We’ve read a lot in this newspaper about why it’s important to support gun control.
I’m a high school student student and an activist, and I want to show you why you should fight gun violence with us. Young people are disproportionately affected by gun violence in America, and this isn’t just school shootings: 65 percent of homicides by gun in America are against people under 34, and more young people are killed by guns every year than by cancer and heart disease combined.
If you want to make a difference, stand with the groups that are most directly affected. Stand with us, and listen to our voices, and follow our lead. You can be most effective by working with the youth.
As the most historically underrepresented age group in politics, young people have the most room for growth in our political power. We represent new voices, even if we’re still shouting the same things, and that makes politicians listen. We are the next generation of leaders, we’ve already started to move and it’s up to you to support our crusade.
This Saturday, Pioneer Valley Students for Gun Control will be holding our first demonstration, A March for Our Lives, where we will tell our politicians how their policies endanger our lives. It’s up to you to make sure they listen.
Jesse Zeldes
Florence