FLORIDA.

AND LIKE YOU, I WAS SICKENED AND HEARTBROKEN, NOT ONLY BY THE

ATTACK AND THE LOSS OF LIFE, BUT BY WHAT I FEARED WOULD BE THE

COMPLETE LACK OF ACTION BY OUR LEADERS.

AND THAT FEELING WAS QUICKLY REINFORCED BY STATEMENTS LIKE

THIS FROM PEOPLE LIKE MARCO RUBIO, WHO COMPLETELY ABDICATED

RESPONSIBILITY.

>> YOU COULD PASS A LAW THAT MAKES IT HARD TO GET THIS KIND

OF GUN IN A NEW CONDITION, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO STRUGGLE TO KEEP

IT OUT OF THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO HAS DECIDED THAT'S WHAT THEY

WANT TO USE.

I'M JUST TRYING TO BE CLEAR AND HONEST HERE.

IF SOMEONE HAS DECIDED, "I'M GOING TO COMMIT THIS CRIME,"

THEY WILL FIND A WAY TO GET THE GUN TO DO IT.

>> Stephen: ANOTHER AS LONG AS WE'RE BEING CLEAR AND HONEST,

SENATOR, AS A LAWMAKER, YOUR POSITION IS "THE

LAWS ARE USELESS.

EVERYONE INTO THE THUNDERDOME!" THEN WHY DO WE NEED YOU?

IT SEEMS LIKE A HOUSEPLANT WOULD DO A BETTER JOB, AND IT WOULD

PROBABLY NEED LESS WATER.

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN.

NO, WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

( APPLAUSE ) BUT THERE IS ONE GROUP THAT DOES

GIVE ME HOPE THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO PROTECT THE

CHILDREN AND, SADLY, IT'S THE CHILDREN.

THE STUDENTS FROM PARKLAND, FLORIDA--

( APPLAUSE ) HELL, YEAH.

GOOD FOR THEM.

THESE STUDENTS SAW THEIR LEADERS DOING NOTHING AND SAID, "HOLD MY

ROOT BEERMENT."

>> MY MESSAGE FOR THE PEOPLE IN OFFICE IS YOU'RE EITHER WITH US

OR AGAINST US.

WE ARE LOSING OUR LIVES WHILE THE ADULTS ARE PLAYING AROUND.

>> TO EVERY POLITICIAN WHO IS TAKING DONATIONS FROM THE

N.R.A., SHAME ON YOU.

>> YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN A SINGLE BILL FOR MENTAL HEALTHCARE OR

GUN CONTROL AND PASSED IT, AND THAT'S PATHETIC.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

YOU THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO FOCUS ON THE PAST AND NOT THE

FUTURE TO PREVENT THE DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER CHILDREN?

YOU SICKEN ME.

>> WE'RE CHILDREN.

YOU GUYS, LIKE, ARE THE ADULTS.

>> Stephen: HE'S RIGHT.

THE ADULTS AREN'T CUTTING IT ANYMORE.

I THINK WE NEED TO CHANGE THE VOTING AGE.

UNTIL WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT GUNS, YOU CAN'T VOTE IF YOU'RE

OVER 18.

( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )

AND IT'S MORE-- I'D FEEL BETTER.

I'D FEEL BETTER.

AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST WORDS.

THESE KIDS ARE TAKING ACTION, ORGANIZING A SERIES OF SCHOOL

WALKOUTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND A MARCH IN WASHINGTON.

THESE KIDS ARE INSPIRING.

THE ONLY REASON I WALKED OUT OF CLASS WAS TO GO BEHIND THE

SCHOOL AND...

STUDY.

( LAUGHTER ) TODAY, THESE KIDS BUSSED TO

TALLAHASSEE TO ASK LAWMAKERS TO BEG LAWMAKERS, TO REINSTATE THE

ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN, THE VERY WEAPONS THAT WERE USED TO KILL

THEIR CLASS MATES.

AND WITH THESE STUDENTS WATCHING FROM THE GALLERY, THOSE

LEGISLATORS PROVED THEY HEARD THEIR ANGUISHED CRIES AND

VOTED NO ANYWAY.

WELL, I HOPE THESE KIDS DON'T GICH UP, BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR

LIVES AND THEIR FUTURE.

SOMEONE ELSE MAY BE IN POWER, BUT THIS COUNTRY BELONGS TO

THEM.

AND THERE IS REASON FOR HOPE.

LOOK AT THE #MeToo MOVEMENT.

A LOT OF MEN IN POWER DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.

BUT IT PROVED THAT CHANGE CAN HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

AND THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR.

SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGE, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE POLLS AND

TELL THE PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT PROTECT YOU THAT THEIR TIME IS

UP.