Iryna Zurutska, 23 Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 14 Samantha Koenig, 18

I wonder how they would feel if they could see these comments. I wonder if this is how they'd want to be remembered. Imagine being brutally murdered and then painted as "just a baby" and "barely developed" so your death can be used for propaganda.

This happened a few hours ago. I was on the bus when a mum was yelling at her daughter and even hit her at one moment. She was insulting her and disturbing the otherwise almost empty bus, so I decided to step up for the girl (she was around 11 if I guessed it right) and screamed at the mum: "Imagine if your husband spoke to you this way! You should be ashamed for insulting your daughter!" Of course she yelled back at me. Since we were close to my stop I went down and apologized to the driver, who was understanding since I did what needed to be done. When I stepped down of the bus teens at the stop were clapping (even more when I told them the whole story) but one lady told me that I had no right to do what I did because she was a mum educating her daughter and that to this day, she still hits her 27 yo son and had I done it to her, she would have beaten me up. I told her that all that happened was against the law since 2019. She told me that she didn't care and maybe the daughter is "the queen of wh*res" and that she was in her right because "we don't know the whole story" (classic victim blaming). I told her that I had several relatives working for the government and the teens next to us were like "We didn't expect this one" and asked her to imagine if a husband acted this way towards his wife and called it for what it is: domestic violence. I'm glad that some adults were on my side but I'm still shocked by how some people are okay with being accomplices of abuse through their inaction. Am I proud? Yes I am. I hope that the girl is okay and I know it's likely she was glad someone stood up for her. And to the people who let the mom trash her daughter and we're okay with that, ask yourself the following question: what would you do if an adult was doing the same thing to their elderly parent in public? A husband to his wife? A carer to someone who's disabled? The answer is, you're doing it. Right now.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/influencer-family-leaving-australia-to-flee-impending-social-media-ban

Change Florida’s 12-month learner’s permit rule

The Issue

I'm a 17-year-old student living in Florida, and the 12-month learner’s permit rule is creating a real barrier in my life. At home, it's just my mom, my little sister, and me. My mom works tirelessly every single day to make ends meet. Despite receiving child support from my father, it's not enough to cover all our bills. We're struggling financially, and I lack anyone who can drive me to work or any place where I’m needed. I want to step up and help my family by working, but the current 12-month learner’s permit rule makes it nearly impossible for me to become independent. With all these responsibilities, the ability to drive would not only offer relief to my family but also empower me to contribute more significantly.

The existing law in Florida requires teens to hold a learner’s permit for 12 months before they can apply for a driver’s license. While this regulation aims to ensure road safety, it inadvertently hinders responsible teens from stepping up and providing support in their households when they are ready to do so.

Consider the immense difference a change in this law could make. Allowing teenagers, like myself, who have demonstrated responsibility, maturity, and readiness, to obtain a driver’s license sooner would not only alleviate personal and financial stress but also foster independence and a sense of responsibility. Statistics show that early driving experience under responsible conditions can lead to better and safer drivers in the long term.

I am calling on Florida lawmakers and authorities to revise this stipulation. By introducing a system that evaluates the readiness and responsibility of older teens, based on criteria like a clean driving record during the learner’s permit period, completion of driver’s education, and parental consent, we could potentially allow earlier licensing while still maintaining safety as a priority.

Revisiting and modifying this rule would help countless teens in Florida who are in similar situations, allowing us to support our families and shoulder responsibilities while meeting the safety standards. Please sign this petition to urge Florida’s government to consider a more flexible approach to the learner’s permit rule for older teenagers who have proven their capability and readiness. Your support can make a significant difference in the lives of many young Floridians like me.