D.C. marchers rally for gun legislation

Tears but no fear at the rally

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An estimated 800,000 marchers flooded Washington D.C. on Saturday for the March for Our Lives, an event organized by high school students as a demand for commonsense gun legislation.

A three-hour presentation on Pennsylvania Avenue, with the Capitol looming behind it, included performances by “Hamilton” star Lin-Manuel Miranda, pop stars Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus and superstar Jennifer Hudson.

But the day belonged to the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy, who managed to rally everyone by sharing their personal stories, visions of hope for the future and plans to energize a voting population that have traditionally been absent at the polls – the 18-25-year-olds.

The students are committed to ending gun violence in schools and everywhere else. Seventeen people were killed on Feb. 14 by a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, an event that has energized a call for legislation to outlaw assault rifles. It led to the march in D.C., which morphed into a nationwide event.

Today’s march was peaceful and solemn, with many marchers crying during the heartfelt speeches by family members of victims and survivors of gun violence in Florida, Sandy Hook, Chicago, Los Angles and D.C. Even Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 11-year-old granddaughter spoke.

It was a memorable day that the students say is only the beginning of a movement.