People participate in a "March For Our Lives" rally at the state Capitol, Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Phoenix. Students and activists across the country planned events Saturday in conjunction with a Washington march spearheaded by teens from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where over a dozen people were killed in February.. (AP Photo/Matt York)
My generation has grown up seeing the horrific toll of gun violence in our schools and our
communities. We were in elementary school during the shooting at Sandy Hook. We were in
middle school during shootings at Pulse Nightclub, in Parkland, at the Route 91 Harvest
Festival, and the Tree of Life Synagogue. We were in high school during shootings at Uvalde
and Michigan State. After each of those horrendous acts of gun violence, we hear our elected
officials offer one thing – their thoughts and prayers.
But, we don’t want thoughts and prayers. We want safe communities and safe schools. We want
our legislators to pass common sense gun safety measures that could actually make a
difference. But instead of passing measures like universal background checks or safe storage
laws, they support measures that will bring more guns on campuses and make our communities
less safe. In 2023, they passed bills to allow loaded guns on campus and require students to
take NRA firearm classes. They also tried to allow guns on college campuses.
My generation has had enough. That’s why now, as we get ready to vote in the most
consequential election of our lives, we plan to vote for candidates that will keep our schools and
communities safe from gun violence.
Keep Arizona Blue has been meeting with candidates across the state to ensure they are
hearing from us because the time to act, and vote, is now. We’ve heard from candidates like
Karen Gresham, president of the Madison School Board, who understands the urgency of the
moment. She has first hand experience from when a gun was brought on to a school bus.
It’s not only teachers and educators who want to see common sense solutions to gun violence.
Brandy Reese, a House candidate for LD13 and former peace officer, has a law enforcement
background and knows that gun violence is preventable with responsible measures.
If these candidates are elected, it could tip the balance of power in the state legislature and gun
safety could finally become a reality.
As we begin a new school year, we deserve to feel—and be—safe in our communities and on
our college campuses. This year, we have the power to elect a state legislature that will do so.
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