Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida, gave an emotional speech at a gun rally in Florida that has gone viral due to her brave words.
The high school senior asked for a moment of silence before beginning: “Every single person up here today, all these people should be home grieving. But instead we are up here standing together because if all our government and president can do is send thoughts and prayers, then it’s time for victims to be the change that we need to see … our guns have developed at a rate that leaves me dizzy. The guns have changed but our laws have not.”
“We are going to be the kids you read about in textbooks. Not because we’re going to be another statistic about mass shooting in America, but because … we are going to be the last mass shooting. Just like Tinker v. Des Moines, we are going to change the law. That’s going to be Marjory Stoneman Douglas in that textbook and it’s going to be due to the tireless effort of the school board, the faculty members, the family members and most of all the students,” she continued. “The students who are dead, the students still in the hospital, the student now suffering [from] PTSD, the students who had panic attacks during the vigil because the helicopters would not leave us alone, hovering over the school for 24 hours a day.”
In her powerful 11-minute speech, she also called out President Donald Trump and politicians who take donations from the NRA, prompting the crowd to chant “Shame on you!”
“The people in the government who were voted into power are lying to us. And us kids seem to be the only ones who notice and our parents to call BS. Companies trying to make caricatures of the teenagers these days, saying that all we are self-involved and trend-obsessed and they hush us into submission when our message doesn’t reach the ears of the nation, we are prepared to call BS,” she concluded, before encouraging listeners to register to vote and contact local congresspeople to “give them a piece of your mind.”
As previously reported, 17 students were killed and at least 14 were injured by 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz on Wednesday, February 14, when he opened fire with an AR-15 rifle. He has since been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder.
Gonzalez is now being labeled a hero among her peers and on Twitter, with many sharing her words in the hopes of changing gun laws.
One tweeter wrote, “If you told me that there would be a day when a high school student could beat the US President in a debate, I would have called you crazy. Then Emma Gonzalez spoke.”
If you told me that there would be a day when a high school student could beat the US President in a debate, I would have called you crazy.
Then Emma Gonzalez spoke.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) February 18, 2018
Another tweeted, “I’m joining whatever political party Emma Gonzalez just created.”
I'm joining whatever political party Emma Gonzalez just created.
— Aaron (@AaronDunlap72) February 18, 2018
Celebrities took notice too. Demi Lovato asked, “Does anyone know how to get in touch with Emma Gonzalez?”
Does anyone know how to get in touch with Emma Gonzalez? https://t.co/e9qr1evKAn
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) February 18, 2018
Zendaya wrote, “YESSSSS EMMA GONZALEZ!!!!!!! Thank you for your voice, and for your bravery and honesty while using it.”
YESSSSS EMMA GONZALEZ!!!!!!! Thank you for your voice, and for your bravery and honesty while using it✊🏽 https://t.co/7y7Su02uSz
— Zendaya (@Zendaya) February 17, 2018
Hollywood attorney Lisa Bloom simply tweeted, “Emma Gonzalez for President.”
Emma Gonzalez for President. https://t.co/kzCV3fhb1R
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 18, 2018
