5 Quotes From Parkland Students To Make Your March For Our Lives Signs Shine
As the March For Our Lives is fast approaching on March 24, you might be asking yourself what poster you're thinking of creating for the protest. I know from my own personal experience at different protests over the past couple of years that the posters that people manage to come up with are super creative and have plenty to say. But just because you're not creative doesn't mean that you't make an awesome poster. To help anyone that needs some inspiration, here are five quotes for March For Our Lives signs that you can use for the big protest day.
I anticipate that the March For Our Lives (MFOL) will feel decidedly different from any other protest that we've experienced in the United States in the 21st century. This protest and the #NeverAgain movement were founded in response to the tragic school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. On Feb. 14 just before school let out, a former student descended on the school's campus and tragically took the lives of 17 victims — most of whom were young teen students.
The student survivors from Parkland — absolutely shaken by the events that took place at their school — decided to take matters into their own hands. And thus, the March For Our Lives protest was born. Countless protests in cities across the country and around the world have been created to stand in solidarity with the Parkland students. So what better way to honor the victims of the shooting and the survivors that have called for change than to use quotes from these students for your protest posters.
Here are some of my favorite ideas.
"We call BS." - Emma Gonzalez
One of the most inspirational speeches from any of the Parkland survivors came from Emma Gonzalez. She instantly became an internet sensation at a rally advocating for stricter gun legislation in Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 17, only a few days after shooting. She cried, "They say tougher guns laws do not decrease gun violence. We call BS. They say a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun. We call BS."
Any iteration of the words she spoke in this speech would be perfect to feature on any March For Our Lives poster.
"We are here, our voices are loud, and we’re not stopping until change happens." - Tanzil Philip
Philip was one of the many Parkland survivors that traveled to Florida's capital Tallahassee to express their disappointment and anger with how the state treats their gun laws on Feb. 21. "To everyone at the NRA and everyone affiliated at the NRA: We are not afraid of you," Philip said in the impassioned plea to his government.
"We cannot protect our guns before we protect our children." -Florence Yared
In that same rally in Tallahassee, student survivor Yared had some truly powerful moments when it came time for her to speak. In addition to the quote above, other "slogans" of hers that you can include in your poster include, "Adults, you have failed us," and "If you do not take action, now, we, the future leaders of America, will."
"We're putting up a fight / You may have brought the dark / But together we will shine a light" - From the song 'Shine' written by the Parkland students
One of the most moving moments during the CNN Town Hall meeting on Feb. 21 was when Stoneman High School's drama club performed an original song written by the students to pay tribute to the lives that were lost on Feb. 14. Any of the lyrics from the song would be great for a poster, but the chorus is particularly moving and powerful.
"We're done hiding. America is done hiding" - Ryan Dietsch
One of the March For Our Lives' founding members, Parkland senior Ryan Dietsch, said this in an interview with PBS News in response to a question on what motivated him to help create this protest after he experienced the tragic shooting. "We've had enough. We are the generation that was born after Columbine. We have lived with it our entire lives," Dietsch stated "I spent two hours in a closet just hiding, and I am done hiding."
