Creating a Student Forum on Gun Violence
In a period of history where we are so politically polarized, the most important thing we need is an open dialogue with those who disagree with us. Most recently, I have focused on gun control in this weekly Opinions column. I believe that now more than ever we need to push our representatives to reform the country’s lax gun laws which have contributed to hundreds of deaths in mass shootings over the past twenty years.
In an attempt to initiate change, students—myself included—from Phillips Exeter, Exeter High School, Seacoast School of Technology and Cooperative Middle School have organized a Town Hall event called Student Forum on Gun Violence that will take place at Exeter’s Town Hall this Friday, Apr. 13th, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. The Forum is open to the public and will include student panelists, Police Chiefs from the SAU16 (New Hampshire School Administrative Unit 16), legislators and a Q&A session. Hopefully, this event will inspire students to take leadership roles and influence people who are not in support of gun control to rethink their positions.
The Student Forum on Gun Violence will not include legislators because we do not want it to be an event in which politicians can advertise themselves; it will be important to stress how little New Hampshire politicians have been doing to regulate gun distribution in New Hampshire.
When Chris Sununu became governor, he loosened gun regulations, making it is easier for anyone, even residents who are known troublemakers in their communities, to purchase firearms. One key piece of legislation that was repealed under Sununu was a law that allowed police chiefs to use their discretion to block certain citizens with a criminal history from buying a firearm.
Politicians such as Sununu are dangerous to the state of New Hampshire. It is vital for new, pro-gun control candidates to be elected in the midterm elections this year. The Student Forum will be a great opportunity for anyone in the Exeter, or the wider New Hampshire community, to be informed on what their representatives are doing to either increase or decrease gun control at the state level.
Student activism has proved to be an essential part of the anti-gun violence movement. It is of the highest importance that our community listens to these young voices. Students from Parkland used their passion and anger to catch the media’s attention and spark a movement nationwide. Similarly, the students who have been working tirelessly to organize the Student Forum on Gun Violence deserve to be heard by their respective schools and communities just as much as the Parkland students do. It is the obligation of the public to be engaged in what occurs within our government by attending events like the Student Forum, participating in walk outs — and even more importantly, being informed voters. We will only be able to achieve change in the midterm elections if citizens who are aware of a candidate’s actions and goals vote.
I urge all students, teachers, faculty and anyone who reads this article to go to the Student Forum on Gun Violence this Friday. We all need to intervene and get involved in this movement. We owe it to the innocent victims of mass shootings across the nation to make a stand, or at the very least, get informed.