By Troy Hudson

The tragic impact of losing 17 people in the shooting that took place at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL on February 14 cannot be overestimated. It is a loss for their families, their school and their community, and indeed all of us as a nation lost something beautiful that day.

As always happens after a school shooting, we are left feeling shocked and angry at the taking of innocent life. But historical precedent suggests this swelling of emotion will fade in short order. Not for the families and communities affected, of course, just as the pain of Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and Columbine is still sharply felt by those left behind, but for the majority of us who have yet to experience gun violence firsthand. After all, 346 mass shootings occurred in the United States in 2017 alone. At this point, is this simply the way things are?

The National Rifle Association would have us believe that the answer to gun violence lies in more guns, and their suggestion for arming teachers has fallen on friendly ears in President Trump, who openly endorsed it following the latest shooting. NRA chief Wayne LaPierre has also claimed that talking about gun control now is a “shameful politicization of tragedy.” Fortunately, the survivors of Stoneman Douglas aren’t about to be silenced by lobbyists like LaPierre, and their courage may just turn the tide of our ongoing national struggle with gun rights.

Just a week after the shooting, about 100 students from the school, most of them too young to have ever cast a ballot, visited the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee to talk to state government about their concerns in a televised town hall event. “We would like to know why do we have to be the ones to do this?” asked senior Ryan Deitsch. It is a fair point. Laws are supposed to protect the innocent, but when you see your classmates gunned down by a teenager with a legally purchased assault rifle, it’s hard not to conclude that the system is broken.

The town hall event was inspiring, even if it didn’t result in any tangible changes. Prior to the meeting, 19-year-old Chris Grady said, “We hope to get a lot done, but we also know how politicians are.” It would seem, however, those politicians don’t understand the fierce tenacity of the kids they’re representing in congress. The victims’ demands were clear-eyed and reasonable: they don’t want to take away law-abiding Americans’ guns — they want to feel safe in their schools.

As a number of national corporations have begun to cut ties with the NRA as a result of boycotts against the organization, we may be closer now than ever to making real progress on this issue. And if this is finally the time for gun reform, our thanks me be due to a determined generation of young people who care more about real safety and community than ideological pandering or the outdated romanticism of firearms.