The Stoneman Douglas High School massacre — and the fiery teen survivors who are demanding action — have ensured that this tragedy won’t soon be buried after the customary “thoughts and prayers” evaporate. One staunch advocate who will never fade from the gun-control cause, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), directly blamed Congress for the mass shooting after several years and failed rounds of legislation.
Even Murphy’s own passionate Senate floor speeches have failed to persuade those GOP colleagues who accept NRA money to pass effective regulations on the matter, and on Monday, Murphy tweeted about a heartbreaking new display on the Capitol building lawn.
Indeed, these 7,000 pairs of shoes represent the 7,000 children who have lost their lives to gun violence since the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting. Reuters has more on the group who organized this symbolic display:
The memorial, organized by Avaaz, a U.S.-based civic organization, and the National School Walkout, organized by the activists behind the Women’s March in Washington, are part of a grass-roots movement that grew out of the killing of 17 students and staff at a Florida high school a month ago.
With the same goal in mind, students across the U.S. are planning to walk out of classes for 17 minutes on Wednesday to honor those who were killed by Nikolas Cruz and his legally purchased AR-15. As for the gunman himself, Florida prosecutors have announced that they are seeking the death penalty.
(Via Reuters)