You might not be a big fan of politics, but you can still participate. All you need to do is vote for people you believe will work on these issues, and if they don't work the way they should, then it is your responsibility to call them, organize a town hall, and demand that they show up - hold them accountable.
Interpretation
Engagement in politics is essential, even if you're not a fan, and accountability is key.
This quote emphasizes the importance of civic engagement and the responsibility individuals have to participate in the political process, voice their concerns, and hold elected officials accountable for their actions. Emma Gonzalez advocates for active involvement, suggesting that simply voting is not enough; citizens must also take an active role in advocating for change and ensuring that those in power fulfill their commitments.
In practice
During a community meeting discussing local issues, you can quote this to inspire others to get involved.
What matters is that the majority of American people have become complacent in a senseless injustice that occurs all around them. What matters is that most American politicians have become more easily swayed by money than by the people who voted them into office.
Mental illness and gun violence are not directly correlated, but when the two go hand in hand, Americans - often children - lose their lives.
If I'm able to communicate one thing to adults, it would be this: it should not be easier to purchase a gun than it is to obtain a driver's license, and military-grade weapons should not be accessible in civilian settings.
In a little over six minutes, 17 of our friends were taken from us. Fifteen were injured. And everyone - absolutely everyone - in the Douglas Community was forever altered.
Get out and vote. If you can't vote, then register other people to vote. Get people to the polls; make sure that people who need to vote can vote.
If you want to help arm the schools, arm them with school supplies, books, therapists - things they actually need and can make use of.
A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.
But if we have been willing to give our lives to this enterprise, which is for the honour of our country, I appeal to our countrymen to see that those who depend on us are properly cared for.
If women are being oppressed in Egypt or children are being forced to join armies in the Congo, for example, it is not only acceptable but wonderful for Americans to be concerned, outraged, and active.
And there came a point in my treatment where I couldn't see that end in sight. And that was the most challenging, I think, to know how to kind of anchor yourself when you're swimming in a sea of uncertainty.
I often laugh at Satan, and there is nothing that makes him so angry as when I attack him to his face, and tell him that through God I am more than a match for him
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'
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