One month after the mass shooting in a Parkland On March 14th, thousands of students from thousands of schools across the country joined in a nationwide protest  to support more gun reform, gun control, and school safety, in order to stop the events of Stoneman Douglas from ever happening to another American school.

The National Rifle Association (NRA), a lobbying and advertising group that advocates gun ownership, responded to the protests on March 14th with a captioned twitter picture of an AR-15, saying “I’ll keep my own guns, thank you.” The protest was driven by the events of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that shocked and bewildered a nation that had seen so many shootings in the past. Which took the lives of 17 people, and wounded many others.

From Columbine to Sandy Hook, it seemed like it was an endless cycle.

However the response to this shooting, to say the least, has been different. Reactions were stronger, the words were far more forceful. Protests began almost immediately.  In South Broward they lasted for the majority of that Friday, two days after the shooting. More protests at local and state government buildings followed.

Parkland Florida had the strongest protest on March 14th, thousands of students walked out; And a rally for greater gun control and better safety at schools was held. Students from across Broward County began to speak up. Many vowing to keep up the pressure on lawmakers. Which after the President’s walk back on vows to increase gun reforms, like a ban on bump stocks, seem more important than ever.

The debate on gun reform and regulation is perhaps one of the most controversial topics in the United States, sparking fierce debates across the country.

Once again the national conversation is slowly drifting back to partisan gridlock. As lawmakers are still divided on taking any action. However, Florida, cleverly nicknamed the gunshine state, has passed meaningful reforms under Senate Bill 7026, which was signed into law by Governor Rick Scott. The bill raises the minimum age to be able to own guns from 18 to 21. Even after pressure from the NRA threatened to stop the bill from being signed. The organization has since sued the state over Senate Bill 7026.

Students from all over Broward give their thoughts on the issue. And a massive rally is planned in Washington on March 24th. And in towns across the United States.