It has been exactly one month since the tragic shooting occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which unfortunately took the lives of 17 innocent students who could not have predicted this calamitous episode when getting ready for classes that morning. Since then, students nationwide have been making grand public gestures in favour of gun reform laws in order to prevent future homicidal incidents.
This morning, at around 10 a.m., tens of thousands of students from around the country took part in what is being recognized as National School Walkout. The protest lasted for 17 minutes as an ode to the number of students who had lost their lives during the Parkland massacre.
The purpose behind this showcase is to effectively mobilize change in congress and address the rampant gun violence phenomenon that is killing thousands of Americans annually. The event was organized by the team behind January's Women's March, which could see upwards of 185,000 individuals from all 50 states partaking in this call to action.
Students have been decked out in orange for the occasion, which is the official colour in honour of gun control. Elisabeth Downing, an organizer of Terre Haute North Vigo High School's walkout, notes how "no matter what you decide the action to be, we just want action. We’re tired of thoughts and prayers and we’re ready to finally do something."
In Washington D.C., protestors took to the White House carrying signs that read "Books Not Bullets" and "Fire Politicians, Not Guns," proclaiming their sentiments in a bold manner.