It means that all the deaths of people get to him/her. Meaning that he/she hates all the deaths that's been happening. <span />
The answer is: They needed the nation to hear and see their story.
In the excerpt from "We Shall Not Be Moved," the strikers need publicity so that everyone can listen to their claims. For example, the text mentions they need photographs and reports from eyewitnesses while they are persecuted aggresively by criminals and the police.