Congressman Lacy Clay visits Ritenour

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Dorothy Sloan

Congressman Lacy Clay speaks to the AP Government students at Ritenour High School

Antveon Briggs and Jason Jackson

Lila Irby

Missouri Representative William Lacy Clay paid a visit to Ritenour High School on Monday, in response to letters he had received from Michael Murray’s AP Government class.

On Monday morning, students gathered in the lower lobby, anticipating the arrival of the guest speaker. Clay strode in, with a brief reception from Murray, speaking at the podium. He informed the students of his vast array of duties representing the first district of Missouri, and his dual occupancy, travelling often from Washington D.C. back home to St. Louis.

Joined by a host of Ritenour’s leadership, and camera flashes galore, students asked questions from a prepared list, inciting responses from Clay about gun violence and reform, college costs, and social issues.

Junior Abigail Dismuke was amongst the students from the AP Government class that got to speak and interact with Clay, and she was impressed with the results of the event.

“I think that it went well and that Congressman Clay treated us with respect and took us seriously, but he did oversimplify some more complex questions,” Dismuke said.

Due to the ever persisting fight for common sense gun laws in recent times, most of the conversation veered toward the importance of government involvement in the issue. Clay proudly reported that he has failed to take any money from the NRA, and spoke on the debate of altering the age for purchasing firearms, raising it from 18 to 21.

When Clay spoke, he said that he understands the frustrations of the students based on their letters to him, but he is optimistic that the younger generation can help fix any perceived problems.

Students have shown that change will come,” Clay said.  “You have got to be able to be flexible and compromise. Voting will be the change.”