By Lauren Devenzio

With the aftermath of major hurricanes Harvey and Irma now put aside in the media, the public spotlight has been passed onto two prominent topics: the take-a-knee movement and the Las Vegas massacre. The two new subjects have received coverage by all facets of the media as well as discussion by many politicians, including President Trump. While both topics are trending on Twitter, only one has received a strong call to action by President Trump—and it is not the one that deals with hundreds of innocent Americans being killed by bullets.
Recently, Trump has spewed an onslaught of tweets (which are considered to be official presidential statements) that pertain to the take-a-knee movement. His tweets, which say things such as “The NFL has all sorts of rules and regulations. The only way out for them is to set a rule that you can’t kneel during our National Anthem!” have sparked a heated debate over whether or not the President is infringing on the people’s rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. In my own opinion, he is certainly overstepping his boundaries. The take-a-knee movement did not begin as an opposition to our brave troops or our sacred flag. Instead, it is meant to symbolize the ongoing hatred and injustice in our prideful nation, which is an issue that requires action. Trump’s inability to recognize the people’s frustration over America’s flaws and his criticism of the right to peacefully protest have led to anger in Americans across the country. On the other end of the spectrum, some people who are against the movement have been excited at the thought of having someone new to scorn and mock. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it is important to remember that we live in a nation that prides itself on not only the freedom of speech, but also on the freedom to protest.
Conversely, the words “gun control” have been absent from the President’s Twitter profile. This seemingly obvious call to action to prevent further monstrosities such as the Las Vegas massacre has yet to cross Trump’s lips, so they are instead being shouted by millions of Americans. Some people are quick to demean those participating in the take-a-knee movement despite the Constitutional right to the speech. But, the second gun rights are threatened, protest. The word “control” frightens them, yet no one—at least to my knowledge—has proposed a complete and sudden gun ban. Instead, tighter gun control is at the forefront of many people’s minds, which would include a more thorough background check while purchasing firearms and tighter regulations on gun use. A little extra clearance to save lives from mass murderer seems to me like an obvious solution to the American gun problem, yet Trump knows imposing such a policy would decrease his favorability among his supporters. This can be attributed to politics but it ultimately affects every American’s life and safety. The beautiful souls killed in Las Vegas were taken by the means of a gun. The young children who were slaughtered at Sandy Hook Elementary School were taken in the same way. How many more lives will be lost before proper action against guns is taken? Will the President use his influence to end this horrid evil? He has spoken out strongly against the take-a-knee movement, yet it remains to be seen whether or not he will condemn the misuse of guns in the same sense of urgency.
When publicly criticizing hot topics such as the take-a-knee movement or gun control, everyone’s opinions and views must be taken into account. Our rights set forth in the First and Second amendments include, among other things, the right to peacefully protest and the right to bear arms. Now, when our nation is in constant debate and turmoil, we must remember to respect the right for Americans to peacefully protest and understand that the ability to bear arms must be kept in line with the safety of American lives.

Lauren Devenzio is a senior at Nederland High School, where she is the head design editor for the Bulldog Beat Newspaper. She is also a 2017 National Youth Correspondent and Youth Advisory Board member for the Washington Journalism and Media Conference. Email her at laurendevenzio@hotmail.com.