While the conversation over the 2nd Amendment has not been at the top of the news agenda lately, the debate continues. Americans on the left argue that only stricter gun legislation can stop gun homicides. Conservatives point out the fact that mass shootings and other gun deaths occur despite the 20,000 gun laws that are already on the books.
Recently, March For Our Lives, a pro-gun control organization that was formed in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, held an event in Tallahassee. Since their inception, the group has hosted a variety of demonstrations across the country.
Supporters of the 2nd Amendment formed March For Our Rights as a response to an anti-gun movement that has become increasingly vocal. Members of this organization use their events to argue for gun rights and more effective solutions to mass shootings and homicides.
While activists on both sides of the debate are passionate about their positions, the differences between the two groups are deeper than their views on firearms. There is a distinct dichotomy in the types of people who support gun control and those who oppose it.
March For Our Lives
March For Our Lives has held numerous events across the country since it was formed in February. It was formed with the involvement of some of the survivors of the Parkland school shooting. While David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez are seen as the faces of the movement, there are plenty of others who both fund and participate in their demonstrations.
A myriad of left-wing organizations is involved in March For Our Lives. The event that the organization held in March was supported by The Women’s March, Soros-funded MoveOn.org, and Planned Parenthood. These organizations provided money and assistance with logistics and planning.
Several high-profile celebrities donated significant sums of money for the event. These include Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney, and Steven Spielberg. Other famous individuals like Justin Bieber, Jessica Alba, and Reese Witherspoon also voiced their support on social media.
Last, but certainly not least, March For Our Lives has the unwavering support of the establishment media, who constantly showcased the survivors of the Parkland shooting while all but ignoring those who did not favor additional gun legislation. Indeed, shortly after the incident, CNN held a town hall on gun control that was decidedly biased against the pro-gun crowd.
The primary message of March For Our Lives is that the government should pass additional laws to curtail gun homicides. They claim that they are not pushing for a ban on firearms – and for most of this crowd, that statement appears to be true. But there is a significant number of left-leaning Americans who do favor a ban. Participants in the group’s events seem to believe that government is the only solution to this problem – they do not argue for any other potential remedies that could address gun deaths.
March For Our Rights
March For Our Rights is an organization focused on opposing unnecessary, ineffective, and overly restrictive gun legislation. They advocate for the rights of law-abiding gun owners and argue for more practical solutions to mass shootings and gun homicides.
The organization – which held its own event in July – is made up primarily of Americans who have seen that their positions are not being presented in the news media. There does not seem to be any celebrities who have supported the movement. Instead, people like Parkland shooting survivor Kyle Kashuv and others have stepped up to help the group gain exposure.
Xena Amirani, a 19-year-old student at the University of Southern California, serves as the chairwoman of the group. She has stated that their primary funding sources are smaller, individual donations. Amirani, the child of Iranian immigrants who considers herself a libertarian, conducted research on firearms and the 2nd Amendment and became an avid supporter of gun rights.
Amirani told Newsweek that they started the movement “due to a negative reaction we had directly with the media in the wake of the Parkland shooting and March For Our Lives…There was no publicity assisting us.”
While March For Our Rights has not received much attention from the establishment media, they have been supported by the National Rifle Association. Amirani and other members of the group have been featured on NRATV. Conservative site PragerU has also showcased the group.
Maj Toure – the founder of Black Guns Matter – is also affiliated with the group. He has spoken at some of their events and advocates tirelessly for gun rights. He told Newsweek that “all gun control is racist.” He also stated that “African Americans have a rich history with firearms.”
What Is The Difference?
When you take a closer look, it’s easy to see that the supporters of both groups are very different. March For Our Lives enjoys support from wealthy celebrities; most of whom are not likely to ever be faced with a situation where their lives are threatened. These are not run-of-the-mill Americans; they are members of an elite class who employ armed security and live in gated homes. The activists who protest with this organizations are supported by people who are not as vulnerable to a mass shooting or gun homicide as they are.
The members of the anti-gun crowd do not seem willing to entertain solutions other than more government when it comes to gun violence. Despite the fact that aggressive gun laws have been shown to be an ineffective preventative measure against homicides, they eschew any other potential countermeasures.
On the other hand, March For Our Rights are not funded by the elite class; they are supported by regular, everyday Americans who don’t want to see the government take more steps towards limiting their 2nd Amendment rights. While they do not have the establishment media on their side, they do have something else: The American public.
Earlier this year, a Gallup poll revealed that the majority of Americans favor conservative strategies when it comes to preventing mass shootings. Like much of America, March For Our Rights is willing to consider sensible gun laws; they also realize that other factors like mental health and security measures in school are better ways to prevent the loss of life from firearms. As long as conservatives continue to reinforce the importance of gun rights, no amount of media coverage and celebrity support can convince the public that more government is the answer.
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