Opinion
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 6 • MONDAY, MARCH 26, 2018
{ OUR VIEW }
EDITORIAL: Students must use current momentum to enact real gun reform Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. North Park Elementary School. Umpqua Community College. Sandy Hook Elementary School. Virginia Tech University. Columbine High School. Tucson. Chicago. Detroit. Los Angeles. Baltimore. New York City. In many communities, gun violence and the fear that comes with it have become almost as normal as paying the bills at the end of the month. From 1999 to 2016, 26,000 children and teenagers under 18 have been killed by gunfire, and gun-related injuries are the third leading cause of death for children, according to The Washington Post. In other communities, people are more and more frequently learning firsthand the true devastation that guns can cause. The one thing that remains the same across all of these communities is the impact that gun violence has on the younger generation; children, hoping to make it to adulthood. According to the Brady Campaign, “Every day, 46 children and teens are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention.”
The unsigned editorial is the opinion of the members of Technician’s editorial board, and is the responsibility of the editor-in-chief.
Every student has the potential to be affected by this issue. Students, many of whom are in the thick of everyday gun violence, are working hard to educate themselves, hoping they live long enough to enact change. As the rally cry of the March for Our Lives was shouted across the world, it is high time that everyone, not just those who have already been affected by gun violence, joins the movement led by students, for students. It is important to remember that this is not a new problem, nor is it a new movement. The shooting at Columbine High School in 1999 sparked debates on access to guns, but led to very little actual policy change. The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 was thought to be the catalyst needed for stricter regulations to be passed yet, despite gaining national attention, the movement that followed resulted in little to no change on a federal level. Moreover, marginalized communities — particularly communities of color and low income communities — that face gun violence on a daily basis have historically had
their calls for help in reducing the number of weapons on the street fall on deaf ears. Where other movements at least had the benefit of media coverage, these people have only had each other to turn to. What makes this milestone in the movement different from past attempts is the fervor with which students — the population most directly affected by gun violence — have risen up with clear, concise demands for common sense gun reform. Platforms such as the March for Our Lives not only reinforced the need for gun control within schools, but also a more broad application within city streets. In Florida, as a result of relentless student lobbying, a person must now be 21 to purchase any kind of firearm; moreover, they have to wait three days to do it. This is a first step, sparked by young and powerful voices. So what else does advocacy that works look like? Voting is considered to be the strongest tool in the social movement toolbox. In North Carolina, gun money runs deep. Senators Thom Tillis and Richard
Burr are two of the biggest beneficiaries of the National Rifle Association. In fact, Burr received more money in 2016 than any other candidate in the U.S. Congress. Although neither are up for reelection this midterm, U.S. Representatives as well as members of the NC General Assembly are. Every member of the General Assembly is up for reelection during the upcoming midterm election cycle. Furthermore, each member’s full voting history is available on the General Assembly’s website and sample ballots are also readily available. Finding out where candidates stand on gun control is not only easy, but vital in casting an informed vote. NC State hosts students from all North Carolina districts and many other states. Whether your ballot is cast in your home district or in Raleigh, you have an influence on this election and this issue. If you turn 18 on or before election day, which this year is Nov. 6, then you are eligible to vote in the primaries — you are eligible to influence this issue. Twenty-six thousand people in the last two decades never received that chance.
Admissions should encourage high school students’ participation On Feb. 26, the University Admissions Office released a statement regarding prospective NC State students saying that “peaceful protests by high school students who seek to find solutions to the tragedy of Joseph school shootings will not have Rivenbark an impact on their admission Correspondent decision.” The message was released a month ago, but given recent events, its impact is more relevant than ever. By sending this message to the prospective students of NC State, the Admissions Office has done two main things: they have demonstrated that they care immensely about current issues and have incentivized peaceful protest in order to pave the way for a solution to be found, while also paving the way for future successes if this measure is taken into further contexts and different issues. Their decision comes after the Parkland, Florida shooting, and the national outcry to find a solution to gun violence. It’s even more appropri-
ate given that this Saturday, the March for our Lives took place in Washington, D.C., with over 800,000 participants, in addition to 800 separate marches throughout the nation, including in Raleigh. The march aims to promote awareness for the issue of gun violence and pushes for better gun control laws and gun reform to help prevent future shootings. NC State did not take sides on this issue in their message to students. It instead focused on encouraging students to work toward a solution, without giving any implication as to what that solution should be. This is ideal. In its message, NC State has managed to encourage (or at least not punish) civic engagement among high school students, while also not taking a stance to support a specific proposed solution. For an issue like gun violence it may seem silly to not take one side or another, but it sets a helpful precedent for more divisive issues where admissions may decide to ignore punishments resulting from applicants engaging in peaceful protest.
NC State admissions doesn’t need to stop at just gun control. High school students can be directly affected by issues like birth control, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sexual assault, and many more. Simply the fact that many high school seniors are voting-age citizens of the U.S. entitles them to be able to express their opinions on any issue they deem relevant without fear of ruining their chances for college. Admissions needs to release a follow-up statement specifying that peaceful protests regarding issues beyond gun violence will not have an impact on admissions. A statement like this can help encourage peaceful civic engagement and protesting among high school students, as well as broadening the spectrum of the issues which NC State cares to work toward a solution on. Lastly, NC State can do more than just not penalize prospective students, it can even go so far as to reward prospective students who participate in such protests. NC State admissions should view speaking out about issues as a show of a healthy involvement in the community and value it much
like they would any other extracurricular activity when considering a prospective student; making it a positive contribution towards their application. NC State admissions, and all other university admissions, need to prefer students who speak out strongly for what they care about. Speaking out about issues that affect them as a citizen and a future voter is a fantastic example of making an impact in a healthy democracy. Protests are an excellent form of civic engagement and should be acknowledged. NC State admissions is in a unique position to incentivize behavior that will help us all. More than that, if the admissions office truly prides itself in finding solutions, it should recognize their opportunity to pave the way towards a solution on gun violence and any other issues that high school and college students care deeply about. By encouraging students to get involved in public debates, admissions can shape future students to truly become the next generation of leaders for our society.
