Michigan Students and the Gun Debate
Michigan high school students inspired by the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida, are leading the charge on both sides of the gun debate.
According to WOOD TV, Ellie Lancaster was inspired by the students in Parkland Florida and how they took their fight for change to Washington D.C. and decided to organize an event.
Lancaster told WOOD-TV, "As a 17-year-old, I was like this is something that I have to do as a young person and someone who cares about this and cares about my life."
Lancaster and a friend put together the "March for Our Lives" that happened in Grand Rapids on March 24th.
Lancaster is planning to move forward with her activism and organize events for the Students Demand Action chapter located in Grand Rapids.
A senior at Grand Ledge High School, Zach Bell, was inspired by a student in New Mexico who created the Stand for the Second and thought it was important to stand up for second amendment rights. Bell told WOOD-TV, "I was like hey, OK, we're doing this guys." Bell organized a walkout at his school.
The walkout Bell organized was one of the only well-attended Stand for the Second walkouts in Michigan.
Bell will be heading into the military and doesn't have any plans to organize future protests but hope the skills he learn in the military will help him moving forward.