Michigan's March for Our Lives draws thousands to Capitol

LANSING - Thousands of people trekked through downtown Lansing on Saturday, walking from the Hall of Justice to the Capitol in the March for Our Lives, part of a national movement to fight gun violence.

Similar marches took place across the nation, sparked by the shooting deaths of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. in February. About 100 people attended a pro-Second Amendment rally at the Capitol on Saturday afternoon.

During Lansing's March For Our Lives rally in the morning, chants of "enough is enough" and "vote them out" filled the air as the crowd gathered at the Capitol steps to hear speakers. Speakers and signs criticized the National Rifle Association, saying it was preventing sensible gun control laws and allowing more Americans to be killed. 

More:March for Our Lives rally in Lansing captured on social media

Michael Lynn III, one of the Lansing Catholic football players who knelt during the national anthem at some games last fall to draw attention to violence and discrimination against black people, was the first speaker. Lynn is now a student at Sexton High School.

"No one should have to be afraid to go to school, just like no one should be afraid to walk through their neighborhood while being black," he told the crowd. "Today, I want you to recognize the importance of cross racial mobilization and the power that we hold. 

"Remember the civil rights movement? It was fueled by youth leaders and student activists. ... We are 2018's freedom riders."

Cydney Jenkins, a 14-year-old from Farmington Hills, organized the state Capitol march. 

"Today, we are here to the support the survivors of the shooting in Parkland," she said. "We are here so there is never a child being slaughtered in a school ever again. Not in a movie theater. Not at a concert. Nowhere in the U.S. will we see innocent people slaughtered at such large scales. Never. 

"Because how great of a country are we when we are killing ourselves? How great are we if the terrorists we fear are us?"

Another student speaker was Adele Colson, a junior at Holt High School. She was in Washington, D.C. days before the Parkland shooting lobbying for stricter gun laws. 

"What has our country come to when our children have to fight for our lives?" she said. "But here we are. They tell us to use our voices and to speak up, but the hard part is that we have to do that whether someone is listening or not."

More:Putnam: 'Fear has no place in our schools' say students joining new movement

Several Democrats also spoke, often criticizing Republicans in the state legislature for failing to enact gun control laws. 

Gretchen Whitmer, a Democratic candidate governor and former state senator from East Lansing, said gun violence should not be a partisan issue and said the rally was not a moment but part of a movement.

State Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr., D-Meridian Township, criticized the lack of action to address gun violence. 

"Every time we've seen gun violence in this country, their only answer is more guns," he said, referring to Republican lawmakers.

Chants broke out often throughout the speeches. "Vote them out" and "enough is enough" were among the most common. As march organizer Jenkins concluded the rally, the crowd began to chant "Cydney, Cydney, Cydney."

Hours later, a rally organized by 111% United Patriots of Michigan was held on the same Capitol steps in support of the Second Amendment and Constitutional enforcement. Like the first rally of the day, there was talk of politicians being bought by special interest groups and a statehouse that needed to be reminded that it works for the people.

There were several speakers, including several political candidates. State Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, a Republican candidate for governor, was among them. 

"If we do not assert our rights," he told the crowd, "we will lose them."

Contact Matt Mencarini at (517) 267-1347 or mmencarini@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattMencarini.