An FSU Perspective: The Fight for Gun Reform

By Danielle Wirsansky on February 22, 2018

The shooting and murder of 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School can be described as nothing less than tragic. The students of this school are using the event as momentum, to make a change in gun control rather than sitting back and being shell-shocked into silence. And they are not alone– thousands of people, many of them students of Florida State University (FSU), joined the MSD students in a mass protest for gun reform at Florida’s Capitol Building in Tallahassee yesterday, on Wednesday, February 21st, 2018.

PC: Danielle Wirsansky

Cries of “This is what democracy looks like!” and “Vote them out!” reverberated in the air. More than three thousand people gathered to hear speeches made by politicians, religious leaders, and MSD students alike. MSD student survivor, Rachel Catania, powerfully said, “A change is overdue. And we are the change. When children act like leaders and leaders act like children, you know something is about to change.”

PC: Danielle Wirsansky

In the fight for gun reform, FSU students have a stake as well. It was only in 2015 that FSU experienced a shooting on its own campus. It’s still a fresh memory, and the wound never truly has time to heal as school shootings have become all too common place. FSU students are fighting for gun reform as well, for myriad different reasons. Here are the arguments of FSU students in favor of gun reform, who are all from different backgrounds, of different ages, genders, races, sexual orientations, religions, majors, and more.

Grace Hayes
Sophomore
Choral Music Education

“I had the absolute privilege of rallying with the Tallahassee community for common-sense gun control this afternoon. Hearing students from Stoneman Douglas High School give courageous, impassioned speeches in honor of their classmates, teachers, and friends that were lost last Wednesday moved me so deeply. Kids shouldn’t have to worry about being shot while trying to get an education. There’s no reason for civilians to own assault weapons. Shame on the Republicans in the Florida House who refused to even HEAR a bill proposing an assault weapons ban. As voters, it’s our responsibility to do the right thing and vote out and against any legislators that accept donations from the NRA. It’s the only way that we can enact meaningful change to ensure that a senseless tragedy like these and so many countless others in recent history will never happen again.” ~Grace Hayes

Samuel A. Castellanos G.
Sophomore
Exploratory

“I was born and raised in Venezuela, one of those places popular for being so violent and nearly lawless. My mother would get robbed and I would be scared to be on the streets, but I never feared to be in school, the mall, the movie theater—all those places were safe. It seems weird to me that I came to this country to be safer but I find myself going to marches to speak in favor of gun reforms. These type of shootings never happened in my near-lawless homeland. I don’t see the point in wanting to own a semi-automatic gun. Those guns are only for killing. If you want to hunt then we can arrange a loan system when you arrive to those grounds, even when needing an AR-15 to hunt means you’re a bad shot. You can have your guns—that’s not the issue. The issue is that people could be ISIS sympathizers and still be able to purchase a gun. The issue is that people are not getting a thorough background check on them as they buy something that easily could take anyone’s life. How can you argue against that? I was there [at the protest] for 7 hours and never did the Representative that we went for talk to us. They all suddenly became too busy to talk to us for just 5 minutes. But it didn’t surprise me. The money they received from the NRA was to buy their spines.” ~Samuel A. Castellanos G.

Katie Wickline
Senior
Theatre

“Here’s what’s been on my mind.  As a Christian, prayer is a huge part of my religion. We believe it to have the power to save lives and change the world. However, when politicians and leaders flippantly post “thoughts and prayers” on their social media, and then pat themselves on the back for doing the bare minimum, it gets infuriating. The Bible says faith without work is dead. Without action, change will not occur. And using mental illness as a scapegoat doesn’t count. The fact that high schoolers have had to step up to lead the movement for gun reform speaks volumes about the adults in office. These young adults, having just experienced such a traumatic event in Parkland, are using their anger to fuel an upcoming generation of fighters and game-changers who are not willing to stand idly aside while more innocent lives get taken. I’m so honored to say I got to witness some of the survivors speak at the march, and be inspired by their fearlessness and activism. We stood alongside elders, children, and students from all Tallahassee schools in unity against gun violence. It’s empowering to see how many young people want to see a world where kids can go to school without worrying about if they’ll make it home. I can’t wait to read in history books years from now, that this began with teenagers who weren’t afraid to speak up, and proved the power of putting thoughts and prayers into fighting for what’s right.” ~Katie Wickline

Austin Cassel
Senior
Mechanical Engineering

“Basically, I’m frustrated by the apathy and condescension displayed by the adults who’s job it is to be a voice of the public. It’s so common to hear anti gun reform politicians say things to the effect of ‘this is a complicated issue that you don’t totally understand/you’re emotional right now/bad people will find ways to get guns anyway’ but if anyone actually understands the urgency of this issue it’s those kids who had to sit through what they did as well of the countless others who’ve done the same. Additionally, these same ‘leaders’ that claim that gun restriction is ineffective work in a building (the Capitol) outside of which a big sign reads ‘no weapons or other hazards allowed’, if that isn’t hypocrisy of the highest degree, then I don’t know what is. What really opened my eyes today was the complete absence of our governor Rick Scott in any capacity. That is not how a leader behaves in my opinion. What we need most is to spread love and support right now, to everyone, not just people on our side of the argument. The bottom line is too many people have died and I don’t think there’s a single person Republican or Democrat who wants that to continue. The answer is love, compassion, cooperation and some actual fucking action.” ~Austin Cassel

Ashley Poitevien
Freshman
Theatre

“Growing up, my generation has seen an abundance of mass shootings. We have become almost accustomed to it. With school drills, looking for the nearest exit signs in movie theaters and concerts, etc. I’ve always felt extremely passionate about gun control and a ban on assault weapons, but not once did I ever think that something like this would happen so close to home. This has affected all of us in some way. Having gone to high school not too far from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, I know that the people of South Florida and Broward County are resilient and strong and will not be silenced. So many of us have some small connection to Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Our politicians who were elected to represent us have failed us with their inaction and backroom deals with the NRA. Because of their inaction, we must take action and keep fighting until we see a change. This march today has been life changing. I am proud to say that I was a part of the movement that will change the future of America and make it safe again for my kids and the kids of future generations.” ~Ashley Poitevien

Olivia Gilmore
Senior
International Affairs

“As someone who was a highschooler in Connecticut during the Sandy Hook massacre, and in Florida during both the Pulse nightclub and Douglas High School mass shootings, it should be very clear why I believe gun reform is necessary. Moving to Florida for college was a bit of a culture shock. Up North in Connecticut, people don’t typically casually own guns; every once in a while you will meet someone who owns a gun used only occasionally for hunting, yes – but no one carries a gun, and if they did, they would make their friends and neighbors very nervous. Here in Florida, it is much more acceptable to own guns casually and as a hobby. So you have to understand- I don’t know much about guns, but I do know we live in the only Western country where mass shootings like this occur frequently. We have to look at the other factors at play. Sure, mental health is a big problem in the world today, but other countries don’t seem to have the same ‘mental health problem’ we do with our mass shootings. It is far too easy to obtain a gun in this country, and that is what we need to be focusing on: how can we make it more challenging for potentially dangerous people to get assault weapons? Some people say don’t blame the gun: ‘We don’t blame the car in a drunk driving accident’ but the thing is, cars aren’t invented to kill, guns are. America really has fetishized guns and it is a dangerous mentality that will make it difficult for any effective reform. First, politicians need to stop accepting donations from the NRA. Why are we allowing lawmakers to line their pockets with blood money while children die, meanwhile the vast majority of their constituents are for once in agreement that common sense gun reform is necessary? We should really follow in the footsteps of Australia who drastically changed their gun laws in 1996 after a mass shooting. But for some reason, though the most recent mass shooting is always in the news, and though the majority of Americans agree that we need to make common-sense changes to our gun laws, we still haven’t been able to make that happen. I’m very proud of these teens from Parkland, they are really proving that their generation can and will be the change in mentality that we, as a country, need.” ~Olivia Gilmore

Jaden Monnett
Sophomore
Theatre

“There is no reason civilians should have access to assault weapons. None. There are barely any reasons  as to why people should have access to guns in general. The ‘good guy with a gun’ argument is ridiculous, because if you’re going to be fast enough to stop a shooter, you would need access to your gun right there and then, which means you are not storing it safely or out of reach of children. It would also have to be something easily carried, which means it’s not going to be a freaking assault rifle. On the subject of arguments, if I hear one more person whine to me about the need to defend ourselves from the government, I’m going to scream. The danger the government poses to our country is not through weapons and armies but legislation and bills. You can’t fight those with guns. Unlike vehicles, guns are made for killing. But look at all the regulations we have on cars: permits, licenses, written tests, tags and registration, specific licenses for specific vehicles. Use this as a model, a place to start. But go further. Mental illness is not inherently violent, but those at risk of harming themselves or others should ABSOLUTELY not be given access to guns. Limit magazine volume. Ban private gun sale. The solution to gun violence is not more guns! Arming teachers is not the solution, and most of them don’t want to be armed! If anything, it just puts weapons closer to the hands of those who would do harm. The second amendment was written when guns could barely shoot ten rounds a minute. Look at the guns responsible for these shootings. Does anyone honestly think they are on the same plane? Our country has outgrown the right to bear arms. This amendment is complicit in the murder of America’s children. Of us. It’s happened here before, and I don’t want to be next. Something must be done.” ~Jaden Monnett

Craig Whittington
1st Year PhD
History major concentrating on War and Society, Nazi Germany and the Holocaust

“First off, I am a veteran of the US Navy and Marine Corps. I grew up in an extremely rural area around guns my entire life. I also used to be an avid supporter of gun rights of any type. I am still a great supporter of the 2nd Amendment, however, I have changed my views on a lot of things concerning the issue. With the continuing violence across the country and the mass school and public shootings, a lot of things need to change. When I left the military, the Armed Forces had just begun a major push on urban warfare tactics. This was seen in the change of patterns from the older camouflage to the new dot matrix design. Included in the changes were a switch from the M-16 to the M-4 rifle, and the creation of the AR-15. The AR15 is the civilian modal and comes in only semi automatic. However the bump stock makes it virtually automatic. Shortly after the AR was introduced, the weapon was redesigned into the half length barrel and smaller stock that common today. This enabled the weapon to be used in tighter environments such as entering through windows and use in hallways. Add to its design the features of the broom handle forward grip to control recoil for greater accuracy and the bump stock that makes it ‘virtually automatic’ we now have a weapon whose sole design is to produce mass casualties. Place this weapon in the hands of a person with severe mental illness as the law now allows and we have a mass shooter looking for a target. Responsible gun owners cannot provide 24 hour assurance that their weapons won’t fall into the hands of the mentally disturbed as we keep seeing time and time again. I am not arguing for complete seizure of all guns, but instead, for better legislation that will provide a safer society. Ban bump stocks, broom stick grips, unregulated sales of firearms. create a program of mandatory licencing, registration, insurance, safety exams, and testing such as we have with automobile drivers. This is not the end of the argument though. As I said, a lot of things need to change. Increased healthcare programs for the mentally ill, better security at our schools, and gun safety courses such as those I had in school and the military are a start. Also during the Teddy Roosevelt administration, legislation was put in place to cap the amount of money an individual could contribute to a political campaign. That legislation was overturned a few years ago by a majority Republican Senate and House. Now we have groups like the NRA contributing over 30 million to 1 campaign. Not to mention all the other campaigns they contribute to. Political office is now for sale just like the days of the Gilded Age. Once again, I am all for safe, responsible, and disciplined gun ownership, but as it stands in this country now, we have none of the three. We can not continue on the current course. The march was important to me because it is a way of getting my voice heard through the actions that I and many others were willing to make. It is important to raise awareness of the issues that need to be debated in spite of the FL Senate’s refusal to even discuss them. It is a way of giving voice to the generation that is being most affected by the tragedies of the school shootings. And it is a way of letting the NRA and politicians know how many people are fed up with the problems their policies are causing. Its time for them to put compassion over profits.” ~Craig Whittington

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