There is no denying the debate on gun control is an issue taking over the Internet, television, and everyday life. The debate, which has been making news in past months due to the Las Vegas shooting and Sutherland Springs shooting, ignited on Valentine’s Day when a gunman opened fire in a Florida high school. Recent weeks have been filled with survivors’ petitions for change and arguments from the left and right.

On February 14, 17 students and faculty members of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida lost their lives in one of the world’s deadliest school massacres. The shooting ignited a debate on gun control because the perpetrator, 19 year-old expelled student Nikolas Cruz, legally purchased the AR-15 semi automatic rifle used despite the various tips the local sheriff’s office received about him in 2016 and 2017 and the FBI’s failure to investigate Cruz’s Youtube comments about becoming a school shooter in September 2017. Now, two weeks later, survivors dominate media platforms with a goal – stricter background checks for those buying guns.

Using social media, survivors are working through grieving their classmates and advocating for gun control to prevent other mass shootings from happening in the future. Demonstrations and protests directed towards Congress and President Trump call attention to gun violence and the NRA. Survivors named their movement “Never Again’ and organized the nationwide protest “March for Our Lives” on March 24 in Washington D.C.

“We can’t ignore the issues of gun control that this tragedy raises,” 17 year old survivor Cameron Kasky said on CNN February 20. “And so, I’m asking — no, demanding — we take action now.”

The organization Women’s March Youth empower planned the National School Walkout for March 14, in which students and faculty around the world walked out  of classes at 10 a.m. for 17 minutes, one minute for each death. Another walkout is planned for April 20 in which students will walk out of school for 19 minutes in honor of the victims of the Columbine shooting.

“At the end of the day, the students at my school felt one shared experience — our politicians abandoned us by failing to keep guns out of schools.” Kasky said to CNN. “But this time, my classmates and I are going to hold them to account. This time we are going to pressure them to take action.”

Already, outdoor company Dicks Sporting Goods and retailer Walmart announced new gun restrictions, including no longer selling assault rifles and raising the minimum age for anyone buying guns or ammunition to 21 years old.

“We support and respect the Second Amendment, and we recognize and appreciate that the vast majority of gun owners in this country are responsible, law-abiding citizens,” CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods Edwards Stacks said in a letter released last week. “But we have to help solve the problem that’s in front of us.”

Students have been confronting congressional and state lawmakers, demanding they ban assault rifles. Florida representatives are currently debating on a bill called the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act” that would raise the age for firearm purchases to 21 year olds, require a three day waiting period and allow teachers to be armed in schools on a volunteer basis. The bill has not been passed yet due to concerns about arming teachers.  

“These kids talk about enough is enough.” Stacks said on CNN’s New Day show. “We concluded if these kids are brave enough to organize and do what they’re doing, we should be brave enough to take this stand.”

March 6, a 20 year old man named Tyler Watson in Oregon hit Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart with lawsuits accusing the companies of discriminating against him and other 18, 19, and 20 year olds because of their age after he was not permitted to buy an a rifle from either store. Oregon state law says anyone over 18 can purchase a firearm. Three days later, an 18 year old man named Tristan Fulton also filed a lawsuit against Dick’s Sporting Goods in Michigan over the ban.