jews d

in
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essay

Why I Protest
Gun Violence

P

FRANKLIN

children, then children will
eople asked me why we
be the leaders and we will
walked out of school
vote them out.
on March 14. They
Adults have said they are
were bewildered when we
shocked by how articulate
walked out a second time on
I am speaking on a panel,
April 20. They were dumb-
being interviewed by news
founded to see us standing in
stations or speaking in front
the pouring rain with candles
Lily Kollin
of 900 students at our walk-
after Santa Fe. Every time,
out. I smile gratefully; the
my answer for them was the
world has underestimated
same: We are standing here
our young generation.
because innocent lives were
Some adults question our
taken, again and again, and
ability to persevere once the news
we will not stop until this American
cycle has quit telling our story. But,
epidemic of gun violence is cured.
just today, there was a threat at my
Students have stopped believing
high school. Just last week, a maga-
this could never happen to us for we
zine of bullets was found at the school
see the faces of the victims running
down the road. Just a few weeks ago,
on our TV. We are one and the same.
Lockdown cover drills are woven into 10 students were murdered in Texas
and 17 in Florida.
our childhoods. Suspicious threats in
Every day, people take their own
bathroom stalls are a normalcy, and
lives with a firearm and every day,
our instinct is to search for the exits
homicides by gun occur. Every
whenever we hear an unusual rustle
country has mental illness, bullying
in the hallway.
I have grown up through the merci- and violence, but there is a reason
America is drowning in gun violence:
less cycle of shootings, through the
We are without common sense gun
“thoughts and prayers” and through
laws.
the silence of our lawmakers. I and
The 17-year-old fighters know this.
many students across the nation are
We are not poisoned by the NRA’s
outraged, scared and have thrown
“donations,” keeping our elected offi-
ourselves into this fight head on,
cials on an electoral leash or tricked
unphased by those who dismiss
by the gun manufacturer lobbyists.
us and those who disbelieve. If our
We are not coated in cynicism. We
elected officials have chosen to act as

ENJOY
YOUR
SUMMER
WITH A

OUTDOOR

POOL

continued on page 26

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Lily Kollin, 17, is president of Farmington Public Schools
Students Demand Action and regional shlicha of Michigan Region BBYO. Lily, who
has just finished her junior year at North Farmington High School in Farmington
Hills, was part of a community discussion “How to be Safe Within the Second
Amendment,” organized by the National Council of Jewish Women of Michigan
on June 11. The event was part of NCJW|MI’s social advocacy work and was
held at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. Other speakers included
James Jackson, regional director, office of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters; Ellis Stafford,
Detroit Crime Commission; Robert Sedler, Wayne State University constitutional
law professor; and Rabbi Aaron Starr, Congregration Shaarey Zedek. Attendees
learned about the second amendment, how lawmakers can protect the public,
criminal aspects of gun ownership, law enforcement’s role in protecting the pub-
lic and, from Lily, why students protest gun violence.

