Take action: Parkland students on five ways to fight gun violence in 2019
Last March,the Guardian invited invited student journalists from the Eagle Eye, the award-winning newspaper at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, to serve as guest editors of our US site and oversee the Guardian’s coverage of March for Our Lives. Our collaboration was honored with the Global Youth and News Mediaprize, an international award sponsored by News-Decoder,Google News Initiative and the European Journalism Centre.
As we enter 2019, the Guardian is sharing our platform with the Parkland students once again. This piece on how you can fight gun violence in 2019was written by three student journalists from the Eagle Eye.
1. Don’t become desensitized to gun violence on the media
Look beyond the smiling faces of victims on the news and see the real loss behind every photo. Their faces represent a family with one less seat at the dinner table, friends with one less shoulder to lean on and an entire community forever tainted by evil. The students and staff of Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school and the residents of Parkland, Florida, never imagined that our picture-perfect town would be nearly torn apart by senseless gun violence. We had let our guard down. We implore other communities do not do the same. Not enough has been done to prevent mass shootings since 14 February 2018, and they will happen again – they already have happened again.
2. If you see something, say something
Not only was the massacre at our high school one of the worst in US history, it was perhaps one of the most preventable. The Parkland community is able to recognize that the shooter slipped through countless cracks within the system, and we will continue to fight to hold all negligent individuals accountable for their actions. However, accountability goes beyond policies and protocol – it starts with each and every one of us. From students, to teachers, to even neighbors, always stay mindful of everyone in your surroundings. The dawn of mental health awareness has only just arrived in our country but preventioncan be as simple as seeing something suspicious and reporting it. Don’t let the case of Parkland be a deterrent in stepping forward towards authority – you never know who may take your concerns to heart. .
3. Form your own opinions by staying informed about local and national issues
It is all too easy to lose sight of common ground in the political brawl. In an age of great polarization, it is imperative to stay informed of the facts, allthe facts. It is no surprise that the media can be biased at times, and the best way to overcome miscommunication between opposing parties is to delve into the perspective of the other side. Diversify your news sources and stay informed on all prominent topics in the world.
4. Vote and pressure your representatives
Every vote matters, your vote matters. The 2018 midterm elections proved this, with staggeringly close margins in states such as Florida and Georgia that prompted recounts. Maybe you feel that, you, as an individual, can’t do anything to change the way the world is, but your representatives can. Contact them: email, call, write letters or even go to their offices. There is power in numbers and the slightest initiative can contribute to an entire societal wave demanding reform.
5. Become involved
The idea of “making change” is a daunting one, yet getting involved is not as demanding as most would think. Joining forces with certain grassroots organizations such as March for Our Lives, Moms Demand Action and the Brady Campaign are some of the easiest ways to start.
March for Our Lives was launched by Parkland students days after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. While it is perhaps most well known for the countless marches it sparked, the organization continues to spread awareness about gun violence prevention. It strives to increase funding for gun violence research and intervention programs, increase voter participation, ban high capacity ammunition magazines, disarm all domestic abusers, mandate universal background checks and institute safe store and mandatory theft reporting.
Moms Demand Action was launched in light of the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school massacre. The grassroots organization welcomes all individuals and hopes to transform misconceptions about gun culture in America. Their missions include limiting the proliferation of guns on school campuses, prevention of children accessing guns and general advocacy for stricter gun laws
The Brady Campaign, which was founded after the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan when he was president, is perhaps one of the oldest gun violence prevention movements in the US. The campaignfocuses its agenda into a three-point plan: expand “Brady background checks” to all gun sales, ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines and pass extreme risk protection order (ERPO) laws.
Each organization has its own perspective on the second amendment to the US constitution about the right to bear arms, and grew from a community where gun violence has been inflicted. They are each aimed at fixing laws, exposing corruption and giving hope to the rest of the world. Each defines at least one mission that ought to resonate with a rangeof political views. A visit to their websites is all it takes to become involved. There’s no better way to restore hope in the nation than joining movements that catapult change.