Florida School Shooting Survivor David Hogg Is The Student Everyone Is Talking About In Aftermath Of Tragedy
Florida school shooting survivor David Hogg is the student everyone is talking about in the media on Thursday. He appeared on a roster of morning news programs, including CNN’s New Day and ABC’s Good Morning America to talk about his experience during the shooting that left 17 people dead and 15 others injured on Wednesday when a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School opened fire.
David Hogg is getting a lot of attention today for taking on powerful politicians by imploring them to stop acting like children and do something about school violence. The senseless tragedy isn’t something this nation should get used to, Hogg said. GMA’s George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts reflected throughout the broadcast on the student’s words, emphasizing that he summed it up perfectly.
When David spoke with CNN, he said lawmakers need to take a hard look in the mirror.
“Some of our policymakers and some people need to — they need to look in the mirror and take some action because ideas are great but without action, ideas stay ideas and children die.”
The high school senior has a younger sister who lost two of her best friends in the Florida school shooting. His passion for demanding change is fueled by not only witnessing what occurred inside his school when a crazed shooter unleashed his terror but because he’s affected by those lost.
David Hogg looked right into the camera on CNN and called on politicians to overcome their partisan issues and act now to prevent further carnage in American schools.
“We’re children. You guys are the adults. You need to take some action and play a role. Work together, come over your politics, and get something done.”
David added that lawmakers having ideas are “great” and they help get them re-elected, but “what’s more important is actual action.” He goes on that frequency of school shootings and the current reality of kids dying while getting an education is “unacceptable,” and it’s time to make real change.
Student David Hogg who survived school shooting looks directly in camera, sends message to 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” https://t.co/jWPkZyoBfY pic.twitter.com/YpsgbBE6cX
— CNN (@CNN) February 15, 2018
Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla) appeared on New Day shortly after David’s appearance and said the student is serious about his message to elected officials. Deutch expressed his gratitude for David’s fierce determination. The lawmaker added that David looked at him and said, “We want action.”
“Ideas are great, ideas are wonderful and they help you get re-elected and everything, but what’s more important is actual action,” said David Hogg, a student who survived the Florida shooting. https://t.co/OkzWL86sjN
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 15, 2018
The high school senior is a student journalist and put those skills to use when he recorded footage of the shooting. Due to the video’s graphic nature, it couldn’t be shown on air. David revealed why he chose to record the event.
“I was really thinking about, ‘What has my impact been? What have any of our impacts been?’… I thought to myself, ‘If I die today, I want my impact to be — if I die I want to tell a good story.’
“I want to show these people exactly what’s going on when these children are facing bullets flying through classrooms and students are dying trying to get an education. That’s not OK, and that’s not acceptable and we need to fix that.”
The New York Times reports that David Hogg was in an Advanced Placement environmental science class when he heard the shooting. The teacher closed the door, but everyone evacuated when the fire alarm sounded. They joined the mass of students in the hallway, but a janitor redirected them away from the shooting. The students eventually found safety in a culinary classroom.
