♪ good morning, everyone, i'm ali velshi, live in washington, d.c.. >> and i'm alex witt, we're here for today's march for our lives, let's get started. >> you are watching what has become a worldwide movement unfolding before our very lives. today, you're watching history. check out the scene right here in washington, d.c. at least half a million people, including children, their parents, shooting survivors, they're expected to take part in today's march for our lives. >> this is our future that we're worrying about and for us the douglas students who were in the building, we saw our friends die in front of us and we, we want to make a change and we don't

want to let this ever happen again. >> our generation is sick of having to live through the mass shootings, having to be constantly prepared for tragedies like this. >> i'm stnding with all the people involved in the never again movement who desperately want to see common-sense gun legislation pass. this is a movement that will not stop. >> it's not about how you go down or what happens to you, it's about what you do after. >> i feel like our present unwillingness to change is devastating our future so if i don't use my time wisely while i'm on this earth. then what's my point? what's my purpose. >> show me your sign, it says something pretty incredible. read it to me. >> it says i can't vote you back in if eye dead. >> the fact that we're standing up to our politicians and we're telling them, this is enough. it means that change is going to happen. >> well the excitement is build hearing in our nation's capital, as thousands are poring into the streets for today's march for our lives. a rally demanding an end to gun

violence in the nation's schools. let's check out the scene in washington, d.c., half a million people could be taking part in this event. it's making it one of the biggest ever in d.c. >> it is truly incredible. listen to the noise around us. approximately 20 students at marjory stoneman douglas high school in parkland florida organized the march after 17 students and adults were killed in a mass shooting there exactly 39 days ago. their message is clear -- enough is enough. but this isn't the only place they're gathering, more than 800 rallies are planned in cities and towns across america and around the world. here's a live look at parkland, florida, which is holding its own march today. >> it's extraordinary. look at all of this around us. and the noise is building. and it's not just noise, it's music, it's the helicopters overhead. it's the people walking down the street. it is just -- it's exciting and inspiring. >> it's, there's some anger motivating people. there's camaraderie and support. there's people who are out here to support not just those

victims from parkland, but the victims from columbine, the victims from sandy hook. the victims from every shooting in america. they all come and say the same thing -- this has to stop. there's too much of it. we do it more than any other countries. you guys figure out a way to do it. if you don't, we're going to be here to pressure you and we're going to be here to vote. >> much admiration for these kids. joining us from d.c., others that we admire. nbc's mariana intense yoe and kerry sanders and msnbc's jacob soberoff, on the road to d.c. jacob, where are you, what's going on? >> we are out here in baltimore at mondaman mall, baltimore has seen a particularly violent year. here is the mayor of baltimore. i was saying to our viewers live on msnbc. baltimore last year had a particularly violent year.

"u.s.a. today" called baltimore the most violent single in the country. >> violence has been trending down base of the attention we're paying. the reason we're going to washington, d.c. is not just because of the violence that's occurring across this country. but with 300 shootings in schools in this nation. with 343 people died in our city last year because we have too many illegal guns, background checks need to be strengthnded and we're going to washington, d.c. so that our young people voices can be heard. they're in as much fear as any other town across this nation. >> mayor we're going to ride along with you today. you said 343 people died in your city. 300 of those were from gun violence. just on tuesday, someone lost their lives. how important is this march in this moment in time? >> what it says is that one, background checks need to be improved. what it also says to us is that this is one of the most violent nations in the world. there are other nations that don't have this kind of

violence. but because we have too many illegal guns and too many guns on the streets oufr cities and suburban communities, these laws have to be changed. >> mayor, you accepted the invitation from the students going to washington, d.c. why are you marching on washington today? >> let me just say that much of the laws that need to be changed have to be changed at the national level. and the lobbying that takes place in washington, d.c., around the nra, young people, we believe are the voices that can help influence those adults who sit in those seats that can change those laws. we believe that they hear these voices, that they'll change. so i'm going with them at their invitation, but i'm excited. because we provided no taxpayers' dollars involved at all. the dollars for it end. >> these are all volunteers. >> all volunteers. i have a call to action group representing 50 different groups around the city. cease-fire over there led by erica bridgeport. one of the groups that also

comes to city hall twice a month because they want to impact the reduction of violence in our city. >> that's mayor of baltimore. which bus are you going on by the way? >> that bus. >> i'll find you, we'll catch up with you and see you in a little bit. let me show you guys real quick. these are some of the students right here coming out this way. these are one of the two buses that the mayor is going to be riding on. we'll be along with the mayor. we'll be along with the students from here in baltimore. all day long on msnbc. and the mayor has got some fans, guys, send it back to you. >> okay. it's a road trip with jacob soberoff and company. >> mariana is over the road trip thing i think you came in with a bunch of students from kentucky, is that right? >> we drove with them for ten hours to the nation's capital but this morning i'm actually with a nonprofit group sandy hook promises. i'm here with nicole hockley, one of the co-founders, and nicole lost her son dialen in that elementary school shooting in 2012.

you were just talking about it in the previous hour. nicole there was a sense when sandy hook happened that change would come about. it did not happen. does this feel different right now? >> well this is very different right now. but a lot of change did happen after sandy hook. millions of people became involved in this movement. but didn't, that weren't involved before. so sandy hook in my opinion was the start of this movement. parkland is going to be the end of it, i hope. this is very different because it's students advocating for themselves, they're intelligent, they're articulate. they know how to use social media to mobilize people across the entire country very quickly. it's got new energy and it's really exciting. >> that social media element that wasn't so prevalent in 2012 as you state. and nicole, i know you went down to parkland after the shooting to console those students after they lost 17 people. what was that like for you? >> when i went down there, i really didn't know what i was walking into. i just wanted people to be aware that i was there if anyone wanted to speak with me or connect with people from

newtown. it was incredibly hard. i was very triggered, which i hadn't anticipated, seeing the school, the hospital, the disaster center. and it made me incredibly ill after. but i wanted to be there and be of service. >> be of service and that's why you're here today. strengthen, ali and alex, by these students from parkland that have been able to articulate that passion into action on an historic day like today. back to you guys. >> it's an historic day, it's building all around us, i have to say, alex. i thought it would be historic, i thought it would be a moment in history. as we look at these pictures and listen to the sounds around us and turn around and see the people streaming, i'm proud to say i'm here on a day that's going down in history. >> just watching it all, let's get it to kerry sanders, when i last spoke to you you were there by the stage where everything will be taking place, where are you now? >> well we've moved up a little

bit up pennsylvania avenue and just come along with me and what we're going to do is sort of just see who we can bump into. and we have some students right here. let me see your sign, first of all. okay. so great mills is your school. >> yes. >> i'm curious, why do you think that you have the power to make change? and how old are you? >> i am 17 years old. and i think we have the power because all these people are here today, and we've obviously made commotion and they let us come here to voice our opinions and i think with the platform in parkland shooting and what happened at great mills, people are listening now. people can feel how we, how we feel now. and i think we should be continue, because we are the future and i think we can do something to change it. >> so you've got some of your colleagues here. you guys look like you're all on the soccer team. i'm curious as you coalesce, not only as a team here, but with

people across the country, why do you in some way feel connected to the kids of parkland florida who inspired this? >> because we went through a shooting, too. it may not have been as catastrophic as parkland, because we only had two casualties, but. >> can i stop you for a second? you said "only" does that mean that you've come to accept that school shootings happen? >> in this day and age, it's surreal. our school shooting to me, i felt so -- it was so surreal to me. because you see so many school shootings and you think, oh, no, that's terrible. but it's so common now. because we have so much -- it's just bad. >> and so if i ask you after today, and i know you feel empowered, you see so many people here. after today, how do you keep this going forward? >> just nonstop until the change

happens. >> change would be what? how would you say, how do you define change? >> change gun laws. because the reason we're having all of these is because kids our age are having all the access to these weapons. and if they just keep getting the access and nothing is going to change. then these things are just going to keep happening. >> thank you very much. i'll let you guys go. i know you're trying to get a position closer to the stage. appreciate talking with you. and sort of this we wrap up here. maybe if i step out of the way we can read some of the signs that are coming through here. >> i should not be afraid to go to school. enough, how many more? fear has no place in school. here's another one. thoughts and prayers are not bulletproof. it just goes on and on. everybody has their statements, when you read the signs and hear what children are saying out here, you get the sense that there is a belief not only that there is a problem, but that they believe that there's a solution. alex?

>> yeah. >> let's hope. >> that's the part that's important. i spoke to some students from that school in maryland. who kerry was talking to there. i spoke to them yesterday and they said -- this can't end here. this can't be about expect that on monday, somehow congress is going to wake up and do something about this. this has got to translate into votes. it's got to translate into action and i actually believe it will. >> i think about kerry, he spoke with survivors of great mills. those -- >> it wasn't even a week ago. >> those children join 187,000 survivors of school shootings from primary and secondary schools across this country. that's larger than this population of the city of ft. lauderdale, florida. that's how many kids are living with this -- >> think about how many times in your and my career as journalists we've encountered danger and how it affects you and how it makes you think about your kids and their safety. these kids have been in shootings, in great mills they had two students die. you know, this is the kind of

thing that they don't get over. >> of course this movement was sparked by school shooting survivors. enough is enough. in just a few minutes we'll be talking with the columbine shooting survivor about what it all means to her. more than one and a half million american children are living in homes with loaded and unlocked firearms. we're going to explore that a little more. you're watching msnbc's continuing special coverage of the historic march for our lives. the. so to breathe better, i go with anoro. ♪go your own way copd tries to say, "go this way." i say, "i'll go my own way" with anoro. ♪go your own way once-daily anoro contains two medicines called bronchodilators, that work together to significantly improve lung function all day and all night. anoro is not for asthma . it contains a type of medicine that increases risk of death in people with asthma.

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we're here in d.c. at the march for d.c. it is filling up. it is a cold, cold morning. in washington, d.c. and that is keeping nobody in. we are going to have more than half a million people here this morning. and it's a celebration of success that is going to come. it is marking the deaths of many, many students across america over the decades. survivors of mass shootings have increased in number over the past generation and many of them are stepping into the political fray. they are demanding action. joining us now is lane murdoch. a high school student from ridgefield, connecticut, a town minutes away from sandy hook elementary school. sally kerrigan joins us as well, she's a survivor of the

columbine high school shooting. lane organized the national walkout on april 20th. which is also the anniversary of the mass shootings at columbine high school in 1999. both of these people are activists against is gun violence, they're participating in today's march. thank you for both of you for being here. you played a role in the march 14th walkouts across the nation. what do those achieve? and what message are you trying to send? >> i think they send a wonderful symbolic representation to all the students across the country. i think right now is getting all that symbolism together and turning it into real change. i think they're also just a great way to teach kids organizing empowerment. other than just the day after and the day during. >> one thing that stood out to me is these were remarkable, march 14th were remarkable walkouts, april 20th will be, parents who really supported their kids doing so. there were still some kids in america punished for walking out. i want to remind you all. if that happens to your kids or you are a student and that

happens to you, get in touch with us at msnbc and we will take care of that. we will go and talk about the fact that there is a first amendment in this country, your children have the same god-given right to protest than everybody else is given in this country. so thank you for these walkouts. >> you're a columbine survivor. first of all the 19 years processing all of that. is this something that ever leaves you? >> never. and it always changes how i feel. for some reason. this go-around with the parkland shooting, thanks to these kids it's given me a sense of hope that i've never felt before so i appreciate it. i'm actually, optimistic for once. >> you guys are the beginning of it, right? this entire generation of students like lane or the parkland kids, they have all been in the post columbine era. that changed things for everybody in america and the world. they didn't snow such a thing. >> it was an anomaly.

that's with we were told. we were counseled, consoled, promised, that this would never happen again. >> what were you promised and how does appointed are you -- i imagine none of those promises came true. >> i think we were promised that the changes were you know, they looked at video games and music and mental health which is still in the news and still needs to be addressed. but they looked at those were the answers. and that's what we were told and we believed them. so i felt like that's what we were promised. we were told that was the answer and that it will never happen again. >> lane, you're not willing to believe those promises any more? >> no. >> you guys are saying, we are the generation that is almost cured cancer and we've put people on the moof moon and we've done all of those things and yet this is a simple one that our generation hasn't been able to solve. so it sounds like you are going to. >> our lives are at stake.

that's why i'm always appalled when people are like who are you to protest? i'm like this is my life. you know learning to do lockdown drills since first grade. living in fear. america's children have grown up in fear. how can we not protest? >> lane i think about how you've picked this state in a walkout in commemoration in honor of what happened at columbine. you're going to lead the movement to get people out and walking out of their classrooms. i'm going to assume you weren't even alive. >> no, i was born in 2002. >> there you go. look at the legacy that columbine has left. it is a legacy you did not want to have. when you pick up the mantle, lane, what do you hope to do? do you think the communal experience of all of these horrific atrocities is what's really going to put all of this, propel it forward to some sort of a success? the measure of success for you? >> i think so, i think it has to. >> gun violence in this country is institutionalized.

something that's ingrained in american society. it's something that we all have some sort of experience with. i think that kind of same personal experience can really unite us together. columbine was a 1999 and i wasn't even born yet and we still haven't had impactful changes. >> but it is worth noting that whether it's sandy hook promise or every town or giffords or moms or what you've been doing in celebration of commemoration of what happened in columbine, but also with sandy hook, what you experienced in columbine this is coming together now. it is all finally happening and that is why it's important for everybody not to let go of this. lane, thank you for what you're doing. sally, thank you for what you've been doing. >> thank you so much. >> coming up, we are going to speak with the mayor of washington, d.c., muir muriel

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can you hear it, the music behind us here in the john marshall park? it's extraordinary and inspiring to say the least. look at the thousands already gathering, we're expecting half a million to be behind us on pennsylvania avenue today for this extraordinary rally and of course our special coverage for today's march of our lives continues right now. >> it's not just here. it's all over the world. >> people across the world are demanding lawmakers take action to stop gun violence in schools. >> the main rally is here in washington, d.c. at least half a million people are expected. reaching tens of thousands already and remember wherever you are. there are marches around the country and around the world. it's not too late to change your saturday mans and get out there.

this is a movement, this could end up being one of the biggest events this town has seen in let me tell you, this is washington, d.c., it's been, it's been, a town that's seen a lot of events, there are more than 800 sibling marches moenlizing now across the country. with students saying that they are tired of being afraid of gun violence and they're demanding that congress take action to tighten gun laws in this country. joining us now, washington, d.c. mayor muriel bowser. the "washington post" calls her the mayor who hates guns and if there's a label for a mayor, that's a good one to have. >> thank you for having us and for covering this great event. we see thousands of kids coming to washington, joining our kids from washington, d.c., demanding we get federal action on guns, we couldn't be happier to support them. >> mayor this is not just, we talk about guns in schools, but there are kids here from cities around the country like chicago, we've been talking about, who say, let's just get smart about

guns in general. it's not just in the classroom. it's outside the classroom where a lot of kids in this country die from gun violence as well. >> absolutely. we're here. not only to support safety in schools, but safety in cities across america we had a young man in our city killed, zahir kelly, whose brother is going to be here to remember him. we want to have common-sense gun laws, there's no reason to have assault-style weapons in our city, or bump stocks, high-capacity magazines. no reason why we can't have universal background checks, so from state to state, we have some unanimity. right across the bridge is virginia, we can control our laws here. we need to have a federal law that protects everybody. >> we look at this aerial view of your beautiful city and people filling up pennsylvania avenue. i think about the logistics of something like this. these kids have pulled this together. they've had a lot of help. but what was it like for you to

put this together with just over a month since the tragedy. >> it's only been a few weeks which makes this one particularly special. last year, last january we had about a million women here. >> i remember. >> and we weren't even expecting a million women, but we had them. and already today we've seen people stream in, people are riding our metro, filling up our metro lots, that's how i know they're going to reach the numbers they expect here in d.c. we've been very supportive of them. they've been incredibly organized. they want their voices to be heard and they're doing it in a very, very systematic way. where they reached out across the lines, you've heard them say, this is not a red or a blue issue. from suburbs, to cities like ours. touching kids that are impacted by gun violence each and every day. so i think this is the time and these kids are the leaders. >> you are the mayor who hates guns. >> mayor muriel bowser. we appreciate you and all you've done. >> some gun rights advocates say

that arming teachers could help combat mass shootings in schools, it's not as easy as it sounds what the undertaking could look like and what it could cost in just a few moments. there are 88.8 guns per 100 people. that is the highest rate in the world. think about that, too, as we go to break, you're watching msnbc special coverage of the historic march for our lives. for all the noses that stuff up around pets. there's flonase sensimist. it relieves all your worst symptoms

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one thing, one thing -- that's not something i want in my country. my name is corporal aiken. >> my name is specialist la haye. >> petty officer second-class day. >> corporal williams. >> airmen baitsle. >> corporal henderson. >> corporal dejesus. >> specialist parker. >> petty officer williams. >> my name is sergeant bell and i support the ban on military assault style rifles and safer gun laws in this country. >> wow. >> i think that's what the kids today call a mic drop. that is military experts for whom those assault weapons are built. for operating in a state of war. that was a video of american veterans taking a stand against

military assault rifles in civilian hands. army vet kyle houseman stokes who served in iraq said the parkland shooting was his breaking point. >> one of the solutions that lawmakers and the nra have proposed to protect students is to arm teachers. let's take a look at what teachers would be up against if they were armed with a handgun and confronted with an ar-15. and an ar-15 style rifle is semiautomatic, it fires one round when the trigger is pulled. automatically fills the chamber again. handguns can semiautomatic. some like revolvers are not. meaning it can take longer to fire multiple rounds. the speed of this bullets, the ar-15 can fire bullets between 2800 and 3,000 feet per second. this not the squeeze of a trigger pull. this is the speed the velocity at which the bullet goes out.

a 9-millimeter handgun shoots between 700 and 1100 feet per second. the ar-15 can hold much more ammunition than a handgun can. a typical ar-15 magazine holds 30 bullets, a 9-millimeter can typically hold up to 15 bullets. magazines that hold more are available, though, for each firearm in some states they are illegal, however. one doctor who has seen an ar-15 and handgun injuries gives a stark comparison of the damage that each firearm can do to a person's body. she says routine handgun injuries leave entry and handgun wrounds that are roughly the size of a bullet. when she saw the damage from a parkland victim, she said the organ looked like an overripe mel than had been slashed by a sledgehammer with extensive bleeding. the fact is that ar-15 style weapons are so popular with mass

shooters and they often lead to these overly deadly consequences. >> what a description there. >> let's go to nbc's jacob soberoff. en route to washington, d.c., with a group of students from baltimore. they've been on the road for half an hour. so they plan to be here for the start of the march. they're going to have to get to the back of the line i'm telling you, people are already streaming in, jacob. >> don't you worry about that, alex, we're on our way, i think we're about 33 miles. we just hit a little bit of traffic, but it just opened up again. i met dev moore, a ninth grader, right? >> yes. >> where do you go to school? >> franklin. >> right in baltimore? >> yes. dev was telling me he's got a personal connection to gun violence. tell me about that. >> because i want to get over there and for all of us, you know and like spread the feeling you know, because everybody has got different problems and the shootings is like not good for everybody and the teachers having guns, we ain't, i don't

respect that. >> you said you don't respect teachers having guns. how come? >> some teachers, they don't know how to shoot it and you know, like say if the school shooting do happen again, the teacher got a gun and the shooter walk in and she shoot the student. >> you don't think it's a good idea. and your cousin was shot. >> yes. >> your cousin is doing all right? >> yes, he walked in that stuff. >> that's very good to know. >> dev is here with so many other people. look the mayor of baltimore is right here as well. mayor, we're almost there, how much longer until we get there. >> y'all make some noise back there. >> about 45 minutes away, we very excited as you can see, we got children from various high schools here with us. we've got keys development has a whole group of young men that they mentor. forest park is in the house, who else is in the house? >> all right there you go. >> everybody is here with the mayor. we're going to be following along with the mayor. following along with dev throughout the day. this is an extraordinary group

and there's another bus of students right here next to us going in to washington, d.c. right now. all right, guys, i'm going to send it back to you. >> with the clout you have with the mayor on board, i think you guys get to cut the line when you get here. >> look at this, it doesn't start until noon eastern. we have a bunch of shots we can show you. all over this city. on the march, near where we are. on the streets of washington, d.c. they think they're going to get half a million students? i think they're going to do better than that. this is just unbelievable. the energy around us right now. is something else. i will say, though, the student that jacob was talking to, and the student we're about to talk to, students in urban settings who know people who have been shot. that is something that has to end, too. >> it sure does. >> well joining us now, we have former secretary of education arne duncan and a chicago student keyshawn newman. he lost his brother to gun violence. we have to talk about here back in 2016. welcome to you both. we're so glad to have you guys here, you bring chicago strong.

that's what you're doing. >> 500 young leaders. who have lost loved ones, this is very personal and our pain in chicago has been underreported. underappreciated. and to have our young men and women be able to share their powerful stories to the nation, i can't tell you how hopeful it makes me, he's an amazing young man. should not have to go through what he and his family have gone through. it's got to stop. 500 people rode buses all night to come here to say enough is enough. >> keyshawn, you're 15, right? >> yes. >> your brother was shot, a little older than you, a couple of years ago. >> yes, he was 16 years old. he was shot in a shootout just up the block from where he was. >> you said something interesting yesterday that stuck with me. you said it's not just about shootings in school. you're not ascared of getting shot in school as you are

outside of school. the whole gun culture is too much. >> it's a daily shooting every day. i just checked my phone from yesterday, it was two more shootings and one more that's been killed. just since yesterday, since i talked to you. >> you know what's extraordinary. he has an app on his phone, that allows him to check the number of shootings. >> people have no idea that's our reality. people don't understand how tough it is on the south side, on the west side of chicago. and it is a daily toll and just the build-up of trauma and anger and fear, to turn it into something positive. i can't tell you again how good that is. >> that's kind of amazing. it is something positive. >> what do you want to see come from this, keyshawn? there's no way we can bring back your brother. but certainly his memory can stay alive within you and as you try to make change what do you want to see happen? >> i want the world to be more safe environment for everyone. this march today is going to bring awareness around the country so others can come on and support the cause that we're

trying to have. to stop all of the gun violence. and let's get the acts. >> what a brave young man. >> keyshawn, thank you for doing what you're doing, your brother would be really proud of you for doing this. and secretary, thank you for bringing this to people's attention this not just an in-school question this is a gun violence question. >> this is a societal issue. america has a problem with guns. we as adults have failed to keep our young people safe and our young people are saying enough is enough and they're going to lead the country. >> arne duncan, former education secretary and keyshawn newman, a young activist who is going to lead the country. our live coverage is next. while president trump is at his mar-a-lago resort. this is something he probably should have stayed in town for. and former president barack obama and his wife michelle have sent a handwritten letter to the students rallying here in

washington, d.c. dated march 10 and to the students of parkland, it praises them for their resilience, resolve and solidarity and for helping awaken the conscience of a nation. you're watching msnbc special coverage of the historic march for our lives. with fidelity wealth management you get straightforward advice, tailored recommendations, tax-efficient investing strategies, and a dedicated advisor to help you grow and protect your wealth. fidelity wealth management.

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it is an extraordinary day as we welcome you back, everyone, giving you a live look at the stage just around the corner from where ali velshi andry sitting at our platform in the park. that's where a lot of activity is going to be happening starting at noon. they've got all sorts of celebrities. let's just say it what it is. >> these are the heroes. >> these are the heroes and the celebrities in our minds and hearts as you take a look at the kids, students, teachers, parents, all coming together. and they're expect a half a million to flood this. >> everybody who shows up in this and the more than 800 sister marches around the world, they are also heroes. bus they're changing the world. for those of you who have not

made plans. this a chance to be a part of history in washington or elsewhere. this is a big deal. >> we could talk about how glad we are to be here. they will be, too, for having to experience all of this. after the tragedy in parkland,c parkland florida, the president echoed nra suggesting arming teachers. well, let's look at that idea, shall we? that's about 718,000 educators. the washington post looked at a different path to reach the president's goal. if we can get all teachers in that course, it would cost just shy of $72 million but then let's say we want more expansive training, an ohio company gives a training called faculty emergency training or emergency response or faster program.

the company behind it is is buckeye foundation, it happens over three days of training and teachers can take the course for free. that's thanks to private and corporate donations. if three quarter of a million participated of the size of an army combined. taxpayers should have to shoulder some of that cost. 1,000 per par participant, that would balloon the proposal to $17 million. pretty much what you think when someone says a handgun. the company describes it as the world's most popular pistol. the guns could cost 59 million bucks total if we go by the basic gun safety training. the president's idea would cost $430.8 million. if we want to provide expansive training of the guns, that would bump the tab up to more than $1 billion. that's just a bit from

practically free. >> did you see the great sign a te teacher had here. th . i want to bring in marjorie stolen stoneman douglas student, she saved the life of 16 students by locking students in class. sarah, thank you for being here. there are teachers we talked about including from parkland who are ex mi-military, they ar teachers and they want to teach, they don't want to be lawyer enforcer s in class. >> yes, i don't own a gun. i give the military and police force credit for what dhthey do. i cannot do what they do and they cannot do what we do.

>> what if a student who's armed, am i going to shoot that student, that's not the instinct that a teacher have. >> you have to think of the accident. >> there has been two of them. >> exactly. >> there are too many unknown variables. if i had a weapon, it would have been locked in my closet and by the time i got to the weapon, i would have been shot. i was not in the 1200 building. i was in building six. but from my classroom i could see building 12, i would have been dead by the time i can access my gun. >> these weapons end up being assault weapons verses a handgun. fundamentally, there is a principle view that teachers take, you inherently wish to protect your children, what you did locking your students in

your cloass. >> right, we don't go to college, when we become teachers i should say. none of this is in the training of what we receive how to ma move a gun and do those things. we are taught code red protocol which we followed and you know your first instinct is to protect the kids. i am a mom and you just kind of go into mom mode. most of my kids call me mom. you kind of go in crisis mode and everybody in, lock the door and you stay in a safe place and you wait. having a gun would not have kept me safe. >> i understand that you are close with emma gonzalez. >> yes. >> she's a remarkable young lady who came out the wake of the tragedy and spear headed of what's happening today. can you speak to us how she feels today? >> emma was in my journalism one

class last year. she has my whole heart. she's out spoken and passionate and she's just wonderful. and the emma that you see is the emma that i always got to see. i have not seen her yet today because i just got in this morning. i can guarantee she's proud of what is happening here. the number of people who are here. the change that is being made. the voices that are now being heard. you know she's right. we call bs. something got to change. >> they are on the cover of "times" magazine and they are attacked and targeted by the nra. they don't care. >> sarah, thank you for doing what you did. you are one of our american heroes. >> thank you. >> a lot of americans are becoming heroes today just by showing their support. >> it is an extraordinary time. we are grateful to be here and part of this to get up this energy and listen to music and it is been a wonderful time being with you.

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all right, i cannot believe how quickly this has gone. i cannot believe we are two hours from the beginning of the actual march. this is unbelievable what's

going on here. thank you for joining us for our live coverage kicking off the march for our lives here in washington, d.c. thank you for being with me this morning. >> my pleasure. >> this has been fun to do this. we have been watching history. >> of course, we sure have. right around this time i hand off to my sister from another mother as we like to say. >> and our brother. we have made ourselves all family. >> that's right. >> the voice and the feeling and the emotions. >> never have i been more proud to live in broward county. >> yep. >> broward county florida has shown the entire country the meaning of activism. these kids are so smart and dedicated and calm in the face of, they are standing their celebrities and we'll be with ariana