Grace Fischer, a survivor of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, will be voting in her first presidential election this year. Fischer was just 6 years old when a gunman killed 20 first graders and six educators at her school in 2012. This horrific experience prompted her and her fellow survivors to be hopeful that they can bring about change in gun safety laws.
Activists in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting hoped for significant legislative action, but federal bills proposing bans on semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines have failed to pass. Since then, mass shootings have only increased in frequency, while federal efforts to regulate guns have been overturned.
Fischer and her peers met with Vice President Kamala Harris, who has a gun safety plan that includes banning assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and requiring universal background checks. Harris also supports red flag laws that allow temporary gun confiscation if a person is deemed a threat.
On the other hand, Republican figures like Donald Trump and JD Vance have emphasized security measures in response to school shootings, with Vance controversially stating that school shootings are a “fact of life.” The Trump administration has rolled back gun violence prevention measures put in place by Biden.
Fischer and her peers plan to vote in honor of their classmates who did not survive the Sandy Hook shooting and in support of gun safety measures. They hope that by electing leaders who prioritize gun safety, they can prevent further tragedies like the one they experienced.
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