Written by: Sona Earnest, age 15, Florida
“Valentines.” A word originating from the Latin phrase “valens,” with the meaning of strong.
February 14th. The day of stolen chocolates, doodled hearts and jokes or hugs at every turn. The day of our ones we love. All those things come to halt when the intercom comes on at my school announcing that everyone drop their activities. A hush flattens the room as our principal asks us to take a moment to acknowledge the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, which happened one year ago on this very day. We sit there in a silence that seems to hold the room in its grasp, sinking into my chest.
Seventeen children went to school that morning expecting nothing more than a day of love. And instead of that love being given, it was stolen. Parents no longer with a child. A kid no longer with a best friend. A teacher no longer with a student. The list goes on. When will we stop waiting? When will we realize that this is no time for thinking or praying? When will we stop focusing on things like the way someone loves or the country someone is from, and start worrying about the fact that in four years i could easily buy an automatic weapon, but could not buy alcohol?
I am a life, not a number or statistic. I am of more value than any gun. But I am also scared. I believe these things apply to all of us. The fact that this horrific event happened only a car drive away terrifies me. Students shouldn’t go to school with the thought that their name could be a headline. They shouldn’t have worries of locking doors and finding exits. They shouldn’t have the red on their shirts be from bloodstains, like Valentines Day of 2018 last year.
Action is the answer. The uprise of voices we’ve seen in the last year, particularly from “March for our Lives” really has been incredible. But adequate gun control polices are still a demand yet to be granted, and one that is an absolute necessity in our society today. This cannot be ignored any longer by our legislation. We cannot slow until they start putting the people above their business deals. We will climb from the ashes left on this awful day until it all burns away, the raging flames of perseverance, determination and love lighting the way for all. Here we rise together, our voices as our ammunition.
Let’s live up to the word “Valentine.” We’re strong together.