Since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas on February 14, teens across the nation have become the face and the voice of the gun control movement. The new generation, who are demanding the government take action against gun violence and implement harsher laws for gun ownership, are also being attacked by adults across the nation who are on the other side of the debate.
Dozens of media outlets have done interviews and profiles of the teens who are driving the force that is behind ‘March For Our Lives’ and the gun control campaign, including Teen Vogue.
Introducing our March cover stars: The activists leading the #MarchForOurLives. Meet the new voices of gun reform — from Parkland and beyond — raising their voices to make gun violence a thing of the past: https://t.co/Xg0eBoZD3l #NeverAgain pic.twitter.com/ic3TjImMKM
— Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) March 23, 2018
Along with an interview and profile, there were professional photos of the teens taken, including one of Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the Parkland, Fl. shooting on February 14th. One of the photos features Gonzalez ripping up a shooting target, sending a powerful message to the NRA and other pro-gun individuals.
"We, the youth of the United States, have built a new movement to denounce gun violence and call for safety in all of our communities. This is only the beginning." @Emma4Change pens a searing op-ed on this generation's plans to make change: https://t.co/MV34GJgrdI #NeverAgain pic.twitter.com/FWTpOD1WKL
— Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) March 23, 2018
However, someone on the Internet decided to photoshop the image and replace the target with the United States Constitution–creating the message that the teens are “fighting to take away Constitutional rights.” People on Twitter were outraged and disgusted to see adults cyber-bullying a teenager and creating a false image and conversation after she was the victim of a school shooting.
Conservatives are spreading around a fake image of Emma Gonzalez tearing up the constitution. The fact that 30+ year olds are hating on an 18 year old girl calling for change lets me know that we're winning. You must be very scared for your precious guns if you have to photoshop.
— Carlos (@blazingxmexican) March 26, 2018
Justy a sample of what NRA supporters are doing to teenagers who survived a massacre (real picture on the right). pic.twitter.com/czX7IHD8ur
— Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) March 25, 2018
Regardless of what side of the gun debate you're on, stop spreading the picture of Emma Gonzalez ripping the constitution. It's photoshopped. This is the original picture pic.twitter.com/tZkZgzMcbh
— uwu tang clan???️? (@trash_1999) March 25, 2018
“The Parkland kids are paid actors and can’t be trusted!” say the people who photoshopped an image of Emma Gonzalez tearing up the constitution and tried to pass it off as real, causing her to receive death threats a month after surviving a mass shooting.
— OhNoSheTwitnt (@OhNoSheTwitnt) March 26, 2018
People are sharing a fake image of Parkland shooting survivor Emma Gonzalez ripping up the Constitution.
She’s not.
In the real image, she’s ripping up a gun-target poster for a @TeenVogue photo shoot. pic.twitter.com/ansO4D9xZk
— AJ+ (@ajplus) March 26, 2018
Just a sample of what NRA supporters are doing to the Parkland teenagers who survived their school massacre. Using Photoshop to defame them. The real picture is on the right. Emma Gonzalez tore a gun target, not the Constitution. #NRAisaTerroristOrganization #NeverAgain #NRA pic.twitter.com/Q6cdkw6qDI
— Katlady (@EkateG) March 25, 2018
There's a shitty, fake image circulating of Emma Gonzalez tearing the constitution.
Do not read the threads – almost everyone in them thinks the image is real and the vitriol they're expressing is… ?
It's 2018 and people still fall for very bad Photoshop jobs. SHM.
— Kendra "Gloom is My Beat" Pierre-Louis (@KendraWrites) March 24, 2018
Note to 2A nuts:
If you have to photoshop Emma Gonzalez ripping up the Constitution, don’t expect anyone to keep buying your claim that you need your guns to overthrow a tyrannous government. You want them because you are small-dicked, small-minded, wannabe Rambos.
— Jeffrey Flood (@JeffreyFlood) March 26, 2018
How do you know the conservative movement is fucked up: They're passing around photoshop image of Emma Gonzalez to distract from the gun control debate,
— John Conner (@MotorCityLib) March 26, 2018
The fact that you had to photoshop Emma Gonzalez ripping up the constitution tells us everything we need to know
— Sparky ? (@sparks_smxth) March 26, 2018
#EmmaGonzalez is NOT tearing up the constitution. She is tearing up a gun target, this Photoshop is a despicable lie from despicable trolls who haven't the decency in their entire bodies that she and the other #ParklandStudents have in their little fingers. https://t.co/eyAr2d9nFT
— Luanna Meyer (@LuBonLez) March 25, 2018
Whether or not you support their cause, the teens are survivors and victims of a traumatic incident that have changed their lives forever. No one should make a joke of the situation or spread false information about them. Having an opinion is all well and fine, but lying in order to validate your view is outrageous. Do better, be better.