The recently published book #Neveragain written by two of the Marjory Stoneman
Douglas shooting survivors David and Lauren Hogg, shows how the movement of #Neveragain
came to fruition. The story does cover some topics that can be very anxiety inducing that today’s
generation of students can relate to, mass shootings. The siblings that co-authored the book
David and Lauren Hogg were both in the school on the day of the massacre and are two of the
many leaders of the nation wide #Neveragain movement. The book also highlights the struggles
that the students have been through, from being harassed on twitter by Neo-Nazis and extreme
right-wing conservatives, to being completely disregarded by the higher-ups of the government,
to having conspiracy theories made that you were not a survivor, but just a crisis actor working
for the government.
The book also talks about what the #Neveragain movement activists want from
politicians in the way of gun control laws, straightforward answers. Something that David Hogg
speaks highly about in the 5th chapter titled #Neveragain is the CNN town hall in Florida. The
town hall consisted of the main activists, grieving teachers, and parents asking questions to two
main people: Senator Marco Rubio and NRA Spokesperson Dana Loesch. Hogg writes about
how S. Marco Rubio was asked to make a promise by fellow activist Cameron Kasky to no
longer accept the money offered to him by the NRA. Rubio avoided Kasky’s question by any
means necessary and only answered that he would “accept the help of anyone who supports
my agenda”.
Another issue discussed in the book is the spread of lies about the organisation. In the
second to last chapter, The Parkland Manifesto page 136-138, it is clarified by both of the Hogg
siblings what they want to achieve from their movement:
1.Funding for gun violence research- data is needed on gun violence to make
policies on it,
2.Digitalization of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives records- it
is 2018 why are we acting like it’s 1918?,
3.Universal Background Checks- they work and save lives, period,
4.Banning of high capacity magazines- it’s not an infringement on your second
amendment rights if you have to reload. This will save lives,
5.Assault weapon ban- they are not only used in mass shootings, but other violent
crimes too, we don’t need them on our streets,
6.Funding for intervention programs- actual guns are only half the issue, mental
health and getting help is the other,
