‘I pray that the students voices may be heard’

Re “Fla. school shooting survivors hoping to be catalyst for tougher gun laws,” Free Press Feb. 22-24 edition:

Today, as I listen to the outcry of heartache and pain expressed by students and parents who lost loved ones in the Valentine’s Day massacre in Parkland, Fla., I am grateful for the opportunity and platform by which they can express themselves.

As a parent, I am very sorry that they had to witness such devastation.

I can remember when that opportunity or platform for expression was not given to parents and students. Their pain and sorry was expressed inward. They could not go to their councilman or senators or to the president of the United States and say that their classmate or son or daughter had been murdered, was found hanging from a tree or buried in a shallow grave.

During those times, some children went to school in fear of their classroom being bombed or the church they attended being bombed.

Fire hoses were turned on students, and they were beaten with clubs or bitten by dogs for protesting like the students are doing today so that their voices may be heard and not silenced.

I pray that the students’ voices may be heard by those who took the oath of office as police and law enforcement, City Council, mayor, senator, member of the House of Representatives or president.

These students represent those who have gone before who had no voice.

G.L. PAGE

Henrico County