Wednesday was marked by the mass exodus of students from reportedly over 3,500 schools who cut class and took to the streets for gun control. The liberal media flocked to the nationwide spectacles to hear their talking points parroted back at them. ABC, CBS, and NBC all led their evening newscasts with the protests.
NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt gushed about the walkouts by calling them an “unprecedented and powerful display.”
“From Maine to California, Alaska to Parkland, Florida, where one month ago, from the depths of tragedy, a movement was born,” Holt pontificated. “As the clock struck 10:00 a.m., students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school and thousands of schools nationwide left their classrooms to honor the victims of school gun violence and demonstrate in support of stricter gun laws.”
In the report, NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez began by declaring “today, across the country, the loudest lesson was outside the classroom.” “Organizers say more than 3,500 schools participated throughout all 50 states. Student activists are now planning a national march on Washington in ten days,” he touted. He also highlighted students protesting in California despite the fact they have some of the most draconian gun laws in the country.
NBC also chided those who opposed the protests, including parents. “But not everyone thought this was a teachable moment. Some students threatened to discipline students who walked out,” Gutierrez whined.
Meanwhile, on ABC’s World News Tonight, sensationalist anchor David Muir was also hyping the walkouts as “powerful images.” And ABC reporter Victor Oquendo marveled at the “sea of students seizing their moment.” “In Washington, D.C., the students turned their backs on the White House and sat in silence,” the reporter added. “In Evanston, Illinois, the teenagers calling their legislators to demand gun reform.”
In wrapping up their report, Muir and Oquendo complained about gun control not being a part of the bi-partisan school safety bill that just passed the House. “And Victor, as you know, in Washington, they passed a school violence bill in the House, but tonight, critics say it doesn't actually have any gun control measures,” Muir asked. “That's right, David. It's called the Stop School Violence Act and it does not address gun control at all,” Oquendo replied.
CBS Evening News also began their segment by marveling how a “sea of students streamed out of the school behind a national movement.” While they did tout the attention the students were getting from Congressional Democrats, they did show respect to those who thought there was a better way to act.
“But the father of 14-year-old victim Alaina Petty wants a different approach,” reported CBS’s Adriana Diaz. “On Twitter, Ryan petty encouraged students to walk up to the kid who causes disturbances in class and ask how he's doing adding the hashtag walk up, not out.”
The networks were still turning a blind eye to students who were pro-Second Amendment and were advocating other school safety reforms, like Parkland student Kyle Kashuv, who has taken the time to meet with national leaders on both sides to promote the Stop School Violence Act.
The relevant portions of the transcripts are below, click expand to read:
NBC Nightly News
March 14, 2018
7:01:22 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening, and thank you for joining us. It was an unprecedented and powerful display that unfolded across the country today. From Maine to California, Alaska to Parkland, Florida, where one month ago, from the depths of tragedy, a movement was born. As the clock struck 10:00 a.m., students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school and thousands of schools nationwide left their classrooms to honor the victims of school gun violence and demonstrate in support of stricter gun laws. A moment that spanned the intersection of learning and politics. Our Gabe Gutierrez has details.
[Cuts to video]
GABE GUTIERREZ: Today, across the country, the loudest lesson was outside the classroom.
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT: I won’t die saying nothing.
GUTIERREZ: In Parkland, Florida, where exactly one month ago today a gunman's rampage changed everything, an incredible exodus. 17 minutes to honor the 17 victims and calls to tighten gun restrictions.
(…)
GUTIERREZ: At 10:00 a.m., students streamed onto the football field, but then -- the walkout lasted much longer than 17 minutes. Students flooded out of the school then walked to a nearby park. Where they'd once fled in terror, they now marched defiant. What effect do you think this will have?
(…)
JACOB SOBOROFF: Despite the fact California already has some of the most stringent gun control laws in the entire nation, all of these students here to call for gun control.
GUTIERREZ: The historic walkouts fueled by social media, today powerful images, 17 empty desks. Students spelling out #enough on their football field. But not everyone thought this was a teachable moment. Some students threatened to discipline students who walked out.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I would rather my kids be in school safe and I don't believe this demonstration is really going to change anything.
GUTIERREZ: Tonight it is a generation sitting silent no more.
[Cuts back to live]
Organizers say more than 3,500 schools participated throughout all 50 states. Student activists are now planning a national march on Washington in ten days. Lester?
HOLT: Gabe Gutierrez, thank you. And Gabe, it was a historic day. With so many of these powerful young voices being raised across the country, with so much to say, I want to take a moment now to let you hear their messages in their own words.
(…)
ABC
World News Tonight
March 14, 2018
6:31:47 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: Good evening. And it's great to have you with us here on a very busy Wednesday night. And we begin tonight with the powerful images playing out across this country today. Just as a difficult scene played out inside a Florida courtroom at the same time. Tens of thousands of students staging a massive coordinated protest against gun violence, one month after the shooting rampage killed 17 people at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. From Parkland to Littleton, Colorado, to Evanston, Illinois. Students at Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles with a moment of silence, standing right there behind 17 empty chairs.
While in that Florida courtroom today, alleged gunman Nikolas Cruz face-to-face with the families of the victims. What his lawyers asked for, and the calls we never heard before. ABC's Victor Oquendo leading us off.
[Cuts to video]
VICTOR OQUENDO: A sea of students seizing their moment. At 10:00 a.m., classmates from more than 3,000 schools walking out, in solidarity with the victims of the parkland shooting. Saying when it comes to gun violence, they've had enough.
CROWD: What do we want? Gun control. When do we want it? Now.
(…)
OQUENDO: The heart-wrenching memories of that day, etched in the minds of the thousands who turned out nationwide. In Washington, D.C., the students turned their backs on the White House and sat in silence. Telling our David Kerley they should not be living in fear.
(…)
OQUENDO: In Evanston, Illinois, the teenagers calling their legislators to demand gun reform.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: And Victor Oquendo with us live once again tonight from Parkland, Florida. And Victor, as you know, in Washington, they passed a school violence bill in the House, but tonight, critics say it doesn't actually have any gun control measures?
OQUENDO: That's right, David. It's called the Stop School Violence Act and it does not address gun control at all. What it does is dedicate half a billion dollars towards training law enforcement officers and school officials and also adds security equipment around schools. It passed by an overwhelming majority, but Democrats say it doesn't do enough. David?
CBS Evening News
March 14, 2018
6:31:18 PM EasternJEFF GLOR: Good evening. We're going to begin tonight with walkouts across the country as a suspect appears in court in Florida. Hundreds of thousands of high school students left schools for at least 17 minutes, one minute for each of the people killed in parkland one month ago today. At the U.S. Capitol, students were joined by some House and Senate leaders. The national walkout was inspired by the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and Adriana Diaz is there tonight.
[Cuts to video]
ADRIANA DIAZ: A sea of students streamed out of the school behind a national movement. Parents at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School cheered them on like Rick and Rosemary Jensen.
(…)
DIAZ: But the father of 14-year-old victim Alaina Petty wants a different approach. On Twitter, Ryan petty encouraged students to walk up to the kid who causes disturbances in class and ask how he's doing adding the hashtag walk up, not out. Still, in Portland, Oregon student who walked out formed a clear message (stood in the shape of a peace sign). And even snow a fringed temperatures Akron, Ohio, didn't stop the youngest students determined to show their support.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
DIAZ: While the walkout was underway, the NRA tweeted, "Let's work together and secure our schools and stop school violence. We protect our banks, our sports stadiums and our government buildings better than we protect our schools." The NRA wants congresses to push through legislation increases school safety.
