In Florida, a slightly more robust share of interest HB 759 is currently advancing through consideration by the state legislature. This radical piece of legislation would do just that, repealing popular, bipartisan state laws in the process. These laws were passed in the wake of the tragic Parkland school shooting in 2018. The initial legislation increased the legal gun purchasing age from 18 to 21 years of age. This was a common-sense measure to improve public safety in the wake of the unspeakable tragedy that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. If passed, HB 759 would allow individuals as young as 18 to buy guns, igniting a heated debate among survivors and advocates.
The Parkland shooting, like all mass shootings in America, was a horrific, senseless act perpetuated by 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz. It killed 17 people and wounded 18 others. One of those affected was the class of 2013 UConn freshman Jason Leavy. Leavy experienced that trauma himself as he used a table to barricade a door while the shooter was inside the club. He would soon after do the same during a second mass-shooting response at Florida State University (FSU).
The Impact of Gun Violence on Survivors
Jason Leavy’s personal experiences are an example of the long-term effects gun violence has on students. In doing so, he faced the horror of the Parkland shooting. On top of all this, he survived a trauma-inducing experience himself in the FSU shooting, carried out by 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner. Ikner used his stepmother’s firearm in this incident, which occurred on FSU’s Tallahassee campus, resulting in the tragic deaths of two individuals: Tiru Chabba and Robert Morales.
Leavy spoke to his deep disappointment with the direction the proposed legislation has taken and its potential effects on public safety.
“The word I keep going back to is frustrating or pathetic from the government that even if you disagree that guns are the issue, there’s clearly an issue and there’s been no initiative, there’s been no solution,” – Jason Leavy
His sentiments were shared by other survivors who believe that nothing has meaningfully changed since the tragedies. Robbie Alhadeff, another survivor of the Parkland shooting articulated his disappointment with the continued violence.
“I thought this would never happen again, but it continuously keeps happening and something has to change,” – Robbie Alhadeff
Legislative Changes and Public Response
On a personal note, the introduction of HB 759 has angered and disappointed many survivors and advocates for common sense gun reform. It is widely agreed that the new legal age to purchase and possess firearms would undo all the public safety efforts put in place after Parkland’s horror. The original legislation was a direct response to the loud and urgent cries for action that followed Cruz’s massacre. In addition, it sought to rectify the historical vulnerability of students to educational environments.
As Leavy, who survived both the Parkland and FSU shootings, told us, each experience felt chilling similar.
“I was farther away this time than when I was a freshman at (Marjory) Stoneman Douglas,” – Jason Leavy
His outlook reveals a haunting reality. Too many students these days have to experience these events so often that they are forced to continue living with fear rather than focused on their education.
Stephanie Horowitz, another survivor from the Parkland shooting, recounted her own experience of seeing how quickly things could devolve during an emergency.
“You looked out into that room and you knew that there was an emergency. There was not anything there, no movement, dead silence and laptops open, bags on the floor. I knew what that meant.” – Stephanie Horowitz
Horowitz’s account is a haunting portrayal of the reality of life during these incidents, and the psychological trauma that they inflict on America’s young people.
A Call for Change
As HB 759 moves through legislative channels, survivors like Leavy are calling for meaningful change rather than a rollback of existing protections. They claim that the federal government needs to acknowledge our nation’s crisis of gun violence. So rather than falling back on the bad old policies, it has to do something bold.
He strongly underlined the need for those in authority to be ready to take the initiative and make bold reforms. Without their long-term commitment, Florida schools will be hard-pressed to create a safer environment.
“It’s disappointing that it feels like nothing has changed and nothing will continue to change,” – Jason Leavy
Joshua Gallagher, another Parkland survivor, echoed Gallagher’s concerns about the cyclical nature of gun violence.
This collective voice from survivors illustrates a growing frustration with legislative inertia in addressing gun violence and ensuring the safety of students.
“After living through the MSD shooting in 2018, I never thought it would hit close to home again,” – Joshua Gallagher
This collective voice from survivors illustrates a growing frustration with legislative inertia in addressing gun violence and ensuring the safety of students.
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