Ruth Resendiz is an American Civil Liberties Union legal observer; her job was to make sure no one would interfere with the “March for Our Lives” attendees’ right to protest. At 18, the Escuela Verde student decided to get involved with the ACLU to contribute to the movement and make her voice heard.
“It’s important that young people have to lead this movement because young people are the future,” said Resendiz. “We need to decide what kind of world we want to live in and raise our kids in.”
Across the country, at least 30 cities participated in the “March for Our Lives” rallies held last Saturday March 24, 2018. Milwaukee Police Department officers estimated that 2,500 people attended Milwaukee’s “March for Our Lives” event that started on the south side of the Milwaukee County Courthouse and ended downtown at Red Arrow Park. While attendees included teachers, parents, grandparents, the march was led by high school students.
The student-organized marches are a response to the school shooting that occurred on Feb. 14, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland,Florida. This was the 7th school shooting in 2018 and resulted in 17 people dead. Victims included 14 students and three staff members, making it the one of the deadliest school shooting following Sandy Hook with 26, and Virginia Tech with 32 victims.
Students from Milwaukee’s Rufus King high school and Shorewood High School rallied crowds as the courthouse courtyard began to fill. Joined with the protesters were family members of Dontre Hamilton, who was fatally shot by a police officer at Red Arrow Park, family members of the Sikh Temple shooting victims, and Mayor Tom Barrett.
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Students are represented as the forefront and core of this movement on gun reform. Students have also been responsible for organizing walk-outs at their respective schools since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Students are calling for stricter gun laws and actions from elected officials. Wauwatosa East students Casey Dobson and Melis Kaplan attended the march this afternoon in protest.
“We won’t be silenced,” said Dobson. “They think they can offer empty words. but we won’t let it happen.”
Dobson and Kaplan expressed how it is important as high school students to act and voice their opinions because it is their peers who are being targeted in these attacks.
“I hope it will raise awareness and people will realize the extremity of this,” said Kaplan. “Something has to change.”
By protesting and raising awareness, the students are hoping to bring attention to how current gun laws affects students across the country.
“There’s this certain feeling of invisibility,” said Kaplan. “People don’t think it’ll happen to them. It’ll keep happening.
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Protesters were greeted with free Dunkin’ Donuts and marching signs. “MOMS DEMAND ACTION,” “MARCH FOR OUR LIVES,” and “WE CAN END GUN VIOLENCE” posters were handed out on the corner of 10th and Wisconsin with volunteers also stationed throughout the courthouse grounds. Many protesters also came with homemade “Arms are for Hugs” and signs protesting President Donald Trump’s suggestion to put guns in schools by arming teachers.
Retired Milwaukee Public school teacher Henry Kranendon gets choked up while addressing the school shooting.
“I can’t imagine what teenagers are going through,” said Kranendon. “It’s hard to talk without crying.
Kranendon has three grandkids and gets emotional when thinking about their future. He taught at Rufus King High School for 30 years and reflects on how much students feared getting a security guard who was intended for the safety and escorting students going between classes. He advocates for fewer guns around students and himself for safety.
“I don’t want to own a gun,” said Kranendon. “You want to feel safe by owning a gun, I want to feel safe for being a person without one.”
Before the walk started, a communal prayer was led by the family members of the Sikh temple shooting victims. Organizers placed students in the front leading the march, with parents, teachers and supporters following. This allowed them to represent the importance of children being the leaders of the future. Organizers and students led the march under the courthouse overpass over to State Street, then east towards Red Arrow Park.
As people arrived at Red Arrow Park, they gathered around the ice rink and were welcomed by organizers. Volunteers from the League of Women Voters in yellow hats were present to assist attendees in registration and early voting at City Hall.
The night of the march, students made their way to Madison, Wisconsin. Students marched “50 Miles More” from Madison to Janesville, Wisconsin, the hometown of House Speaker Paul Ryan. The march was organized by Shorewood High School students and lasted four days. The march is directed towards Paul Ryan for his positions on gun reform.
Having a candidate who shares the same values is what students said they hope to achieve. Protesters are urging people, especially their young 18-year old peers, to go out and vote. Their intent was the same as their tag line on many of their posters: change gun laws or change Congress.
“We have the potential to make a change,” said Resendiz. “Not just by marching, but by voting good politicians and lawmakers into office.