Student says protests start a conversation
With all of the shots and commotion heard around the nation, it’s kind of hard to ignore gun control. So, no matter what your stance on the topic is, you can’t deny that alone we have a voice but together we are an orchestra.
What these peaceful — and certainly not silent protests show — is that in this world when there’s an issue at hand, we do not sweep it under the rug hoping that the next generation will clean it up. We tackle our issues head on and become the change that we want.
This wasn’t simply a small get-together of friends that decided to make some cool signs to catch people’s attention, then proceeded to stand on a street corner hoping that someone would honk for support. This was thousands of people across the nation, standing up for what they believe in.
And social media played a huge part in the organization of what would become a national movement. With social media, none of this would have ever happened. Group chats were made, accounts were set up on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, just for this walkout. People could support and give backing to the protest just by following an account, which spread the word even faster. Posts on social media sites were talking about the walkout, the time it was scheduled, what to do, what not to do and — if you wanted more information — it was right at your fingertips, to the point where it was hard to ignore.
When the day finally came around for the protest, it was all everyone could talk about — whether or not their friends were participating, whether or not they supported the walkout. Before the walkout had even begun, it had already accomplished its mission: To get people talking.
The 17 minutes of silence were not so much a moment of anger or joy but more of a moment of frustration and just being fed up with the way that things were going. It was odd being somewhat peaceful,in such a large group to hear no one talk, almost like a trance. Nobody was talking, but those outside the group were talking about us.
After the 17 minutes of mourning for those who died in the Parkland, Florida shooting — a minute for each of the victims — the group dispersed. Some students headed back to class, others marched to the downtown Gig Harbor museum to continue the protest, not so silently this time.
The atmosphere felt alive on this sunny day, with people lined up on both corners waving signs like the ones shown in the media, with one out of every three honks a blast of support, triggering everyone to cheer. It was a combination of love, support and community on those street corners. It was a community not just hearing what these students had to say, but listening as well.
Although it was a cheerful feeling of community on the outside, on the inside it was the opposite. These kids were filled with frustration, screaming to have their voices heard by either protesting or writing a letter to Congress stating their opinions on the subject.
Overall, the protest was a success from the beginning. Street corners were filled with young adults speaking their minds, ready for change, forcing those around them to listen.
These protests might not stop anything, but what they do is start a conversation. It’s every tweet, every person standing on a street corner voicing their opinions, saying “I’m concerned,” “I want to talk about this.”
Gone are the days of just tuning out the voices, hoping they’ll go away. Today, you must listen to the voices, no matter the age. You must respond. A simple “we’ll get on it” doesn’t cut it anymore. The future of our country will just keep yelling louder, until you finally address them properly… and listen.
Maybe this isn’t the era of change, but it’s definitely a stepping stone. And we’re right around the corner.
Gehrig Pfeffer is
This story was originally published March 22, 2018 at 7:45 AM with the headline "Student says protests start a conversation."