Students at the Florida high school where 17 people were killed have called bullshit on Donald Trump‘s meaningless prayers and implored for gun control instead.
My prayers and condolences to the families of the victims of the terrible Florida shooting. No child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2018
“I don’t want your condolences you fucking piece of shit, my friends and teachers were shot,” wrote one Twitter user, who has since made her account private. “Multiple of my fellow classmates are dead. Do something instead of sending prayers. Prayers won’t fix this. But gun control will prevent it from happening again.”
“Maybe I would feel safe if there was gun control????” another wrote.
Maybe I would feel safe if there was gun control??? 2+2=7 https://t.co/5qC2YY7SKO
— carly (@carlynovell) February 14, 2018
Others have hit back on ultra conservative Trump fan (and Fox news commentator) Tomi Lahren, who tried to use the tragedy to prevent anyone speaking about gun control.
Can the Left let the families grieve for even 24 hours before they push their anti-gun and anti-gunowner agenda? My goodness. This isn’t about a gun it’s about another lunatic. #FloridaShooting
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) February 15, 2018
“I was hiding in a closet for two hours,” replied one student. “It was about guns. You weren’t there, you don’t know how it felt. Guns give these disgusting people the ability to kill other human beings. This IS about guns and this is about all the people who had their life abruptly ended because of guns.”
“A gun has killed 17 of my fellow classmates,” wrote another student. “A gun has traumatised my friends. My entire school, traumatised from this tragedy. This could have been prevented. Please STFU Tomi.”
I was hiding in a closet for 2 hours. It was about guns. You weren’t there, you don’t know how it felt. Guns give these disgusting people the ability to kill other human beings. This IS about guns and this is about all the people who had their life abruptly ended because of guns. https://t.co/XnzhvuN1zd
— carly (@carlynovell) February 15, 2018
A gun has killed 17 of my fellow classmates. A gun has traumatized my friends. My entire school, traumatized from this tragedy. This could have been prevented. Please stfu tomi https://t.co/qNo03ZE3Ev
— Kyra Parrow 🦋 (@longlivekcx) February 15, 2018
shut the fuck up none of us need to see this right now https://t.co/10LMJu76fY
— Delaney Tarr (@delaneytarr) February 15, 2018
My classmates had no means of help here and took the video knowing it would help in a trial and in education to help make sure this will not happen again.
— Connor Dietrich (@CDietrich1007) February 15, 2018
Another student hit back at ultra conservative YouTuber Mark Dice, who goaded the students in a (since-deleted) tweet for recording the shooting on their phones.
To people who didn’t see because the coward deleted the tweet I was responding to this: pic.twitter.com/9JcNxXE03I
— Sarah Chadwick (@Sarahchadwickk) February 15, 2018
Carly Novell, a 17-year-old student who hid in a closet during the shooting, revealed on Twitter that her granddad, Charles Cohen, had survived a horrific mass shooting in 1949, which saw 13 people dead.
“When he was 12 years old, he hid in a closet while his family was murdered during the first mass shooting in America,” she wrote. “Almost 70 years later, I also hid in a closet from a murderer. These events shouldn’t be repetitive. Something has to change.”
She later told the Huffington Post that her grandfather heard the entire shooting from his hiding point, and never discussed it after that.
“Family was so incredibly important to him because of what happened,” she said. “He wasn’t as lucky as me.”
This is my grandpa. When he was 12 years old, he hid in a closet while his family was murdered during the first mass shooting in America. Almost 70 years later, I also hid in a closet from a murderer. These events shouldn’t be repetitive. Something has to change. #douglasstrong pic.twitter.com/nDctTNlUNs
— carly (@carlynovell) February 15, 2018
A teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Melissa Falkowski, who hid 19 students in a closet during the shooting, broke down on national television while imploring for Congress to fix the issue of gun violence
“I don’t think we could have been more prepared than we were today,” she told MSNBC. “We talked to every single class period that sat in front of us about what to do in this situation, in a bomb threat, in a fire drill, we went over every single safety – and every single teacher did that in every class that they had until the kids were tired of hearing about it.
“But they knew what to do, we knew what to do, and even still, even with that, we still have 17 casualties, 17 people that aren’t going to return to their families, and to me that’s totally unacceptable. From my personal viewpoint, it’s time for Congress, government, somebody to do something and it’s time to talk about what the problem is and to try to fix it.”
Melissa Falkowski is a high school teacher who hid 19 kids in a closet during the #FloridaSchoolShooting. This really says it all. pic.twitter.com/Cum8dmeDj6
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) February 15, 2018
Students have also hit back at coverage of 19-year-old suspect Nikolas Cruz, who earlier today admitted to police that he was the shooter.
https://twitter.com/matt_odonnell/status/964113580093247488
Stop fucking trying to justify it https://t.co/2qop8IQROU
— Joey // (@Joey_mondelli) February 15, 2018
Do you know the definition of terrorism? The actual definition? 🤔🤦🏼♂️
— :::: (@IamSmelliott) February 15, 2018
Barack Obama has also implored for gun control, something he repeatedly tried to bring in during his presidency.
“Until we can honestly say that we’re going enough to keep them safe from harm, including long overdue, common-sense gun safety laws that most Americans want, then we have to change,” he said.
We are grieving with Parkland. But we are not powerless. Caring for our kids is our first job. And until we can honestly say that we’re doing enough to keep them safe from harm, including long overdue, common-sense gun safety laws that most Americans want, then we have to change.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 15, 2018
Meanwhile, tributes are flowing in for the students and staff members who died during the shooting.
RIP Chris Hixon. I left Douglas to take a job at a rival school. I came back to watch a lacrosse game to find Chris running the ticket gate. He shook my hand, asked how I was, let me in for free and said “once an Eagle, always an Eagle.” #DouglasStrong pic.twitter.com/71g8Ct1jLs
— Aaron Gonzales (@ACGonzales7) February 15, 2018
Rest In Peace to these young beautiful souls. Such a shame that such a heartless monster had to end it all for you guys so much earlier than you guys deserved. 3 kids with huge lives ahead of them. Guac, I love you bro and I would do anything to have you back. Rest In Peace ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GgoCerB1pu
— Joey // (@Joey_mondelli) February 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/tristancel/status/964234149702881280
I don’t even know what to say besides I already miss you, Meadow. You were my very first best friend and you got me through the worst times in my life and I’ll forever love you endlessly for all you’ve done for me. I will cherish the years of memories I was lucky to make with you
— meg (@megan_faberman) February 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/NCommentarys/status/963962346539536384
https://twitter.com/TheCaptainAidan/status/964225812164743169
