People are wearing #MSDStrong shirts for nationwide student walkout
On Wednesday, a month after 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., thousands of students participated in a nationwide walkout. While the larger purpose of the protest serves to highlight what some perceive as the U.S. government’s inaction on preventing gun violence, many participants are making smaller statements of their own through posters, chants, and tweets.
One of the more prominent messages was #MSDStrong, seen emblazoned on maroon T-shirts. So where did everyone get their apparel for a good cause? Following the shooting in February, a group of Marjory Stoneman Douglas students launched an e-commerce platform to sell the T-shirts and sweatshirts, which many saved to wear just for this important occasion.
Our daughters wanted to do something to support the #MSDstrong kids. So they will wear these today at their Academy. All kids want to feel safe, they need to know we support them #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/HbYvO7ucu0
— Ron L Pitts? (@RonLPitts) March 14, 2018
In honor of the 1 month anniversary, I take the @ParentsPromise and we wear our #MSDStrong shirts to school & work today.#ParentsPromiseToKids #PPTK#SafetyOverGuns#NeverAgain#NeverAgainMSD#CrazyHairDay
Take note @FLGovScott @marcorubio @SenBillNelson – we aren't going away pic.twitter.com/yLk3MroYbM— Traci Halky (@TraciHalky) March 14, 2018
#MSDStrong repped Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS today, and although me buying a t-shirt doesn’t fix the problem at hand, i’m proud to show my support to the community that has gone through the unimaginable. our generation is the change. pic.twitter.com/srGpxrjAay
— presley (@PresleyWoodbury) March 13, 2018
According to USA Today, the online shop made $175,000 in one week. Profits from the sales of the items — T-shirts are $20 and hoodies are $35 — benefit the Broward Education Foundation’s GoFundMe, which was launched a day after the shooting and has raised $4 million to date.
Not only did people wear the official #MSDStrong shirts, they made their own — with a twist. At Clearwater High School, for example, students sported tees with their own mascot, a tornado, and an eagle to represent solidarity with the nearby Florida school.
Students have designed shirts combined Clearwater’s mascot, the Tornado, with Marjory Stoneman Douglas High’s mascot, the Eagle. pic.twitter.com/LlmkfPBONO
— Colleen Wright (@Colleen_Wright) March 14, 2018
Clearwater High seniors had these shirt made to show their support of #MarjoryStonemanDouglasHigh and the #Parkland victims @WFLA pic.twitter.com/E2Znocd9hz
— Amanda Ciavarri (@WFLAAmanda) March 14, 2018
At Tulpehocken High School in Pennsylvania, students weren’t allowed to participate in the walkout, so members of the student council wore long-sleeved shirts with #DouglasStrong on them instead.
Since Tulpehocken couldn’t do the #walkout the student council wore these shirts in support of parkland @PrincipalMSD pic.twitter.com/SxfmJFINqO
— Ari.Ari.A (@Aria64082411) March 14, 2018
Of course, people also purchased shirts through Etsy, Redbubble, Teespring, and other online stores, all profiting from the tragedy instead of donating the funds to victims. However, the people wearing them seem to be doing so for the right reasons — and that’s what counts.
Today marks one month since the tragedy at Stoneman Douglas, teachers at my school are wearing this shirt in honor of the 17 victims and to raise awareness ?? #MSDstrong #NeverAgain pic.twitter.com/tFRgoy8eLS
— Javi (@Perdomus_) March 14, 2018
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