When 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were shot and killed last month, it wasn’t the first school shooting in America, nor the deadliest. Nevertheless, something about this horrible incident is different. The survivors of this tragedy have come together to exorcise their grief by demanding change. These teenagers have appeared on talk shows and news programs, given interviews to countless newspapers and magazines, and this past weekend they helped organize March for Our Lives demonstrations around the world. They want nothing less than a life without fear of the gun violence that has plagued America for too long. We should all be so fortunate as to live in the nation they envision.
Despite what the NRA might claim, this is not a partisan issue. No one should have to fear becoming an innocent victim of gun violence, period. Millions of responsible gun owners across America’s political spectrum support sensible reforms to curb gun violence. Universal background checks, allowing federal research on gun violence by overturning the Dickey Amendment, and a restoration of the federal assault weapons ban are not just reasonable ideas, they’re essential. For most of the organization’s existence, even the NRA supported exactly this type of sensible legislation.
For too many years, the conversation on guns has been dominated by the shrill fear mongering of Wayne LaPierre and his ilk. Other voices are now being heard, and the chorus calling for common-sense changes to our gun laws is rising. Perhaps the tide is finally turning. I certainly hope so.
If you’re looking for a way to help reduce gun violence, Everytown is a great place to start.
