Gun-control advocacy group calls on Congress to pass gun reform

Parkland, Florida – An art installation by gun-control advocacy group March for Our Lives covered the National Mall Thursday with fake body bags in a message to lawmakers about gun violence.

The bags were part of an art installation, marking four years since the group’s first rally in D.C. in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

According to organizers, the more than 1,100 bags spelled out the words “thoughts and prayers,” which serve as a reminder to Congress that those words alone are not enough to end gun violence.

“We often hear politicians again, ‘we send our thoughts and prayers and today we wanted to reverse that message to show them the cost of just sending those thoughts and prayers without acting, which are these people,” said David Hogg, a gun control activist who survived the Parkland shooting.

Each bag represents around 150 people killed by guns since that massacre, which left 17 people dead and 17 more injured. March for Our Lives is calling for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to work to pass gun safety legislation, including universal background checks.

“Universal background checks are supported by 90% of Americans,” Hogg said.

“We aren’t divided on this issue. Congress is divided on this issue because there are special interests involved that don’t want them to act to protect our young people from violence. The fact of the matter is kids are dying every single day in their communities and in their schools from this issue in a way that doesn’t happen in basically any other high-income country.”