It has been two weeks since the shooting in Parkland, Florida and since that time I’ve seen articulate young people speaking out about the event and what they feel needs to happen. These same young people have been referred to as “kids” by both the media and lawmakers. I know how it is – I tend to call college students “kids” just because I’m older, and well, all of my own “kids” are older than that now. It’s just easy to slip into. However, it can also cause me to not take what they think and say seriously because they are so young and have so much left to learn. After, I am the voice of reason and experience, right?
Well, here’s unpleasant truth. The minute those “kids” were shot at and watched their classmates die horrible deaths, they were no longer kids. They have been thrust into an insane adult world and the fact that they can function at all, much less organize themselves to speak out the way they have is beyond admirable. And yet, it seems that the media and our lawmakers, while sympathetic (for now) don’t feel it necessary to take into consideration what these kids have to say.
“My message for the people in office is: You’re either with us or against us. We are losing our lives while the adults are playing around.” These are powerful words. They’re even more powerful if you have an experience that has changed your worldview enough to mean them AND you’re a teenager. But apparently not strong enough for lawmakers to take them seriously. After all, young people are too emotional to think rationally or realistically, right? “They have done nothing to earn the expertise in this particular field” according to Ben Shapiro of National Review. What field, gun control? Or how to watch their classmates die?
You know, my oldest son wasn’t much older than these “kids” when he was sent to Afghanistan shortly after 9/11. He came back with PTSD due to things he saw and experienced there. Sure, he had some experience with weapons and basic training before they sent him over but it still wasn’t prepared to see what he saw. His worldview has changed drastically from the kid I knew before he was deployed. His lack of trust for people and the world around him saddens me because I know it comes from a place of fear. So now, we have more “kids” who have experienced an event which causes them to have PTSD as well but they are fighting back. Enough is enough.
These young people think old people have just accepted this kind of event as the status quo, that it is what it is. I think we have a bunch of old people who think they’re in charge but who really haven’t a clue as to what needs to be done and so the blame game continues. I read where one of the “kids” said this isn’t a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. I guess it takes a kid to point out the obvious, right?
Then I hear about this supposed conspiracy theory about someone financing this movement by young people across the country because “we all know” seventeen year olds can’t put something together like this by themselves. Unless you’ve been under a rock, or surrounded by a beltway most of your life, you would know that these young people are the kings and queens of social media. Those same kids who are too emotional are the ones making it happen and after two weeks this event is still in the news. These “kids” are not letting it go. And as a teacher I’m not going to let it go either.
If you don’t think what they do has mattered, just look at the announcements that have come out. Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart have decided to make major changes in what they sell and who they sell it to in terms of firearms. While some will say there’s some kind of ulterior motive going on here or that it’s too little too late, at least it’s SOMETHING. Up to this point there’s been a lot of finger pointing and not a lot of action. I would like to think some of this change comes because young people haven’t given up their voices.
Very shortly a lot of these kids are going to be of voting age. If they can put their vote where their mouth is, there could be some major changes. These “kids” aren’t stupid – they understand that this group of lawmakers has been ineffective for way too long and something needs to change. I guess we’ll find out just how rational these voters will be when they recall just how ineffectual these people were when it came to making them feel safe in school.
I don’t think it’s unfair to say that young people tend to be at the forefront of revolutions. After all, they are still passionate enough about what they believe and slightly irrational enough to believe that they can make change happen. I guess we’ll have to see what happens. After all, they’re just kids.
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