Just this week, two incidents involving firearms happened right here in Bend. One incident left two men dead. While neither involved local schools, they serve as reminders that firearms pose a constant threat of violence when left in the wrong hands.
In light of the multitude of attacks at schools nationwide, students and teachers live with the ongoing question: Will my school be next?
This week, the Source invited local high school students to share their thoughts about gun violence.
In honor of the many who have already lost their lives in attacks on schools, we proudly present this Student Voices project.
— Nicole Vulcan, Editor
An invitation to Student Voices: A panel on gun safety in schools
by Vinna OttavianoBend High School student and Student Voices panel participant
The March for Our Lives event that happened on March 24 was by all accounts a success, but even while I was recruiting speakers and organizing sponsors for the march, I kept wondering how we could keep the momentum going. It's easy to show up to marches and be swept along with the powerful and giddy energy that surrounds everyone like a blanket. The problems occur when the people who show up to protests fail to show up to the polls. In my opinion, voting tends to be more effective than organizing in a park. It's easy for politicians to ignore a protest; it's much more difficult to disregard the votes of the people they are representing. With midterms coming up in November, it's important to be educated on the views of candidates and then go out and make your voice heard. If you want to see positive action toward gun safety, you have to be the one to go get it.
