Counter-power, the March For Our Lives movement

"March for our lives"

« March for our lives » is a youth movement engaged by students in order to fight against gun violence. This gun lobby claims nearly 40,000 lives every year in America. The youth have decided so to stand up against this gun violence epidemic.

>> The first big demonstration took place in Washington DC on march 24, 2018. On that day, 0.5 million people joined the march and more than 800 demonstrations were planned in the United States and around the world. 

>>One of the interests of this movement is to prokoke a reaction from the legislatures wich must think about the protection of citizens. As a result of numerous marches in cities across the united states, 110 gun control bills were signed into law in 32 states in July 2019.

>>Moreover, this movement encourages young Americans to vote, since the participation rate of 18-25 year olds has increased from 21% in 2014 to 31% in 2018.

>>For the demonstrators, the goal is also to denounce the fact that some states receive money from an association that promotes the carrying of weapons (NRA), at the potential risk of students' lives.

>>These students are fighting for peace, changes, progress and safety.

They convey messages of hope and their slogans are very committed. For example, they have mottos like, "the young people will win" or "road to change!" Another is "never again", which shows that they definitively want to end with this violence that's devasting hundreds of lives...

>>This picture was taken in Philadelphia, on march 23, 2019. In this photo, a 16-year-old girl is wearing a sign where it is written: "i'm 16 years old and i'm fighting harder for public safety than our president." This phrase clearly shows that the youth is very involved in this movement and that young people denounce the government's inaction. 

>>Next to her, another message is written on a sign: "18th century laws can't regulate 21th century weapons!" The purpose of this slogan is once again to shout out the country's leaders and make them realize that laws and legislations must be modified according to our times and to the problems present in our society.