Parkland student activists unveil their plan to prevent gun violence



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Student activists who survived the Parkland High School Massacre released Wednesday a vast gun control plan aimed at reducing the number of firearms killed in the United States, including a call to the United States. prohibition of assault rifles.

The "Peace Plan for a Safer America" ​​also calls for the creation of a national register of licenses and firearms, the ban on high-capacity magazines, the establishment of a buy-back program firearms and the appointment of a "National Director of Armed Violence Prevention".

March for Our Lives, the group from the 2018 shooting in Florida, which killed 17 people, also calls for raising the minimum age for the purchase of firearms from 18 to 21 years and to require a 10 day waiting period for all firearm purchases.

The group's leaders urged candidates in the 2020 presidential election to make gun control a priority and included a measure to register more young voters.

"We urge them to review this agenda," said Tyah Amoy-Roberts, a former student who survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in a statement. "We can not allow mass shootings in grocery stores, churches, shopping malls and schools to become the new standard."

The March for Life plan also calls for increased federal funding for research into gun violence, limited since 1996 under a law banning the use of federal funds to promote the gun control.

The group's plan comes less than three weeks after 31 people were killed in consecutive shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

President Trump – a staunch supporter of the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment – responded to the killings by expressing support for strengthening the federal system of background checks.

Jaxon O Mara at a press conference at the US Capitol
Jaxon O Mara at a press conference at the US CapitolGetty Images

In recent days, he seems to have softened his stance by saying, "We have a very very great background check right now" and focusing instead on the "mental problem" of the mass shooters.

But on Wednesday he reaffirmed his position, saying that he backed the background checks after the Democrats accused him of reversing his course.

"I have an appetite for background checks," said White House president South Lawn when he left for an event in Louisville. "We will do background checks … We will fill some of the gaps."

Trump said he hoped that mentally unstable people would use firearms, adding that he even considered that large-scale shootings were a public emergency.

The president confirmed to reporters that he had discussed background checks with ANR chief Wayne LaPierre, but he disputed reports that he reportedly told LaPierre that the background checks were on Table.

The NRA and gun rights activists have lashed out at the latest attempts to restrict firearms, which they say is a violation of the second amendment.

"The simple fact is that their proposals and their ideas are not part of the general public and most people will understand that their real intention goes beyond what they declare publicly," said spokeswoman Wednesday. from the NRA, Amy Hunter.

According to a Reuters / Ipsos survey conducted this month, 69% of Americans said they supported "strong" or "moderate" firearm restrictions and regulations, of which 84% of Democrats and 56% of Republicans.

March for Our Lives and another gun control group called Giffords – founded by former representative Gabby Giffords after being injured during a shootout in 2011 – plan to hold a forum on October 2 for 2020 candidates to discuss gun violence.

David Hogg, 19, co-founder of March for Our Lives, who also survived the Parkland shooting, said, "You see these shootings on TV every day and very little is happening around. It's painful to watch.

"And I think it's very difficult for me and many other students and people we're working with to find hope right now," he said, according to the Washington Post.

"But I think this plan is something that we really can, as a country and as Americans united against violence and fighting for peace – can be overwhelmed," he added.

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