Students from the latest school shooting in Florida went to CNN recently, accusing Republican lawmakers of “accepting blood money” from the NRA. They said that politicians have failed America by allowing guns into schools and that it is now time to act.

Apparently, these kids are being used by the Democratic Party to push its agenda of gun restrictions. This is a very dangerous path to go down, and the Democrats are doing it for a reason. 

Let us examine the main spokesman for the students, Cameron Kasky. His recent efforts are understandable considering he was present at the Parkland school shooting, and any kid in his situation would want to do what he or she thought was right to prevent something similar from happening. But the Democrats are wrong for capitalizing on his politically charged emotions. 

The media is trying to portray Kasky as springing into action as an advocate for gun restrictions as a result of this tragedy, but this is false.

A closer look at his social media — which is no longer online — shows that Kasky has been espousing liberal values long before this shooting occurred. His Facebook cover photo is of former President Obama and Michelle with Democratic Congressman John Lewis and others. He has also shared numerous posts about the “GOP Tax Scam” and how Trump has been bad for the economy. He has even referenced the NRA and him wanting members to shoot themselves.

The majority of his political posts – which make up about half of all his posts — call out Republicans for being wrong on various issues.

It is evident that Kasky was vocal in his liberal views before this shooting, and the Democrats are seemingly trying to capitalize on that.

Kasky’s opinion should not be valued more than others just because he was in the school. Kasky is a liberal student and, unsurprisingly, he is reacting to a problem with a liberal solution. With his “you’re either with us or against” ultimatum, it is clear that his group is not willing to listen to others.

This is not the way we should seek answers.

As we have seen, this method has only led politicians in circles back to banning bump-stocks, which have nothing to do with the Parkland shooting, and will only give Democrats a political “win.” Democrats are disgraceful for using Kasky and other survivors to push their own agenda. 

If Democratic politicians were serious about ending gun violence, they would be advocating for open discussion on the issue with insightful experts and factual data — not using the voices of emotional and distressed children who recently had a near-death experience. 

Other factors still exist in this conversation that many people have not discarded as being more influential in school shootings; mental health issues, lack of religion, lack of discipline at home, and other environmental influences. This latest shooting also calls into question the effectiveness of the FBI, which failed to follow-up on a tip about the shooter.

Maybe it’s time to search for different solutions to preventing mass shootings and tackle the real societal problems plaguing our country and producing mass murderers: lack of communication, openness, and sympathy for others.

Teenagers like Cameron Kasky simply do not have the answers we need. They are uneducated on the topic, and their experience is only a testament to the fact that we need a solution. 

If Democrats are successful in this campaign for more gun restrictions, I fear this tactic of using emotional children will become more prominent than it already has. Teenagers and young college students will take to the streets even more, and with a new sense of pride and arrogance – an attitude that they can change anything by protesting in the streets.

A portion of American politics will then be determined by the reactionary opinions of teenagers, and America will be worse off because of it. All of us — even liberals — should oppose this method and instead rely on insight, research, and facts to solve the issues of our time.