#MarchforOurLives Takes Place on Walkway Over the Hudson
In the wake of the recent gun violence in Parkland, Fla. the #marchforourlives movement is encouraging students, teachers, and concerned citizens to organize against the National Rifle Association and protest the accessibility to high powered assault weapons that have proven to be fatal in school shootings in the past decade.
The march movement was a national event that saw the citizens in the cities of Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. filling the streets to protest the NRA and to respond to the school shootings, the most recent of which took the lives of 17 students at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Men, women, and concerned citizens of all ages attended the event that took place on the historic Walkway Over the Hudson located in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The crowded walkway connects Poughkeepsie to Newburgh and marchers filled the bridge with signs, chants, and voter registration all calling for action against assault weapons and the NRA.
Of all the students and youth that came out to march for their lives, they were accompanied by some members of generations past who agreed with their protest and message.
Rudy Younger, 59, of Highland, NY was marching on the bridge to stand up with the youth and join them in their crusade for common sense gun reform. “I’m here to stand up for the kids and youth and those who are being ostracized by the Republican right and the guns and stuff and it’s ridiculous. They don’t change the laws and they need to be voted out of office. We need to get kids from social media and they have to register to vote and get their friends to register, find out who the NRA is giving money to and then vote against them to get real change,” said Younger. “They think this is about taking all of their guns away, that is not the idea. It’s about common sense gun laws and the NRA will not move or listen to anybody. So if you vote, you get new people in there,” he added.
In addition to standing in solidarity with the kids, some local government organizations were using this as an opportunity to really teach kids how to effect change in their local and federal government — by voting. Jody Miller, 54, of Gardner, NY was there for just that reason.
“I think we need unity and through that, it will help us make change. I think [getting kids involved in government] is necessary and we can teach them the next steps about what they need to know to prepare them for roles in government and leadership,” said Miller.
Of course with protests, there comes counter protesters. People who disagree with the protest and make sure to attend and have their inverse opinions heard. Some of which were two gentleman posted up near the entrance to the walkway with signs defending the NRA and blaming the overall majority of lives lost to Planned Parenthood. They also seemed adamant to be against the past Obama administration and the use of ritalin and for the arming of some teachers.
Nevertheless, the majority of people in attendance were unified by the recent tragedies in America and were there to protest the NRA and make the world a better place for generations to come.
“I am here because I have children and grandchildren and I want them to be safe in school and in their community, and in their playgrounds. I think that it is outrageous that children and unarmed citizens are being killed so I support common sense gun safety and changes to the laws and I am also for helping to register voters because what we need is registered voters,” said Jill Lundquist, 72 of Berrytown, NY.
