like the line is being drawn between life and death. Either we change and live or don’t and more of us will die.”. When asking a few friends, with whom I attended the march, what emotions they experienced seeing everyone together one of my friends said she felt heartbroken. That answer was so unexpected I had to ask why and she replied, “It’s just so sad that we have to go to these lengths to get people open their eyes and realize kids don’t want to die for going to school.”
It was in that moment I understood where she was coming from, because it is heartbreaking, to see our government doing so little to protect the future of the country in the places students should feel safest. Words like active shooter and safe zone are drilled into the minds of students across the country, and the constant string of mass casualties have left us desensitized to tragedy. It cannot be denied that America today faces an immensely challenging task of finding a solution to the problem of gun violence. On this day individuals of all ages, colors, shapes and sizes surrounded one another in this moment to revel in their common cause. A brief section of the MFOL mission statement reads, “Change is coming. And it starts now, inspired by and led by the kids who are our hope for the future. Their young voices will be heard.”
And on this day their voices were loud and clear.