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This Isn’t Just Some Past Time – Jeremiah Hunter ‘s Speech
at the Toledo March for Our Lives on March 24
A 17 year old in a
neighboring city had breakfast with his friends in the
school cafeteria and then went into a bathroom and shot
himself with a .22-caliber handgun. March 5th, 2018.
- 5 dead 1 wounded -
Chardon High School
- 7 dead 3 wounded - Oikos
University
- 26 dead 2 wounded 20
Children 6 Adults - Sandy Hook Elementary
- 6 dead 4 wounded - Santa
Monica College
- 9 dead 9 wounded -
Umpqua Community College
- 2 dead 0 wounded - Aztec
High School
- 1 dead 1 wounded -
Huffman High School
- 4 dead 1 wounded -
Pilchuck High School
- 17 dead 14 wounded -
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
But as you can see, this
isn’t a pastime
50 – The number of mass
murders or attempted mass murders at a school since
Columbine.
141 – The number of
people killed in a mass murder or attempted mass murder at a
school since Columbine.
17 – The number of kids
aged 15 or younger who have committed or attempted a mass
school shooting since Columbine.
270 – The number of
shootings of any kind at a school since Columbine. The
numbers have only risen since these were released in 2016.
Not only will we have to
fear the actual gunman but threats as well. Between February
5th and February 27th, copycat threats have risen across the
U.S.
According to USA Today
638 copycat threats were reported.
Texas - 55
California - 37
Florida - 35
Pennsylvania - 32
Ohio - 47
We’re the second highest
in these threats.
So here we are. And we’re
here.
We’re here marching for
NO Violence in our communities;
We’re here marching asking
for adults to help every student to graduate;
We’re here marching to end
youth homelessness;
We’re here marching for
our future, the same future taken away so swiftly, from
our peers;
We’re here marching for
the dead;
We’re here marching for
the wounded, the afraid, the bullied, the helpless, the
families. OUR FAMILIES;
We’re here MARCHING FOR
THE ONES WHO DIDN’T AND WILL NEVER GET TO
WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE AND
HAVE THAT SENSE OF FREEDOM TO
FINALLY GRADUATE, TO
FINALLY SUCCEED THE ONE OF MANY GOALS WE STRIVE TO REACH.
We’re here. And we are not
leaving.
Because this isn’t just
some pastime.
We’re Marching for OUR
Lives.
And if you can’t see
that………. I have nothing more to say.
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