‘Take action’: How Americans (and Jimmy Kimmel) reacted to the Florida school shooting
They all have one thing to say: Gun control.
“As I’m sure you know and feel, this is another very sad day in America. Another senseless shooting,” said Jimmy Kimmel on his talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday (video above). With tears in his eyes and a voice breaking with emotion, Kimmel spoke about the Florida school shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a 19-year-old shot at and killed 17 students, and injured several others.
Kimmel addressed President Donald Trump’s response to the shooting from the White House, where he said, “No parent should ever have to fear for their sons and daughters when they kiss them goodbye in the morning.” Trump also expressed his condolences and thoughts and prayers for the families of the victims. Here is his speech:
An emotional Kimmel had several suggestions for the President in his speech. “Tell your buddies in Congress...that what we need are laws. Real laws that do everything possible to keep assault rifles out of the hands of people who are going to shoot our kids,” he said, adding “Now. Not later. Now. And don’t you dare let anyone say it’s too soon to be talking about it. Children are being murdered. Do something.”
The talk show host appealed to people to demand gun control from their representatives and, if they don’t listen, to vote those representatives out. But not before he took a direct dig at Trump: “Your party voted to repeal the mandates on coverage for mental health. So I agree, this is a mental illness issue because if you don’t think we need to do something about it, you are obviously mentally ill.” He expressed a similar gun-control sentiment on Twitter (below).
The families in Parkland are suffering for no good reason. We send love, sympathy and prayers tonight and DEMAND that our "leaders" do SOMETHING to stop this tomorrow. How many have to suffer before we stop looking the other way?
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) February 15, 2018
Kimmel wasn’t the only one speaking out. David Hogg, a student from the school where the shooting happened, begged the government to do something. “Please, take action. Ideas are great. Ideas are wonderful and they help you get re-elected, but what’s more important is actual action and pertinent action that results in saving thousands of children’s lives. Please, take action,” he said.
Student David Hogg who survived the school shooting looks directly in the camera, and sends a message to President Trump and lawmakers: “Please, take action. Ideas are great… But what’s more important is actual action… saving thousands of children’s lives. Please, take action.” pic.twitter.com/C5mf9qPlqA
— CNN (@CNN) February 15, 2018
In another video, Hogg said, “The fact that this is the 18th school shooting, and this is only February, is a testament to where this country has come and how far...”
Student who survived school shooting: “We need to dig out of this hole… there is something seriously wrong here. And some of our policymakers... need to look in the mirror and take some action because... without action, ideas stay ideas and children die.” https://t.co/Y42waHsOlN pic.twitter.com/sdV9P7yXSn
— CNN (@CNN) February 15, 2018
The video, for those who are asking. pic.twitter.com/KCCfuiFhQK
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) February 15, 2018
Several of Hoggs’s peers from Florida also shared their feelings with the media after the shooting, and it’s no surprise that they all demanded action.
Parkland student: "We are not to be bought by the NRA. ... We are the ones who deserve to be kept safe because we were literally shot at" https://t.co/5yk1EL23q4
— CNN (@CNN) February 16, 2018
Melissa Falkowski, a teacher at the school where the shooting happened, broke down in an interview with MSNBC as she begged the Congress to do something, after describing what she did to protect the students.
I hope ever member of Congress saw this interview
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) February 15, 2018
Melissa Falkowski, teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas explains how well prepared they were and how many times they drilled for this and still there was nothing they can do
She breaks down when she begs Congress to do something pic.twitter.com/J6y9MK8b0V
Kelly Ripa, another talk show host, said, “I don’t know how many times it has to happen before somebody does something... In this moment, I am a mom of three kids that go to school and I had to talk my kids off a ledge this morning because they were afraid to go to school.”
Kelly Ripa on the recent Florida school shooting:
— Michael Blackmon (@blackmon) February 15, 2018
“And people are gonna say, ‘Oh, you’re a talk show host, shut up.’ In this moment, I am a mom of three kids that go to school and I had to talk my kids off a ledge this morning because they were afraid to go to school.” pic.twitter.com/dpVpYMU0Ef
Here are some Twitter posts from Americans and students from the Parkland school where the shooting took place:
I was hiding in a closet for 2 hours. It was about guns. You weren't there, you don't know how it felt. Guns give these disgusting people the ability to kill other human beings. This IS about guns and this is about all the people who had their life abruptly ended because of guns. https://t.co/XnzhvuN1zd
— carly (@car_nove) February 15, 2018
This is my grandpa. When he was 12 years old, he hid in a closet while his family was murdered during the first mass shooting in America. Almost 70 years later, I also hid in a closet from a murderer. These events shouldn't be repetitive. Something has to change. #douglasstrong pic.twitter.com/nDctTNlUNs
— carly (@car_nove) February 15, 2018
Horrific school shooting in Florida.
— jordan (@JordanUhl) February 14, 2018
What happens next?
-NRA goes silent
-Politicians tweet "Thoughts & prayers"
-Nothing changes
Thoughts & prayers mean nothing when apathy & negligence cost the lives of children. It gets worse every time it seems, but how much worse does it need to get? The greed of hands being fed by the NRA seems to overpower the right for the innocent to live without fear. Disgusting.
— h (@halsey) February 16, 2018
Please note: If I am ever killed in a random shooting, you may IMMEDIATELY and stridently politicize my death to help support #guncontrol legislation.
— liberal blue (@weprogressives) February 14, 2018
one of the safest cities in the country just had a mass shooting AT A HIGH SCHOOL!! WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO FUCKING DO SOMETHING ABOUT GUN CONTROL https://t.co/844DqR7YXL
— mya rivera (@mya_ashleyy) February 14, 2018
As we send our thoughts & prayers to the people of Parkland, Florida how about we, the people & govt of America, actually DO something abt gun violence.
— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) February 15, 2018
We are grieving with Parkland. But we are not powerless. Caring for our kids is our first job. And until we can honestly say that we're doing enough to keep them safe from harm, including long overdue, common-sense gun safety laws that most Americans want, then we have to change.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 15, 2018