People > Guns Speech

This speech was given by Chris J. Suggs at the People > Guns Rally on September 17, 2023 organized by the Young Democrats of North Carolina, North Carolina Association of Teen Democrats, and College Democrats of North Carolina:

My name is Chris Suggs, and I come to you today representing two vastly different worlds in which I am a part of. I was born in East Kinston, a neighborhood that has been ranked as the most economically distressed in our entire state. Yet, I also spent four years as a student at UNC Chapel Hill, nestled in North Carolina's wealthiest and healthiest county. In Chapel Hill, I served as President of our Black Student Movement and Senior Class President for the Class of 2021. Now, I serve as a city councilmember in Kinston, currently the youngest elected official in our state.

Kinston, a small town grappling with poverty, is no stranger to the scourge of gun violence, an issue that disproportionately affects young people like me. It is this very issue that led me to start an organization to help young people organize and make a difference in our community. But this issue of gun violence transcends Kinston's borders and echoes across this nation.

In the span of just two weeks, my alma mater, UNC Chapel Hill, has experienced two campus-wide lockdowns due to the ever-present threat of gun violence. Two incidents, multiple lives forever changed, and countless others living in fear.

I stand here today to draw a parallel between Kinston and Chapel Hill, two places that might seem worlds apart but are in fact bonded by an unfortunate thread. In Kinston, young people worry about themselves or their loved ones being gunned down in the street. In Chapel Hill, students are forced to shelter in place on their campus because of the constant threat of shootings. Though our circumstances may differ, the fear and pain we experience are all too similar.

So today, I declare that we are tired. We have had enough of our lives being marred by gun violence. I might be the youngest elected official in our state now, but I promise you, this won't be the case for long. It is time for our elected officials, at the local, state, and federal levels, to take meaningful action.

If they do not, they should know this: young people are ready, and we are coming. We are coming to vote you out, and we are coming to run for office ourselves. From school boards and city halls, to state legislatures and the halls of Congress, Gen Z is ready, willing, and more than capable to lead.

We are the generation that has grown up in the shadow of gun violence, forced to endure lockdown drills alongside math and science. We are the generation that has seen far too many lives cut short and communities shattered by senseless acts of violence. We are the generation that refuses to accept this as our reality any longer.

We do not want to live in a society where our safety is constantly in question, where our educational institutions become fortresses, and where the lives of our loved ones are put at risk every single day. We demand change, and we demand it now.

We need comprehensive gun reform that addresses the root causes of violence and keeps firearms out of the wrong hands. We need mental health support and resources for those in crisis. We need stronger background checks, waiting periods, and red flag laws. We need investment in our communities, education, and opportunities for our youth.

But let me be clear: this should not be a partisan issue, but here in North Carolina, it is. Rather than take meaningful action, Republicans in our General Assembly like Tim Moore or my own Representative, Chris Humphrey, make snide comments and snarky tweets dismissing the very valid concerns of our young people. Rather than invest in our schools, they tie up our state budget because they’re worried about casinos. Rather than prioritize healthcare, they pass laws to infringe on our voting rights.

So, to our elected officials, I say this: heed our call. Take action now, because we, the young people of this state and nation, will not stand idly by any longer. Enough is enough!