Stand with students for gun legislation March 11 at courthouse

Published 1:30 am Thursday, June 9, 2022

Stand with students! The time is here for sensible gun control. Please join the students and community in the #MarchForOurLives on June 11 with a rally and march at Snohomish County Courthouse Plaza in Everett.

The national student organizers support both the Second Amendment and the need for universal background checks, along with the vast majority of Americans. This a bipartisan issue; it is a people issue; it is a student issue. The system has failed to address the issue in a meaningful way for far too long.

Tragically, Uvalde is just another in a long line of deadly school shootings. The massacre of students at Columbine High School was more than 20 years ago (1999). Since Sandy Hook Elementary School (2012) there have been 10 shootings specifically at elementary schools. We have experienced school gun violence in our community, too.

Yes, it is more than just an issue of assault weapons; more than just an issue of background checks; more than just an issue of mental health; more than just an issue of minimum age; more than just an issue of loopholes; more than just an issue of societal violence; yes, it is more; but I say let’s start somewhere. Let’s start now. Let’s start by standing by students this Saturday when local students raise their voices loudly. Create community at 11:30 a.m. with poster making and tabling; get registered to vote; and stay for the 1 p.m. rally and march; lets honor and support their events. I know I will be there. As a wise friend said, “We’ve got their backs!”

Thank you to all the local students who are speaking out. You will inspire actions toward the solutions. You will inspire those that can change the policies. You will inspire other students. You have inspired me.

Paula Townsell

Everett