Something is different this time.
Normally interest and searches about gun control and shooting tragedy drop off pretty fast after the initial rush of horror.
Parkland isn’t following the norm. It’s still an issue. CNN did a Town Hall. It’s still receiving news coverage.
Students are raising their voices and being heard. They aren’t just yelling or mourning. They are advocating for desperately needed change.
Tumblr is predominantly American students. Please, raise your voice on this, and support your friends when they do the same. We don’t know how long this will last, but for the moment, the country is listening. Use it.
They want to hear your stories.
You grew up under constant threat of this happening in your school. You had drills. You practiced, and you probably thought about what you’d do if it happened to you, what you’d say afterwards.
My generation saw the change, yours has never known different and you deserve better than to be taught how to slow down a shooter to minimize the total body count.
Write letters, record videos, speak out. Facebook, Tumblr, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, wherever you have a microphone, you can speak. But, if you’re comfortable, try to reach an older audience than social media gets you.
Want to Write an Op-Ed? Do it.
Don’t be intimidated, it’s not that different than writing a post on Tumblr, and is shorter than your homework. Most have to be under 750 words. Be sincere. Have someone proofread it. Then? Submit it.
Here’s some major papers and news groups:
NPR - All Things Considered
Find your local paper if that’s more your style. Search the name of any paper plus ‘op-ed submission’ or ‘letter to the editor submission’
Public statements not your thing? Write something and send it to your Congressional Rep. Go big: Send one to your Senator.
Want to be more likely you get an answer? Contact your Governor. Or, your State legislators. Contact your mayor. Contact anyone that might be able to do something.
Students today are standing up and doing what no one else has managed; it is brilliant, it is inspiring, it is humbling, and I hope you keep going.
You can change the country, you can change the world, but you have to keep standing up, and speaking out.
tangentwithtanner
ellievsbear
dededos
kianamaiart
turnnoffyourmind
prguitarman
