March for Our Lives – Key West

Rally at Mallory Square

    The Key West March for Our Lives gathered at 12 p.m.  Saturday with a route that extends down Duval Street from South Beach to Mallory Square.  In Washington, D.C. the kids and families of March for Our Lives will take to the streets to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today.  The collective voices of the March for Our Lives movement will be heard in Key West and is also scheduled around the country on March 24th.

     “I got involved because I have had a personal experience with the issue at hand and I don’t think it’s too much to ask for the government to protect all students and teachers.  Our primary and rightful focus should be education instead of fearing for our safety.” says Vivian Mcgill.  Zoe Jackson states, “I believe that the time to make a change in this country is now because just one innocent life lost is too many.” both are Key West High School Seniors and Chairs of the local event.  “We will stand together in solidarity because we cannot allow one more family to wait for a call or a text that never comes. We must prevent our children and teachers from dying, it is our priority.” which is stated in the mission statement of the national organizers web site.  https://marchforourlives.com/mission-statement/

 

Marching Up Duval Street to Mallory Square Rally

   Just over 200 women, men, and kids from the Florida Keys responded to the Facebook event call to action to coordinate a local march for those who couldn’t make it to the national march. The grassroots group has raised money to offset costs related to the march and to reach out to Keys residents to encourage participation. The group’s Facebook event page.   The marchers gathered at 12 p.m., at South Beach in the 1400 block of Duval. The march began at 1 p.m., along Duval Street to Mallory Square for an official rally.  Speakers to included local leaders, those directly affected by gun violence, teachers, and most importantly the students. There was musical performances as well.  The group provided voter registrations for anyone who is not registered to vote. Must be 16 to pre-register.

     The March for Our Lives in Key West is about sending a message to our elected officials that they need to act now, passing a law to ban the sale of assault weapons like the ones used In Las Vegas, Orlando, Sutherland Springs, Aurora, Sandy Hook, and most recently to kill 17 innocent people and injured more at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

     Laws are needed that will eliminate the sale of high-capacity magazines like the ones used in and so many other recent mass shootings can ease the chance that so many can be injured or killed by just one.  Closing the loophole in our background check that allow people who shouldn’t be allowed to purchase firearms to slip through the cracks and obtain guns online or at gun shows.

March for Our Lives is committed to advocating for responsible gun ownership for the safety and security of our children because our children should not have to attend school fearing for their lives every day.