#NationalWalkoutDay Students Send A Message To Lawmakers "If Any Elected Official Gets In Our Way, We Will Vote Them Out"

High school students across the entire country are sending a clear and powerful message to the nation's lawmakers and the National Rifle Association that we need more than "thoughts and prayers" to solve our gun violence problem in the U.S.

These kids are woke.

From The New York Times:

Thousands of students, emboldened by a growing protest movement over gun violence, stood up in their classrooms on Wednesday and walked out of their schools in a nationwide demonstration, one month after a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Florida.

The 17-minute protests unfolding at hundreds of schools are intended to pressure Congress to approve gun control legislation after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and come 10 days before major protests in Washington and elsewhere.

Remember why we are walking out. We are walking out for my friends that passed, all children that have been taken because of gun violence. We are walking out for the empty desks in my classes, and the unsaid goodbyes. This epidemic of School shootings must stop. #Enoughwalkout

— Lauren Hogg (@lauren_hoggs) March 14, 2018

In support of the national student walkout over gun violence, Viacom cable networks, including MTV, Nickelodeon, BET and Comedy Central will all be suspending programming for #17minutes to honor the victims of the shooting at MSD High School in Parkland, Fla.#NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/0rdbwOoowN

— Red T Raccoon (@RedTRaccoon) March 14, 2018

Bravo.. #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/m2LpCcCWNO

— Not Afraid of the NRA (@blahblah8976) March 14, 2018

Students protest with backs turned to @WhiteHouse. #NationalWalkoutDay https://t.co/CYwD9qyzVq pic.twitter.com/Zyb9shdPZn

— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 14, 2018

“This is what Democracy looks like!” Students and allies rally outside of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. as part of #NationalWalkoutDay to protest for stricter gun laws. https://t.co/JuOWURifIL pic.twitter.com/zpLrLwkagJ

— ABC News (@ABC) March 14, 2018

Student speaks in front of the U.S. Capitol on #NationalWalkoutDay: “Their right to own an assault rifle does not outweigh our right to live. The adults have failed us. This is in our hands now, and if any elected official gets in our way, we will vote them out.” pic.twitter.com/VEdAcLnuOI

— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 14, 2018

WATCH: Drone footage shows Parkland students participating in #NationalWalkoutDay https://t.co/CMrz18WeFT pic.twitter.com/q7sEKqAmO6

— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 14, 2018

LIVE: Aerials of students walking out at Marjory Stoneman Douglas on #NationalWalkoutDay https://t.co/CMrz18WeFT https://t.co/9YDhdjwi4Y

— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 14, 2018

To anyone who talks down to students & millennial activists —

You need to recognize that we’re awake, aware, & active.

We may not have been in previous years, but we are now & we have the most to lose in this fight.

So lead, follow, or GTFO of the way.#NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/OCkPWHuXSj

— Millennial Politics (@MillenPolitics) March 14, 2018

[Swipe for more] It’s time to end gun violence! How many kids need to die before this all ends! We need to stand up for what’s right and make a change! 17 are gone how many more? We are students, we are kids, we are NOT targets.. Us as a whole need to make a stand for what’s right because we don’t need anyone else. #endgunviolence WE THE PEOPLE NOT WE THE GOVERNMENT #hsfiwalkout #nationalschoolwalkout TAKE A STAND FOR WHATS RIGHT

A post shared by Just Evan (@potentiallyevan) on Mar 14, 2018 at 8:48am PDT