Alternate title: Why we should all learn from American High School Students
Following February’s deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, a nationwide school walkout was held on Wednesday at 10am in all time zones. Intended to last 17 minutes, representing the 17 lives lost at Parkland, thousands of students marched out of their schools in protest to get their message across; enough is enough. The March For Our Lives movement was created by the surviving victims of the Parkland shooting, and has since catapulted in fame and dialogue, creating the #NeverAgain hashtag which trended on Twitter.
After being silent victims for so long, they are bravely standing up to be counted. Adults, voters, and legislators in the United States have failed them time and time again, so when yet another senseless tragedy occurred, they retaliated in an incredible manner. Their message is clear – they are demanding stricter gun laws, and want to be the last high school shooting in America.
The way these students have organised themselves is remarkable. What is truly exceptional is the resilient manner and maturity with which they have armed themselves. The movement quotes statistics and facts. They respond to interviews in the most composed demeanour. Even more striking; they are presenting a united front. They have managed to do what others failed to do – organise and act accordingly. While they are often dismissed in a demeaning way as ‘just teenagers’, they have managed to coordinate these walkouts all across the country, and their peers have trusted them and obliged.
It is exactly their attitude that the rest of us, students around the world, should take on. Students are supposed to be the vibrant, energetic, catalyst for change. The younger generations should be deemed as being aware of their society, of its wrongs and shortcomings. However, if one takes a look at the situation in Malta, the complete opposite comes out. Student activism is critically apathetic. We have the toxic tendency to simply align with one of the major political parties and only act up when they pull our strings. We have proven repeatedly, that we’re programmed to only speak up when it results in a political gain. Worse still, student activism is simply seen as a gateway to enhancing our CVs, without fully taking on the responsibility and intention to move our university, or our society, forward.
When push comes to shove, are we able to rise up and act as one? Or are we too politically partisan to put aside our beliefs and simply fight for what’s right? American high school students have taught us all a lesson on bravery, maturity and justice. If the need arises, would we be able to do the same?
