Posted on 05/04/2018 5:45:02 AM PDT by dead
While much attention has been paid to his peers pushing for gun law reforms, a Ridgefield High School sophomore thinks his message is just as important.
On Wednesday morning, Mario Giordano led about 100 students on a walkout in support of the Second Amendment. It was part of a national "Stand for the Second" event that saw marches in an estimated 40 states.
The 10 a.m. walkout started at the high school and ended with a presentation at a nearby community center, where Giordano spoke. Other New Jersey walkouts occurred in Cherry Hill and Jersey City.
“The Second Amendment requires and deserves respect,” Giordano said in his speech. “It is a symbol of what America stands for."
The event came just over a month after students around the country staged a massive walkout aimed at stopping gun violence and honoring the students killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February. In the Ridgefield Park school district, 730 students took part in the March for Our Lives on March 24.
Giordano on Wednesday said he supported some gun control measures, such as background checks and family-recommended intervention by authorities if they suspect a person is a danger to themselves or others “as long as it doesn’t infringe on due process.”
The 16-year-old said that when he first took note of the Stand for the Second movement, he was dubious.
“I think it just popped up on Instagram first. Someone else had seen it, too, and pointed it out to me but I didn’t know if it was even real,” said Giordano, who then did some research.
"After that I talked to my principal. She was supportive from the beginning.”
Interim Superintendent John Petrelli and Principal Janet Seabold were among those to join the walk. Petrelli called the organization a “group effort” and explained that after Giordano approached Seabold, the district was ready to help.
“We were ready to allow this to happen the same as the other walkout for Parkland,” Petrelli said. “She [Seabold] organized this so that the students had an opportunity to express their opinions. We want to allow them to have a political discourse in a civil manner, and that’s what happened here today.”
Support of the 2nd Giordano first reached out about three weeks ago, and with the help of a few friends, spread the word through social media as well as by stickers and fliers. He told the crowd Wednesday that those had been crumpled up and torn down.
He does not have a gun, nor does anyone in his family, but he believes the Second Amendment has been one of the most important.
“It protects all of the other amendments,” Giordano said. “No other country has a law that says well-armed citizenry is necessary for a free state.”
During his speech, Giordano said he is not opposed to efforts to protect people, especially in schools but said that “suppression is not effective.”
Huzzah for this young man! He gets it! Hunting isn't the reason for the 2nd amendment. It is a side benefit.
So, for that matter, is being able to protect your home from an armed invader. The reason is to protect your homeland against a rogue government be it invaders or Vichy type puppets of invaders posing as a legitimate government.
“It protects all of the other amendments,” Giordano said. “No other country has a law that says well-armed citizenry is necessary for a free state.”
Not a peep in the media over this.
I don’t care how good the reasons are, this student walkout crap has got to stop.It’s just plain bogus.
What explains the idiocy of the liberal elite? It’s their education
Amazing this is in NJ.
High five.
wow, I’m amazed and happy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.