PLU student starts online campaign after Florida mass shooting

A Pacific Lutheran University freshman has started an online campaign to put pressure on lawmakers hoping they take action in the wake of another mass shooting.

“When I heard the news on Wednesday, I wasn’t as bothered as I usually am,” Gracie Anderson said. “It was a huge red flag. I noticed I was desensitized.”

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As she read more news of the mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida, she felt she had to do something locally.

“Instead of the usual sadness and grief that I feel, I felt really angry and really scared, and really motivated to do something,” she said. “My parents both work in schools, my younger sister is a freshman in high school. The people who mean the most to me are on school campuses every day.”

Mass shooting response

Anderson says she feels safe at her school, but can feel afraid after reports of a mass shooting; or worse — inaction by authorities after such incidents. That’s why she started the online campaign with the hashtag #WillMySchoolBeNext.

“This all began on Friday, in the wake of the Florida shooting,” she said. “What we are trying to do is draw the attention of the Washington State Legislature to mass shootings in schools. We want to demand that they take action. We aren’t specific on what that action is so that students, regardless of political persuasion, can be involved.”

People can get signs through the campaign that say “Will ____ be next.” They can then write in a name or school in the blank space. The effort also includes a letter writing campaign and petition for lawmakers. The effort spread quickly on Twitter, reaching 200,000 people by Monday, Anderson said.

“I’ve noticed a lot of adults are really sad that students and young people have to take on this burden … we’re disappointed in adults for not taking this upon themselves to make a change,” Anderson said.

Anderson says that there is no specific legislation or action the campaign is advocating for — she wants lawmakers to get to work on the solution. She also wants the effort to be void of political affiliation.

“There has to be a bunch of actions taken,” Anderson said. “We can’t isolated this as a gun issue, or as a mental health issue. I think that’s what both parties are doing right now. I’m in the middle as a student … all I want to see is something to make me feel safe. I think it’s a mixture of the two – gun restrictions as well as adequate mental health treatment.”

“I can say that if lawmakers fail to protect us as students, we will vote them out as voters and when we are old enough we will run for their positions as candidates. And if we have to, we will be the ones who fight.”

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