During a break in the Senate confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Fred Guttenberg—the father of 14-year-old murdered Marjory Stoneman Douglas student, Jaime—approached Brett Kavanaugh. Cameras captured audio of Guttenberg introducing himself and attempting to shake Kavanaugh's hand.
Without a response, SCOTUS nominee Kavanaugh refuses the handshake, turns his back on Guttenberg and walks away.
News of Kavanaugh's deliberate snub of Guttenberg—despite hearing who he was and why he was there—spread on social media, complete with video footage capturing Kavanaugh's reaction.
But shared trauma can form a strong bond and Kavanaugh's snub hurt more than just Fred Guttenberg and the memory of his daughter Jaime. Other students who survived the mass shooting at the Parkland, Florida, high school quickly shared their outrage over the treatment of the father of their friend and classmate.
The mass shooter entered the freshman wing of the school. Lauren Hogg—also 14 and a freshman at the time of the shooting—lost four friends to gun violence on Valentine's Day, 2018. Jaime Guttenberg was among them.
Since their murders, Hogg joined other Parkland survivors to advocate sensible gun control. She took to Twitter to express her feelings about the Kavanaugh snub of Guttenberg.
Emma Gonzalez, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas when the shooting occurred also took to Twitter to defend Guttenberg. And comment on Brett Kavanaugh's manners.
Other alumni, like Matt Deitsch, and survivors, like Jaclyn Corin and David Hogg shared their feelings on social media as well...
...and suggested people call their Senators to speak out about Kavanaugh's snub. Several people also noted the National Rifle Association's (NRA) vow to get Kavanaugh approved.
Other activists joined the Parkland survivors in solidarity.
Like Igor Volsky, Executive Director at Guns Down America...
...Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action...
...and activist and actress, Alyssa Milano.
Others offered support for Guttenberg and disgust at Kavanaugh's actions.
After stories circulated that Guttenberg crashed the hearing and the White House offered an alternate version of events...
...Guttenberg clarified that he was an invited guest at the hearing.
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