Many Thousands Jammed City Hall Plaza This Morning Supporting Gun Safety Laws & Targeting NRA.
Dave Costigan Came to the Rally from Near Bucksport “To Try To Make a Difference”
A Sign Held by Sharon Charde Who is Visiting from Connecticut.
Patrick Reilly is a Bates College Student From New Jersey. Cancer Research Has Made Progress From Which His Mom Died 8 Years Ago, But No Progress Has Been Made on Gun Safety. “I see the deaths of children …..and it breaks my heart,” Patrick said, a Theater Major.
A Sign Held by Two Students at City Hall Plaza Today.
More than 5,000 marched from Congress Square Park to city hall this morning in a worldwide rally in support of gun safety laws to stop mass school shootings and to target the National Rifle Association, “NRA” for its control over politicians. Off in the distance marchers could hear the church bells ringing at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church that lasted for about l/2 hour. It took the marchers that long to get to city hall – chanting as they went against the NRA: “how many kids have you killed today” and “the NRA has to go.”
The march organized by students from Portland schools was in memory of the 17 victims of last months mass shooting in Parkland, Florida and in support of gun laws to prevent any more school shootings.
Ten speakers took turns at the podium outside City Hall addressing the much larger than expected crowd that extended as far as one could see in all directions from the steps of city hall. It was a warmish day in Portland – temps in the low 40s and most of the snow from previous storms melted away to make the march easier to navigate.
Kasper Wilder, 16, a student at Portland High School, said in part: “I believe in the Constitution. The Constitution guarantees us the right to liberty, but it also guarantees us the right to life. I remember learning about Patrick Henry’s fiery words ………I believe that every person has the right to lay down their life for what they believe. But not a single person has the right to lay down the lives of others.”
“The days of the NRA are numbered in the State of Maine and over in the city of Portland,” said Shaman Kirkland, a member of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, to the crowed jammed into City Hall Plaza. “We have the power to vote and I for one won’t vote for anyone who won’t stand for our communities.”
“Some say banning assault weapons will not solve the problem. But they are wrong,” said Hamdia Ahmed, an organizer of the march today. “We will vote you out.”
As the crowd dispersed, some attended a catered reception at the historic First Parish Unitarian Universalist, 425 Congress Street, organized by Angus Ferguson, a church member.
It was both emotional and inspiring to witness and to be a small part of a movement which is so obviously necessary
and overdue. Tears welled up in my eyes in
Portland, but fell when I returned home and
watched the televised movement in DC.
The NRA is a strong and powerful force, the
organization, their membership and following
considered formidable, their insane defense over infringement of Second Ammendment Rights is unparalleled by anything I have ever
known.
The Youth Movement could Make a Difference, hopefully it has already, the truth will be told in the days, weeks, months, and
years that unfold. The issues we have in America are not simple, there is no simple
answer because the issues are many.
We needed to start somewhere, it has started, my “Thoughts and Prayers” are that this day has established itself as THE day that sensible gun law reform and regulation
began in America.
“Enough is Enough”