David Hogg, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, isn’t bothered that his appearances speaking for classmates during the past week have drawn naysayers.
Hogg and other students have called for better background checks on gun purchases and laws to keep guns out of the hands of people with mental illnesses, after 17 students and faculty members died last week in a mass shooting at the Broward County high school.
Referred to as a “crisis” actor in a highly publicized email to a Tampa Bay Times reporter on Tuesday, Hogg said critics of students have galvanized efforts to spur change.
“It might be bad press, but it is still a form of press,” Hogg said after a rally Wednesday at the Capitol. “It’s letting our voices be heard and keeping this in the media, keeping it fresh in people’s minds. We should even hire them (critics) as advertisers.”
The son of a former FBI agent, Hogg has been singled out for being too articulate and coached in interviews.
Hogg said any denunciation of the National Rifle Association by him and other students is primarily directed at leaders of the organization and other “oligarchs” who stifle citizens’ voices.
“Most gun owners are safe and responsible,” he said, wearing a Douglas High School shirt that said, “Speech and Debate Team.”
Criticism of the students drew widespread attention this week, particularly after Benjamin Kelly, then the district secretary for Rep. Shawn Harrison, R-Tampa, sent an email Tuesday to the Tampa Bay Times.
Kelly emailed through his state myfloridahouse.gov account that Hogg and another student, Emma Gonzalez, were “actors that travel to various crisis (sic) when they happen.”
Asked about Kelly’s email, Hogg initially shrugged off the controversy. But then Hogg added, “I feel bad for those people because they’ve lost hope in America, that’s sad and depressing. Honestly I just wish they’d listen to us and work with us to save some lives.”
Harrison made short work of Kelly after the email became public. Upon being first advised of the email, Harrison tweeted that Kelly was placed on leave for “an insensitive and inappropriate allegation about Parkland students.”
About an hour later, Harrison tweeted, “Tonight Mr. Kelly was terminated from his position as my District Secretary. I am appalled at and strongly denounce his comments about the Parkland students. I am again sorry for any pain this has caused the grieving families of this tragedy.”
The actual axing of Kelly came via House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican who said in a tweet that he was “shocked and angry to read the appalling email about the brave students.”
“Representative @Shawnfor63 immediately contacted me and with his full support, I terminated the employment of the individual responsible,” Corcoran tweeted. “On behalf of the entire Florida House, I sincerely apologize to the students targeted and again commend them for their courage through this unspeakable tragedy.”
‘BABY STEPS’ TOWARD AN AR-15 BAN?
Rep. Kionne McGhee, D-Miami, wasn’t ready to give up after failing in a high-profile attempt to bring up a proposed “assault” weapon ban on the House floor.
The Republican majority Tuesday rejected an unusual procedural move by McGhee to try to bring up the bill (HB 219), which had not been heard in committees. An AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, commonly referred to as an assault weapon, was used in the murders of the 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
“What we can do is keep elevating the voices of the people right now,” McGhee said. “We’re going to keep speaking with leadership. Making our position known. We want to see the mirror image of what our young people are saying, which is a ban on AR-15s. And we’re going to keep making that attempt as long as we’re in session.”
Asked if his proposal, which garnered gobs of state and national press, was a “hail Mary” that overlooked other changes that could be pursued, McGhee remained steadfast.
“Before we get to the little things, I think we need to discuss the obvious elephant in the room,” McGhee said. “The common denominator that is causing and wreaking havoc in our communities is the AR-15. We have to begin the discussion talking about the AR-15 before we can move on.”
But the attempt to bring up the bill drew some criticism, even from Democrats.
Rep. Al Jacquet, D-Lantana, and Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, separately sent out news releases that said they and other Democratic caucus members had not been informed in advance of the attempted procedural move. Both were not on the House floor, as they were elsewhere handling issues about Parkland and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, from which Moskowitz graduated in 1999.
The Republican-dominated House voted 71-36 to reject the attempt to bring the bill up. Jacquet said he added himself as a late vote in support of the procedural motion.
At least one survivor of the mass shooting later said, after meeting with state leaders, that taking “baby steps” might be a better approach when discussing such a ban.
“We had a feeling that it wouldn’t be very effective,” said Sofie Whitney, 18, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. “There was no hope for it. Because you don’t start with something, the biggest entity, on your first day.”
NOT PLAYING BALL
A three-point shooting contest between Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron --- promoted last week on Capitol elevator flyers --- failed to happen Tuesday during a charity basketball game between Republicans and Democrats at a Tallahassee high school.
With Negron attending the funeral of one of the 17 students killed last week, Sen. Randolph Bracy, an Orlando Democrat who played on the hardwood at the College of William and Mary, narrowly won the halftime contest after being taken into a second round by Rep. James Grant, R-Tampa.
As for the game, which benefits the Children’s Home Society of Florida, the Democrats won after a sluggish first half for both sides. Being kind, they played like lawmakers but get the benefit of playing full court.
Bad weather canceled this year’s softball matchup between the parties.
TWEET OF THE WEEK: “We’re awake and ready to go to the Capital Building!!” --- Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student Jaclyn Corin (@JaclynCorin) on Wednesday.
