Teen survivors of the Feb. 14 Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have been advocating for gun reform in America. Many of the students have been vocal against the NRA and many of the politicians who have backing from the organization.
It is interesting to note the difference in support for the kids in FL versus the kids in Black Lives Matter. I say that with full admiration for the kids in FL, to survive such a trauma and fight for everyone to be safer. But that’s also what was happening in Ferguson and beyond
— roxane gay (@rgay) February 21, 2018
On Monday in a live Twitter Q&A with March For Our Lives, David Hogg one of the survivors said he would use his “white privilege” to also address the often overlooked gun violence in black and brown communities. Author Roxane Gay touched upon the difference in coverage media and celebrities are giving the Parkland students versus the youth activists in places like Chicago and Baltimore. “It is interesting to note the difference in support for the kids in FL versus the kids in Black Lives Matter,” Gay wrote. Hogg, the high school senior, affirmed Gay’s point saying coverage of gun violence in low-income and urban communities is unequal.
David Hogg says white privilege is one of the biggest obstacles he’s faced in his anti-gun agenda, says media wouldn’t cover the incident the same way in a black community “no matter how well those people spoke.”
Cameron Kasky says mass shootings like Parkland “happen everyday.” pic.twitter.com/chKvSnUV32
— Ryan Saavedra 🇺🇸 (@RealSaavedra) March 19, 2018
Hogg said, “I think one of the greatest obstacles that we’ve faced though with this movement is the fact that there is a lot of racial disparity in the way that this is covered.”
“If this happened in a place of a lower socio-economic status or a place like a black community, no matter how well those people spoke, I don’t think the media would cover it the same and I think it is important that we point that out as Americans we realize that.”
He went on to state, “Because we have to use our white privilege now to make sure that all of the voices that — all of the people that have died as the result of this and haven’t been covered the same can now be heard. It’s sad, but it’s true.”