DO MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT HAVE BODY GUARDS FOR ALL THEIR CHILDREN?

Organizers say as many as 800,000 people poured into the streets in Washington, D.C., for the March for Our Lives, which was organized by students who survived the February 14 shooting massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Amy Goodman and Democracy Now!'s youth correspondent Soledad Aguilar-Colón of Beacon High School here in New York City spoke to people in the crowd who had traveled from all over the world to join the protest.

 

On Saturday in Washington, D.C., Parkland shooting survivor Emma González took to the stage at the massive March for Our Lives and stood behind the podium in silence for four minutes as she fought back tears. It's being called the loudest silence in the history of U.S. social protest. We air her historic speech.

 

Transcript

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

EMMA GONZÁLEZ: Six minutes and 20 seconds with an AR-15, and my friend Carmen would never complain to me about piano practice. Aaron Feis would never call Kyra "Miss Sunshine." Alex Schachter would never walk into school with his brother Ryan. Scott Beigel would never joke around with Cameron at camp. Helena Ramsay would never hang out after school with Max. Gina Montalto would never wave to her friend Liam at lunch. Joaquin Oliver would never play basketball with Sam or Dylan. Alaina Petty would never… Cara Loughran would never… Chris Hixon would never… Luke Hoyer would never… Martin Duque Anguiano would never… Peter Wang would never… Alyssa Alhadeff would never… Jaime Guttenberg would never… Meadow Pollack would never…

 

AMY GOODMAN: Emma González's silence would last for four minutes and 26 seconds, in what's been described as the loudest silence in the history of U.S. social protest.

 

EMMA GONZÁLEZ: Since the time that I came out here, it has been six minutes and 20 seconds. The shooter has ceased shooting and will soon abandon his rifle, blend in with the students as they escape, and walk free for an hour before arrest. Fight for your lives, before it's someone else's job.

 

AMY GOODMAN: Mass shooting survivor, 18-year-old Emma González.


https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/26/watch_parkland_survivor_emma_gonzalez_stands.

 

https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/26/voices_from_the_mass_shooting_generation.