The March For Our Lives Movement

Ingrid and her cousin Hannah and I walked the entire March For Your Lives in Dallas last Saturday. Ingrid was a bit hesitant when I invited her to join me. She was afraid there might be problems. Maybe a bomb. Or violent protestors. Or a shooter. I told her there would be plenty of police and security, though I knew in my own mind there are always risks at these kinds of events.

She decided to go and Hannah came with us as well.

I wanted the girls to have a sense of social conscience, to be a part of something historic and hopefully, a catalyst for change in our violent weary nation.

The crowd was energetic, diverse, and respectful. There were chants and tons of creative signs and posters. There were ongoing conversations in the crowd. I sensed that people are genuinely worried about our nation. And they want change. Now.

I never saw one protestor. There were no hecklers or angry people pushing back against the march. That says to me that most people realize something has to change.

The young especially attended in large numbers. Teens and university students. But there were plenty of young couples. Parents with toddlers on their shoulders or babies in a stroller. There were middle-aged Gen Xers and lots of Baby Boomers. I saw much older people, some in wheelchairs. Some bent over with age walking slowly but with determination.

A young teenage girl wheeled by me, one of her legs in a cast supported by a little cart designed for that. She scooted along the entire way. The young are truly invincible.

A Facebook friend shared a brilliant essay by a writer who calls these young people today “magic” and “wizards,” unafraid, articulate, years ahead of their time. The Parkland, Florida crew led by the amazing Emma González, has captured the attention of the nation and are using their voices as powerful forces for change.

I have many friends on both sides of the gun issue. Family and friends who are gun owners, hunters, people who take guns seriously, are licensed, and use them responsibly. These people are not a part of the problem. I own a gun myself, an 1100 Remington 12 gauge shotgun that I used for quail hunting when I used to hunt. I never kept it loaded in my house, though it was there if for some reason I ever needed it to protect myself or my family.

The movement that is being promoted by our young people is not about doing away with the Second Amendment. It’s not about having the government take guns away. It is simply about gun safety, and making gun ownership a serious responsibility and not allowing an 18-year-old with mental illness issues the ability to buy an assault rifle and a handful of loaded magazines without the slightest hesitation or reasonable restrictions.

Former Republican Senator Rick Santorum said over the weekend that instead of passing gun laws, kids today should take CPR lessons. One almost loses consciousness over a comment like that. The ignorance and sheer absurdity of it rattle the senses. That’s all we have to offer to the issue of gun violence today? CPR lessons?

I can hear teens across the country convulsing in laughter. And then outraged into action.

Isn’t it, well, humiliating, that we adults have just sat idly by accepting the gun lobby and their vast resources buying off our legislators, and saying and doing nothing about it? It took our kids and grandkids to step up and say, something horribly wrong is going on here!

The March For Our Lives movement crosses all races, classes, politics, gender, and religions. It is a growing and powerful movement for change. It is not going away. I applaud these young people today. They inspire and challenge me. I want to be in their company. I want to be around when their courage and determination has changed this nation in dramatic, and yes, revolutionary ways.

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The Unclad Soul

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