In the wake of the recent student marches for gun law reform, a group of 40 Wisconsin Students walked 50 miles from Madison to Speaker Paul Ryan's district in Janesville. Student journalist Will Kenneally introduces you to some of the students and their plan for change.
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Hey, Hey, NRA, how many kids did you kill today? Hey, Hey, NRA, how many kids did you kill today?
Reporter:
Students from around Wisconsin joined their nationwide peers, twice in a matter of ten days, in taking to the streets over the issue of gun control. To keep the pressure on public officials, one group set out to march 50 miles more, from Madison to the heart of Paul Ryan’s district in Janesville. For one march organizer, Katie Eder, it was a call for Ryan to take action.
Eder:
Well I mean, we said it earlier today, is we want action, right. And he can say he respects our voices or whatever it is, but the truth is we want him to do something and that’s what we’re really looking for.
Reporter:
The students carried a list of demands for Ryan. Ban military style weapons, ban accessories such as bumpstocks, create a four day waiting period on all gun sales, raise the purchasing age to 21, and require background checks for all gun sales.
Rally Speaker:
If you can’t wait four days to buy a gun you need to plan a little better. Our policy demands are not only reasonable, they are responsible.
Reporter:
Though some marchers are still too young to vote, they say they still have power in the political discussion.
Rally Speaker:
Our first day in Evansville, we were greeted by a family on their front porch and they were holding up a newspaper with us on the front. Not only is this illustrative of the fact that there’s so much support for us out there, but this also shows that kids have a voice despite not having a vote. We will enact change!
Reporter:
The students expressed how important the issue was to them, as they are the targets for school shootings.
Rally Speaker:
We are not fighting to strip people of their Second Amendment. We are fighting for our right to live. But in reality, this is all we know. I am standing here so my voice is heard, we are all standing here so our voices will be heard. And if Paul Ryan and other politicians refuse then we will take our voices to the voting booths in November.
Reporter:
In that spirit, the students want to take their message of 50 mile marches to other states. Eder explains the next steps.
Eder:
Today, 50 Miles More is officially launching a campaign we are calling #50more in #50states. We are challenging young people in the other 49 states to plan a 50 mile march to the hometown or office of one of their elected officials before the November elections. We are already putting together tool kits, collecting seed money, and talking with young people from around the country in order to have 49 marches by November. It’s a big feat, we know that, but walking 50 miles in four days was a big feat, and we just did that.
Reporter:
Ryan was not in district to meet the marchers. He was in the Czech Republic on an official visit. Ryan’s office gave us this statement, quote: “The congressman respected those that made their voices heard. As he has said, violence has no place in our schools. That is why the House recently enacted laws that take concrete action to keep children safe without infringing on constitutional rights.”
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