LINCOLN — Nebraska Students Demand Action and Nebraska Moms Demand Action, both a part of Everytown For Gun Safety, coordinated with Nebraskans Against Gun Violence in a student-led rally for gun sense at the Nebraska Capitol on April 6, 2023.
The student-led rally focused on opposing Nebraska’s LB 77—a bill introduced by Sen. Brewer of Gordon, Nebraska. The bill has advanced to the final round of debate and, if passed, would authorize concealed carry without a permit in Nebraska.
Norah Hodge, a fifth grader from Elkhorn, said she loves to dance and be with her friends but has been scared that a shooting could happen at her school or dance studio. Last year, Hodge was in the same grade as the students killed in May 2022 at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
“The fact that lawmakers are having trouble seeing how unsafe schools have become and fixing that problem is infuriating,” Hodge said.
“There are things we can do to encourage lawmakers to make better decisions. We can show up to more rallies. We can write letters to our lawmakers. We can be louder than a gunshot.”
norah hodge
“My daughter goes to dance class; she’s afraid of getting shot. She cries to me sometimes at night.”
Jennifer Hodge
On April 5, 2023, thousands of students across the United States participated in walkouts to protest gun violence, which has become the number one cause of death for American children ages 1 and 18, according to a special report by the New England Journal of Medicine.
Jayden Speed, an 18-year-old student activist from Nehawka, Nebraska, participated in organizing the rally. He engages civically by volunteering on campaigns, testifying in legislative committees and contacting Nebraska lawmakers to address issues he believes are essential to his community.
“My senator usually meets me with ignorance and indifference,” Speed said. “But we have lawmakers that are reasonable in Nebraska that we can reach out to.“
jayden speed
State Sen. Jane Raybould, representing Nebraska’s 28th legislative district, attended and spoke at the rally opposing LB77. She supported red flag laws and called for more action on common sense gun safety solutions.
“I asked my fellow state senators one simple question, what are you doing to keep Nebraska children safe from gun violence? And you know what their answer is? Nothing.”
Nebraska State Sen. Jane Raybould
