In the wake of the Santa Fe High School mass shooting that killed eight teenage students and two teachers on Friday, Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg called on his Twitter followers to advocate for gun control during their graduation ceremonies.
With college and high school graduation season in full swing, Hogg invited people to spray paint their graduation caps orange to show "support of common sense gun laws," via a tweet Saturday.
Hogg, 18, said he'd be painting his cap orange for graduation at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were killed in February by a gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle.
"Feel free ... to join if you want," he wrote, using the hashtag #OrangeCaps.
The thread below Hogg's tweet became a forum to sound off on the best ways to stop school shootings.
Santa Fe was at least the 20th incident in which someone was injured with a firearm on the campus of a U.S. school in 2018.
March for Our Lives Arizona will hold a candlelight vigil for victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting Monday evening at the state Capitol.
Some people said they would join Hogg and paint their caps orange, the official color of the March for Our Lives movement.
"It will draw attention to the madness," wrote a Twitter user with the handle @khoeprich. "It will keep the focus on the cause."
Others were skeptical.
"Sounds like a plan," wrote a Twitter user with the handle @scrimshankpotus. "Orange hats will stop the madness."
Another Parkland student responds
Parkland mass shooting survivor Emma González mourned Santa Fe victims.
She said the March for Our Lives movement would support the Texas Santa Fe High students who participated in the nationwide walk out of schools in March, calling for gun control to prevent more school shootings.
"You deserve more than Thoughts and Prayers, and after supporting us by walking out we will be there to support you by raising up your voices," she wrote.
Others chime in with suggestions
One Twitter user suggested using orange ribbons to avoid rules about decorating caps. Another suggested orange neckties as an alternative.
A Twitter user with the handle @pikapower18 said that altering graduation caps is against the rules at our school, "but they didn't say anything about wearing orange ribbons!"
Using the hashtags #OrangeCaps #NeverAgain, @Mike07149190 wrote, "I still need to get an orange necktie."
Hogg's followers say the movement is is gaining traction.
"The momentum is building," wrote @RonnyMcGinley. "It's your time. You will win."
Other responses
Others people said the push for gun control is futile and people should focus on bullying and drugs.
"Kids are weaker today. They also have no respect for the law and no respect for human life," said a Twitter user with the handle @jpruli12, adding that the real issues aren't guns, but rather "bullying ... and mental health."
"Vegas shooter also used assault weapons," Rulison tweeted. "This kid used a shotgun and a revolver. Should those be banned as well?"
