Posted on 03/19/2018 6:49:25 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
Since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last month, survivors have mobilized the #NeverAgain movement to push for school safety and stronger gun legislation.
Two vocal leaders, David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez, spoke with CBSN Monday to discuss the movement and why they believe they can through the partisan divide on gun control and drive real change in policy.
Both Hogg and Gonzalez, who refer to themselves as members of the "mass shooting generation," say they've received death threats in response to their efforts in launching the movement. But they aren't letting threats deter them from making progress.
"There's always been people who are going to want to harm us," Gonzalez said. "I'm not going to pretend that this like opened my eyes to a cruel and harmful world ... When it comes right down to it, we already knew that this world was going to be tough. So getting death threats like that doesn't really faze us."
Asked about the NRA's response to their movement, Hogg responded: "I think it just goes to prove what exactly they are. I don't think NRA members are bad people at all. I think they're responsible gun owners that want to become politically active and make their voices heard in this democracy, and I think that's an excellent thing.
"I think the problem comes in when it's people at the top of this organization that don't listen to their constituents and continue to scare people into buying more guns, creating more violence, so they can scare more people and sell more guns," he continued. "The people at the top of the NRA are no longer working for the people that are in their organization. They're working on behalf of the gun lobby."
Both Hogg and Gonzalez say the NRA has reached out to them, but not in a positive way.
"The way that they've been reaching out to us is basically threatening us," Hogg said.
"They've been instigating things," Gonzalez added. "And then, when we reply, they like shy back away. They can dish it out but they can't take it."
Hogg says leading the movement is helping them cope with the horrific incident at their school in which 17 people were killed.
"I think this is our way of coping," he said. "Working together and being around our friends in such a time of horrible tragedy and suffering, and making sure that nobody else has to go through this suffering, at least try to make sure that they don't, is our way of coping -- to ensure the safety and future of many Americans. But the fact that 3,000 people, essentially the equivalent of our entire school body, has died since the time of our shooting as result of gun violence is a testament to the serious issue that we have in this country."
Meanwhile, nearly 500,000 people are preparing to march on the nation's capital this weekend in support of gun control and school safety measures. Many of those marching will be students. The event follows last week's nationwide walkout, when students from nearly 3,000 schools walked out of their classrooms for 17 minutes in memory of the 17 victims.
During a conversation on "CBS This Morning," Hogg said his message to other high school students is: "Make sure you get out and vote, that you're registered to vote so you can vote in the primaries and stay educated for the rest of your life because the seeds of corruption are always being showed."
Gonzalez and Hogg are among the student activists featured in the documentary "39 Days," which airs on CBS Saturday, March 24 at 9 p.m./8 p.m. CT.
...”They’ve been instigating things,” Gonzalez added. “And then, when we reply, they like shy back away. They can dish it out but they can’t take it.”...
Maybe the little boy can give some specifics.
What does “basically” mean?
The NRA has been doing exactly what we want for over a decade: passing laws to advance freedom instead of compromising with commies. We stopped being reactive wimps.
Broward County should try to become an American community and agree with American freedoms instead of trying to make America like the old countries of its denizens.
Second question:
High quality stuff.
Exactly. James P81 has made the mistake that the media echo chamber reflects the popular viewpoint. On this one, he is way off.
not being randomly chosen as a victim in a spree shooting does not qualify you as an expert in the debate on any national issue, especially when you’re 16. it makes you lucky.
and remaining unharmed while in vicinity of a spree shooting doesn’t make you a survivor. it makes you a spectator.
that kid is heading for a lifetime of counseling, substance abuse, and 12 step programs after his forced celebrity status finally wears off, which ought to be sometime next week.
Again, basically like what does 'instigating things' even mean ? Like basically like you know ..... Things ?? Florida children have the empty skull valley girl style going on.
Are they “literally shaking”?
Hey, I'm a 9/11 survivor. And not just because I was in the states at the time....I was actually in the Northeast. I also survived the Boston Marathon bombing.
All is not well in Hogg's garden!
The media has shut out all logic and reason on this subject since the 1980s. These "survivors" are far less compelling as media props than James Brady in his wheelchair.
I think the problem comes in when its people at the top of this organization that dont listen to their constituents and continue to scare people into buying more guns, creating more violence, so they can scare more people and sell more guns,
Young, uninformed, easily lead, teenagers scare me too.
It doesn’t mean I’m going to quickly create another one.
Luckily, the two I did raise, would scare Mr Hogg with adult leaning conversion
about the 2ND Amendment, and the NRA.
Once anybody decides to enter the sphere of politics they have consented to engage in the current style of political discourse. It may be rough and tumble, and downright crude, but once you decide to join in you can't complain about the rules of the game.
Of course the leftists use the race card, the woman card, the I'm a victim card, and now the I'm a child or teenager card.
The teenagers who are busy pushing a political agenda don't bother to say a word about the fellow student and teenager who gave his life helping others during the attack, and they were pushing their activist message before their friends were even off the operating room table. They aren't the poor, suffering children they portray themselves as.
But they are sure ready to fool people like you into taking their side.
Could be worse; she might be acidically pregnant.
Now, that’s phucked up.
Perhaps the NRA will basically file a defamation suit.
Do voodoo dolls with misshapen heads constitute “a threat”?
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