Culture | March 8th, 2018
The Never Again Movement continues to Evolve
By: journeymagazine
By| Eboni Walker
#NeverAgain was created by victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSDHS) in Parkland where a teen by the name of Nikolas Cruz fired gunshots at old schoolmates and teachers, killing 17 in total.
According to officials, a student by the name of Cameron Kasky, invited friends over after a candlelight vigil held on Thursday in honor of his friends to start a movement. Just before midnight on February 15th, their Facebook page went public. The movement was well thought out with a policy goal to encourage stricter background checks for gun buyers and a host a planned nationwide protest, currently known as March for Our Lives.
This student turned activist movement continued to gain more momentum when more than 100 students took a trip to the Florida Capital to hold a rally and force legislatures to create stricter gun control laws. “I have a message to the government,” said Rachel Hataneyah a sophomore at MSDHS. “I will not let you win.” Because of the tragedy I choose to make changes, not excuses. I choose to always be strong because I know what it feels like to be weak. And the government thinks that something is not going to change then they are sadly mistaken.”
Since then, the Florida Senate passed a bill on Monday which would the legal age for buying arsenal weapons, start a three-day waiting period after majority firearm sales, ban the sale and possession of bump fire stocks and allow certain public-school teachers to carry guns on campus. This bill as a whole still must pass the Florida House and signed by Governor Rick Scott before going into effect.
The Never Again movement have encouraged major international companies such as Wal-Mart, and Old Navy to impose new gun policies at their stores that increase the age to purchasing guns to 21. Other companies have also been inspired by the movement by cutting ties with the N.R.A and not giving a discount to members of the company. Hotel chains Best Western and Wyndham Hotels, airlines Delta and United Airways, and shopping stores Wal-Mart, Kroger, and Dicks Sporting Goods are just some of these companies. “This is a new era, and we are the change! We are the change,” said Hataneyah.
Now this movement who created a GoFundMe account with a goal to raise $1 million has now raised $3.5 million from over 18,000 supporters. One of the spokeswomen from the Never Again movement announced that “donations will be used to pay expenses associated with the March for Our Lives gathering in Washington D.C. and to provide resources for you people organizing similar marches across the country.”
