David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland high school shooting, has cleverly redirected a website URL initially intended for Donald Trump’s new sneaker line to a platform advocating against gun violence. Hogg, who now leads the organization Leaders We Deserve, aimed at getting young people elected to Congress, used this inventive approach to transform shoptrumpsneakersinto a site where visitors are encouraged to contact their Congress members to push for gun safety legislation. This move was revealed by Hogg on X (formerly Twitter), where he explained that callers to Congress through the site would hear messages from gun violence victims, recreated using AI technology.
This strategic action was in response to Trump’s venture into selling sneakers, with prices ranging from $199 to $399, to fund his legal defenses following a substantial fine from a New York civil fraud trial. Trump’s collection, including the sold-out “The Never Surrender High-Tops,” has been promoted without acknowledging Hogg’s countermove. However, Hogg, proud of his initiative, thanked his tech-savvy allies for their assistance, per Raw Story.
The activist’s move has garnered applause from gun safety advocates on social media, praising Hogg’s ingenuity and the potential impact of his generation on America’s future. This innovative form of protest stems from Hogg’s significant role in the gun control movement following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February 2018, which propelled him and others into activism, per Independent.
The website not only facilitates calls to Congress with the AI-recreated voices of gun violence victims but also provides information on the staggering number of gun violence deaths in 2023 and the ongoing toll in the current year. Since its inception, the website has facilitated 75,000 calls, showcasing the significant engagement it has generated. Hogg’s clever domain purchase, which he jokingly offered to sell to Trump for a million-dollar donation to March For Our Lives, underscores a creative strategy in the fight for gun control and safety.