I attended the Students/Moms demand action gun control panel. The event was held in Hitchcock hall from 3-5 pm on Saturday, February 13. This is my second non-IA for the missed meeting.
I have always felt a passion for gun control ever since the tragedy at Sandy Hook elementary happened. It was always in the back of my mind but I had taken a very pessimistic stance on the issue in recent years. I felt lawmakers would never change their minds because if 20 elementary students could be senselessly murdered and congress do nothing, I felt no one would. I had learned in high school that the NRA had such a tight grip on Congress’ pockets that real change was likely never going to happen. Due to this realization, I focused more on issues I felt were more feasible which is why I’m glad I attended this event.
This panel definitely changed my mind about how I should be going about trying to affect change. If I just sit back and wait for someone else to take charge, nothing may ever change. That’s why I am so glad Mitchell was able to help organize this event and start a branch of Students Demand Action in order to do his part in the fight. I found each panelist’s story to be very impactful in their own ways because they each brought a different point of view. It was very disheartening to hear about the mom whose son and daughter were both murdered by a man who should not have been able to own a gun. After tragedy struck though, she did not give up. She started to get involved in her community and began a support group to help herself and others heal. She is still working to prevent more murders from happening.
It seems like everyday in the news there’s a new shooting that occurred whether it be in someone’s home, school or music festival, the massacres are never ending. There is so much change that needs to happen in order to prevent the wrong people from getting their hands on firearms. At the event, there was a huge emphasis placed on using your voice and your vote. Throughout history, the youth has been a massive force that has driven change in many ways. If we want anything to change we have to make the effort to call our local representatives or write them letters about the issues we feel are most important. Some of the panelists included: high schoolers, students from the University of Cincinnati and people impacted by gun violence firsthand. Each person brought a unique perspective to the issue and because of this they were able to shed some light on what is going on behind the scenes in the fight for stricter laws. I had not realized a “Stand Your Ground” bill was close to being passed in Ohio until it was mentioned by one of the Moms at the event. Some of the women in Moms Demand Action went to the hearing to use their voice to stop this bill from passing and they succeeded. This shows how every individual can have a huge impact, especially in our community.