Post date: Mar 23, 2018 5:47:46 PM
Last Wednesday, approximately 300 Iona men stood in solidarity with students across the nation to honor the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Unlike many students who used these nationwide walkouts to protest gun violence, Iona’s students took a more prayerful route.
Beginning at the start of 3rd period, students had the option to walk out of class and gather on the Wellington T. Mara Field for a prayer service led by Fr. Norton.
In remembrance of the lives lost, the memorial lasted 17 minutes and 17 petitions were read—one minute and one petition for each victim. Additionally, the faces of the Marjory Stoneman victims were projected on the scoreboard.
“I felt really hopeful that myself and Iona could somehow be changing the course of the world,” says a student who wishes to remain anonymous. He further added, “I think that Iona was taking the right step to encourage its students to speak up.”
While these feelings were certainly shared among the students gathered and emotions were running high, the student body was able to maintain the respect and reverence demanded for such an event.
To ensure that the service was not misconstrued as a political action, the walkout was entirely voluntary. In anticipation, the Leadership Committee asked each student to respond to a survey to express his comfort level with partaking in the memorial. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 90% of responses in favor of the memorial.
Furthermore, at the request of the Leadership Committee, no media was allowed at the prayer service.
In fact, the whole idea of a memorial service was at the request of the Leadership Committee. According to a letter sent by Br. Leto, the goal of the Leadership Committee was to "stand in solidarity with those marginalized by poverty and injustice." To help organize the memorial, the Committee worked in close cooperation with members of the administration.
“I think it is very telling of the quality of Iona students that we initiated the walkout,” says Christopher Wells, ‘20. “It’s inspiring to know that so many of my peers care so deeply and that we can have the chance to make a difference.”
--Michael Bachmann