The March for Our Lives movement sprouted after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL on Feb. 14.
Organized by students, the march was an effort to rally people across the United States to take political action for gun reform laws and to honor their peers who were victims of gun violence. Students from MSDHS have taken the spotlight in the fight against gun violence and have faced criticism from public officials and individuals on social media.
Some are criticizing their inability to lead this discussion while others are condemning them for not acknowledging the ways that marginalized communities are affected by gun violence.
Criticism has focused on the conflicting directions that the movement could go in and whether it is inclusive enough. On social media many have pointed out that police violence is also gun violence and must be addressed in this conversation against gun violence.
Recently, black students from MSDHS have spoken out about the increased police presence on their campus, and how they have been ignored throughout this movement.
“About 11 percent of the high school’s 3,000 students are black, and some say their concerns about gun violence are not getting enough attention, ” CNN reported.
On social media sites, criticism focused on how the March for our Lives has co-opted the Black Lives Matter movement when white protesters used the slogan “don’t shoot” which was created by the BLM organizers.
