Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the site of the 14 February mass shooting
LGBTI advocacy groups in Florida are condemning the mass shooting that took place at a high school on Wednesday, 14 February. The attack left 17 students and faculty members dead.
The Pride Center
The Pride Center in Wilton Manors, about 20 miles southeast of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where the shooting took place, called the incident an ‘unspeakable tragedy.’
‘At least 17 families and countless loved ones face unspeakable tragedy tonight in Broward County. Words fail,’ the Center wrote on Facebook. ‘Our hearts break for the students, teachers, administrators and families at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. May they find comfort and strength in the face of untold loss. And may our horror and grief move us into meaningful action in the days to come.’
Equality Florida
Statewide LGBTI advocacy group, Equality Florida, are honoring the victims by campaigning for common sense gun laws.
‘Equality Florida joins our fellow Floridians and the nation in grieving the 17 lives taken and those injured in yet another school mass shooting,’ the group wrote on Facebook. ‘We remain as deeply committed today as we were two years ago, in the aftermath of the massacre at Pulse, to the fight for common sense gun legislation.’
‘We are not helpless. We do not have to be hostages to special interests who believe that weapons of war should be available to everyone, anywhere, all the time.’
‘We can and we must stop this carnage with laws that are proven to make a difference. This violence will only stop when we decide to stand up to a handful of voices with undue influence. The time has come to make common sense gun safety legislation a litmus test for anyone asking for our votes.’
Equality Florida are also vocal supporters of a new nationwide campaign called #NoNRAMoney and are hosting vigils and rallies around the state to combat gun violence.
The Pride Fund
The Pride Fund to End Gun Violence, a political action committee set up in the wake of the Pulse shooting, were also vocal on Twitter about the need for better gun legislation.
The is the 18th school shooting in 2018. We need elected leaders who are committed to public safety. If they are not up to the task, it is up to us to vote them out of office. Our children are counting on us to keep them safe from harm. #parkland https://t.co/UNd4Jpu4Sc
— Pride Fund (@Pride_Fund) February 14, 2018
Yesterday’s shooting in Parkland, Florida was the 18th school shooting this year. Add your name to demand Congress take immediate action and pass commonsense gun reform now. https://t.co/zFmzr9Dcqw pic.twitter.com/L2eWTKcObt
— Pride Fund (@Pride_Fund) February 15, 2018
.@david4florida is the strong voice Congress needs. He wants to co-sponsor legislation that would ban assault weapons like the AR-15, the same weapon used in yesterday’s school shooting. Pride Fund and David both know that these weapons of war have no place on American streets. pic.twitter.com/8kIwbzuGlN
— Pride Fund (@Pride_Fund) February 15, 2018
