Brother of Parkland Victim Banned From Speaking at 'March for Our Lives,' Refuses to Be Silenced
Organizers of the “March For Our Lives” billed the event as a platform for folks of all backgrounds to come together and demand solutions to school violence… but it looks like people were only welcome if they promoted an anti-Second Amendment agenda.
Parkland, Florida students such as David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez have been given the media spotlight and used it largely to attack the NRA and law-abiding gun owners. However, not all people with a connection to the tragic Florida shooting are on the same page.
Meadow Pollack is one of the 17 individuals who was killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month. Her family wanted to speak during the much-publicized “March For Our Lives” on Saturday, however they now say they were silenced by organizers for not parroting a gun control narrative.
According to The Daily Caller, Meadow’s brother Hunter was turned down by event staff, even after preparing a moving speech.
Meadow and Hunter’s father Andrew “says the organizers decided not to allow Hunter to speak at the last minute,” reported journalist Benny Johnson for The Caller.
The reason may be clear: Unlike so many of the voices being given a platform by the mainstream media, the Pollock family has refused to endorse sweeping gun control laws.
During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” recently, Andrew Pollock — the victim’s father — called out activists for focusing too much on blaming guns, instead of finding solutions that people on both sides of the political aisle can agree to implement.
“It’s not going to be fixed because I just heard what you said, what you are focusing on, polarizing this event, the murder of these kids. You’re talking about gun control,” Pollack said to journalist Chris Wallace, according to RealClearPolitics.
“I just had to listen to you and Gov. Scott talk about gun control. Gun control is a big issue. No one in America is going to come together on control, Chris,” he stated, implying that it was the wrong focus.
“You’re just talking about gun control, which is going to just give you more ratings,” Andrew Pollock continued. “Today it’s not about guns, it’s about the safety in our schools. And that’s what you ask Gov. Scott about and I got to listen to that at my house.”
Even though that stance may have cost the Pollock family a speaking slot at the “March” event, they refused to stay quiet. Hunter and Andrew Pollock posted a video on Twitter and delivered the message they intended to convey at the rally.
Meet Andrew Pollack & his son Hunter. Andrew’s daughter, Meadow, was murdered in Parkland. Hunter was disinvited to speak today at the March For Our Lives. He prepared a beautiful speech about securing our schools.
You can watch it here:
Please donate to https://t.co/EwMsgB8IFB pic.twitter.com/Ui84UUOyv9Advertisement - story continues below— Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 24, 2018
Hunter spoke from the heart, and talked about taking on mental health challenges and increasing school security, while not blaming law-abiding gun owners for crimes they did not commit.
“We need to be on a mission to stop these monsters before they take action inside our schools,” he declared. “We must demand our leaders to help those that who are sick, but we must also demand that they protect those of us that are not.”
“I ask you to say my sister’s name to yourself. It’s such a beautiful name. Meadow,” the student’s brother said.
“If you say her name it’s impossible not to feel the beauty of who she was and who she will always be. Meadow. It makes me think of a sunny day like this one, a day when the sun shines on our youth and shines on our desire to live a safe and happy life,” he continued.
It was a powerful message, which makes it even more frustrating that organizers of the “March For Our Lives” event supposedly stopped the young man from delivering it.
Voices such as Hogg seem intent on lashing out and blaming gun owners, creating more division in the process. The Pollack family’s call for Americans to instead come together and find common ground to protect students is an important counter-point… and it’s a message that cannot be silenced by those with an agenda.
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