Angered by the murders of 17 students and teachers February 14 at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and inspired by actions teens like themselves have taken in the aftermath to influence politicians, the media, and public opinion, students from Canajoharie, Sharon Springs, Cooperstown and Cobleskill will hold a Rally for Our Lives, Saturday, March 24, from 1-3pm in Cobleskill’s Centre Park.
The rally will be a sister rally to the National March for Our Lives and will feature music and speakers as the student organizers call for common sense gun safety measures.
The students have been working with community members to organize the event; one of them, including Josie Hovis, a junior at Cooperstown High School, is already active in Positive Action Cooperstown.
“The Parkland shooting really galvanized my commitment to pursuing more stringent gun safety policies,” Ms. Hovis said, “and while it’s certainly not the only example of gun violence that we’re speaking out against, it’s the one most prominent in the news and in our minds at the moment.”
Emma Trahan, a junior at Canajoharie High School, agreed and said she was inspired by the actions teens have taken across the country since this latest—maybe—shooting.
“I think people often underestimate the power of young voices, but we are the future of America and should have a say in how our futures unfold,” she said.
For Ms. Trahan, common sense gun safety includes more rigorous background checks, waiting periods, and psychoanalytic tests to determine whether someone’s stable enough to safely own a gun.
Ms. Hovis also supports those kinds of measures, but said the rally will keep its focus broad, in part because it’s so difficult to legislate answers to gun violence.
“I want this rally to include varying viewpoints along the gun control spectrum in order to foster a conversation that could bring about positive change,” she said.
Speakers at the rally are expected to include students from local schools as well as adult experts in gun safety legislation.
Even as local school administrators discuss what they can do to best protect their students (see related story on page XX), Ms. Horvis said gun violence is a topic of concern at her school.
“While I feel comfortable…I’m also aware that it could change in a moment,” she said.
Theresa Heary of Middleburgh, one of the organizers of January’s Women’s Rally, also held in Centre Park, is one of those who’ve been working with the younger organizers.
“The young people want to build upon the movement that’s been growing in the Schoharie Valley and we’re so pleased to welcome them as allies and fellow creators-of-change,” she said.
“We need people of all ages and backgrounds to create a healthy society and we’re honored to amplify their calls.”
For more information on the March 24 rally, email Ms. Hovis at Josephine.hovis@gmail.com or Ms. Trahan at rose.emma.trahan@gmail.com.