#NeverAgainMSD and the March for Our Lives Movement
American Youth for Gun Control
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797/AdAmericam.24.2023.24.02Keywords:
social movement, youth protest, gun culture, gun control, gun rights, firearms, March for Our LivesAbstract
The United States gives citizens the right to own guns and has developed a specific culture of gun presence in everyday life. However, this privilege raises many controversies, and gun-related deaths are one of the most common causes of death in the U.S. Media often report on tragic shootings in the country. Nonetheless, there is still no clear regulation of legal issues in the field of gun control. This text is devoted to the issue of the March for Our Lives (MFOL) social movement created by a group of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The movement was established in response to a shooting that occurred at the school on February 14, 2018. The massacre caused shock almost all over the United States and gave rise to a series of great demonstrations in favor of gun control, which turned into the March For Our Lives social movement. Why did this movement appear after the events at the Parkland school, and what was its formation like? Did the term “potential tipping point” in the context of gun control and MFOL come true? What is the balance between the organizers’ assumptions and the actual results? This text analyzes the events of 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and attempts to answer the question about the essence of the March for Our Lives movement.
Downloads
References
Ahmed, Saeed. “Here Is the White House Response to March for Our Lives.” CNN, 24 Mar. 2018, https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/24/politics/white-house-response-to-march-trnd/index.html.
Google Scholar
Almukhtar, Sarah, et al. “What Happened in the Parkland School Shooting.” The New York Times, 3 May 2018, https://nyti.ms/34mVQZa.
Google Scholar
Alter, Charlotte. “How Parkland Teens Are Leading the Gun Control Conversation.” Time, 22 Mar. 2018, https://time.com/longform/never-again-movement/.
Google Scholar
Ax, Joseph. “Defense Abruptly Rests Case in Florida Trial of Parkland School Shooter.” Reuters, 14 Sep. 2022, https://www.reuters.com/legal/defense-abruptly-rests-case-florida-trialparkland-school-shooter-2022-09-14/.
Google Scholar
Biden, President. “Today, young people around the country once again march with @amarch4ourlives to call on congress to pass commonsense gun safety legislation supported by the majority of americans and gun owners. I join them by repeating my call to congress: do something.” Twitter, 11 Jun. 2022, https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1535600275439898626.
Google Scholar
Brenan, Megan. “Stricter Gun Laws Less Popular in U.S.” Gallup, 17 Nov. 2021, https://news.gallup.com/poll/357317/stricter-gun-laws-less-popular.aspx.
Google Scholar
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Bump Stocks.”, https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/bump-stocks.
Google Scholar
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “National Firearms Act.” www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/national-firearms-act.
Google Scholar
Cassidy, John. “Will the March for Our Lives Lead to Real Change?” The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2018, https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/will-the-march-forour-lives-lead-to-real-change. CBS News. “Florida School Shooting Suspect Hid Among Students After Massacre.” 15 Feb. 2018, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/parkland-florida-shooting-nikolas-cruz-continued-coverage-2018-02-15-live-updates/.
Google Scholar
CBS News. “How Many People Attended March for Our Lives? Crowd in D.C. Estimated at 200,000.” 25 Mar. 2018, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/march-for-our-lives-crowdsize-estimated-200000-people-attended-d-c-march/.
Google Scholar
Chavez, Nicole. “Here’s a Timeline of the Deadly Florida School Shooting.” CNN, 9 Mar. 2018, https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/15/us/florida-school-shooting-timeline/index.html.
Google Scholar
Circle at Tufts. “2020 Election Center.”, https://circle.tufts.edu/2020-election-center.
Google Scholar
Circle at Tufts. “28% Of Young People Voted in 2018.” 30 May 2019, https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/28-young-people-voted-2018.
Google Scholar
Circle at Tufts. “Election Night 2018: Historically High Youth Turnout, Support for Democrats.” 7 Nov. 2018, https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/election-night-2018-historicallyhigh-youth-turnout-support-democrats.
Google Scholar
Congress.gov. “H.R.8 — 117th Congress (2021-2022): Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021.” 3 Jan. 2021, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8.
Google Scholar
Cooper, Kelly-Leigh. “In Florida Aftermath, US Students Say ‘Never Again’.” BBC News, 18 Feb. 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43105699. Web. 19 Apr. 2022.
Google Scholar
Currie-McGhee, Leanne K. Gun Control. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2004.
Google Scholar
Deng, Olivia. “March for Our Lives Was Born on Social Media.” Brandwatch, 30 Mar. 2018, https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/march-for-our-lives-social-media/.
Google Scholar
Duignan, Brian. „McDonald v. City of Chicago.” Britannica, 11 Dec. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/event/McDonald-v-City-of-Chicago.
Google Scholar
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Brady Law.” Britannica, 11 Oct. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Brady-Law.
Google Scholar
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Minuteman.” Britannica, 28 Mar. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/minuteman.
Google Scholar
Gonzalez, Sandra. “Oprah, Steven Spielberg Also Donating to March for Our Lives.” CNN, 21 Feb. 2018, https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/20/entertainment/oprah-march-for-ourlives-donation/index.html.
Google Scholar
Gramlich, John. “What the Data Says about Gun Deaths in the U.S.” Pew Research Center, 3 Feb. 2022, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/02/03/what-the-data-saysabout-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/.
Google Scholar
Gray, Sarah. “A Timeline of Gun Control Laws in the U.S.” Time, 30 Apr. 2019, https://time.com/5169210/us-gun-control-laws-history-timeline/.
Google Scholar
Gray, Sarah. “March for Our Lives and National School Walkout: What to Know.” Time, 19 Feb. 2018, https://time.com/5165794/student-protests-walkouts-florida-school-shooting/.
Google Scholar
Grothaus, Michael. “Exclusive: These Were Snapchat’s Most Popular Lenses and Bitmojis of 2018.” Fast Company, 21 Dec. 2018, https://www.fastcompany.com/90286158/exclusivethese-were-snapchats-most-popular-lenses-bitmojis-and-snap-map-stories-of-2018.
Google Scholar
Justia. “District of Columbia v. Heller 554 U.S. 570 (2008).”, https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/554/570/.
Google Scholar
Krzaczek, Katie. “Selena Gomez Supports March for Our Lives on Instagram: ‘Protect Kids, Not Guns!’.” Billboard, 23 Mar. 2018, https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/selena-gomez-march-for-our-lives-8258212/.
Google Scholar
Laidler, Paweł. Konstytucja Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki: Przewodnik. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, 2007.
Google Scholar
Langone, Alix. “Photos: March for Our Lives Crowd Sizes across the U.S.” Time, 25 Mar. 2018, https://time.com/5214706/march-for-our-lives-us-photos/.
Google Scholar
Legal Information Institute. “Second Amendment.”, https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/second_amendment.
Google Scholar
Lopez, German. “It’s Official: March for Our Lives Was One of the Biggest Youth Protests Since the Vietnam War.” Vox, 26 Mar. 2018, https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/26/17160646/march-for-our-lives-crowd-size-count.
Google Scholar
March For Our Lives. “Apparently, gun violence itself doesn’t force congress to remember their promises to young people and survivors. So we literally have to spell it out in body bags. #thoughtsandprayers are killing us.” Twitter, 24 Mar. 2022, https://twitter.com/AMarch4OurLives/status/1507105123209814016.
Google Scholar
March For Our Lives. “Road to Change.”, 2018, https://marchforourlives.com/road-to-change/.
Google Scholar
March For Our Lives. “You showed up! more than 850,000 marched with us in dc yesterday. together, we are so powerful. together, we will #throwthemout.” Facebook, 25 Mar. 2018, https://www.facebook.com/marchforourlives/posts/1641657055912132.
Google Scholar
March for Our Lives — DC Official. Facebook, https://fb.me/e/30FYeVjft. Web. 22 Apr. 2022.
Google Scholar
Nass, Daniel. “In Big Reversal, Supporters of Regulating Bump Stocks Now Outnumber Opponents 3 to 1 in Comments to ATF.” The Trace, 23 Sep. 2020, www.thetrace.org/2018/07/bump-stock-regulation-atf-public-comment/.
Google Scholar
National Rifle Association. “About the NRA.”, https://home.nra.org/about-the-nra/.
Google Scholar
NRATV. “A March for Their Lives.” YouTube, 23 Mar. 2018, https://youtu.be/3-6UuBk8HmU.
Google Scholar
Peters, Katie. “7 Ways America Changed since the March for Our Lives.” Giffords, 19 Jun. 2020, https://giffords.org/blog/2019/03/7-ways-america-changed-since-the-march-forour-lives/.
Google Scholar
Reilly, Katie. “March for Our Lives Attendance: Aerial View of Crowd Size.” Time, 24 Mar. 2018, https://time.com/5214405/march-for-our-lives-attendance-crowd-size/.
Google Scholar
Reinhart, RJ. “Six in 10 Americans Support Stricter Gun Laws.” Gallup, 17 Oct. 2018, https://news.gallup.com/poll/243797/six-americans-support-stricter-gun-laws.aspx.
Google Scholar
Roustan, Wayne. “Parkland Shooter Sentencing May Be Delayed until June.” NBC 6, 13 Apr. 2022, https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/parkland-school-tragedy/parklandshooter-sentencing-may-be-delayed-until-june/2735641/.
Google Scholar
Scanlan, Quinn. “Florida Teen Shooting Survivors Announce ‘March for Our Lives’ Demonstration in Washington.” ABC News, 18 Feb. 2018, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/florida-teen-shooting-survivors-announce-march-washington-demand/story?id=53178265.
Google Scholar
Schaeffer, Katherine. “The Changing Face of Congress in 7 Charts.” Pew Research Center, 1 Apr. 2021, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/03/10/the-changing-face-of-congress/.
Google Scholar
The Shorty Awards. “Our Power.”, https://shortyawards.com/5th-socialgood/our-powernext-time.
Google Scholar
Sit, Ryan. “More than 2 Million Joined March for Our Lives Protests in 90 Percent of U.S. Voting Districts.” Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2018, https://www.newsweek.com/march-our-liveshow-many-2-million-90-voting-district-860841.
Google Scholar
Spencer, Terry. “Parkland School Killer Formally Sentenced to Life in Prison.” AP NEWS, 3 Nov. 2022, https://apnews.com/article/shootings-education-florida-fort-lauderdaleparkland-school-shooting-343ad047ce2904328a3310a0714e6274.
Google Scholar
Spitzer, Robert J. The Politics of Gun Control. Washington: CQ Press, 2004.
Google Scholar
Stockler, Asher. “Since Parkland Shooting, States Have Enacted 137 Measures to Restrict Gun Access and Reduce Gun Violence, Analysis Shows.” Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2019, https://www.newsweek.com/gun-laws-states-giffords-report-1478273.
Google Scholar
Talbot, Margaret. “The Extraordinary Inclusiveness of the March for Our Lives.” The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2018, https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-extraordinaryinclusiveness-of-the-march-for-our-lives.
Google Scholar
United States Senate. “Constitution of the United States.” 21 Jul. 2021, https://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm.
Google Scholar
VOA. “Broward County Sheriff’s Office: Nikolas Cruz Booking Report.” 16 Feb. 2018, www.voanews.com/a/4258129.html.
Google Scholar
Volokh, Eugene. “Opinion | Unanimous pro-Second-Amendment Stun Gun Decision from the Supreme Court.” The Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/03/21/unanimous-pro-second-amendmentstun-gun-decision-from-the-supreme-court/.
Google Scholar
Walsh, Joe. “U.S. Bought Almost 20 Million Guns Last Year — Second-Highest Year on Record.”
Google Scholar
Forbes, 5 Jan. 2022, https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/01/05/us-boughtalmost-20-million-guns-last-year---second-highest-year-on-record/?sh=a5febd713bbb.
Google Scholar
The Washington Post. “March for Our Lives Peace Plan.” 21 Aug. 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/march-for-our-lives-peace-plan/e819f258-8690-4ee1-9adf-92de77c25548/.
Google Scholar
Waxman, Olivia B. “The Act That Changed America’s Approach to Gun Control Laws.” Time, 25 Feb. 2019, https://time.com/5429002/gun-control-act-history-1968/.
Google Scholar
Wilson, Kirby. “Rick Scott Is Set to Sign the Legislature’s Gun Bill. Here’s What’s in It.” Tampa Bay Times, 9 Mar. 2018, https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/03/09/rick-scott-is-set-to-sign-the-legislatures-gun-bill-heres-whats-in-it/.
Google Scholar
Witt, Emily, et al. “Calling B.S. in Parkland, Florida.” The New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2018, https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/three-days-in-parkland-florida.
Google Scholar
Witt, Emily, et al. “How the Survivors of Parkland Began the Never Again Movement.” The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2018, https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-the-survivors-of-parkland-began-the-never-again-movement.
Google Scholar
WWD Staff. “Gucci Donates to Gun-Control March.” WWD, 23 Feb. 2018, https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/gucci-donates-gun-control-march-for-our-lives-1202589087/.
Google Scholar
Yan, Holly. “Florida Gov. Rick Scott Signs Gun Bill.” CNN, 10 Mar. 2018, https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/09/us/florida-gov-scott-gun-bill/index.html.
Google Scholar
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
