I watched the anti-gun rally in Ft. Lauderdale on CNN this afternoon (deeply disappointed that MSNBC did not carry it live as well). It was extraordinary. One young student, Emma Gonzalez, was extraordinary, saying all the things I have been waiting for years to hear Democratic politicians, or for that matter any adults to say. I hope her speech goes viral. There were many speakers but by far the most important and most passionate were the students. As somebody on another site mentioned this time things seem different. My wife, agreeing with me about the quality and passion of these students mused, “they say these things because they are young and they don’t yet have anything to lose.” But what has crossed my mind is everybody has something to lose, even high school students.
The student as more than one diary on this site has mentioned the students are organized and ready to take this issue to the next level. But if we see this as a real threat to our gun culture you can bet that the NRA and their Republican enablers will see it as an existential threat. They will come after these students with everything they have, with all the cruelty and destruction in their arsenal. I believe the students can take this fight. In spite of the way they are maligned this new generation, what I am coming to see as Generation US, is the best for democracy in a long time. So many know how to use the Internet to reach out, to organize, to make things happen. But they will be attacked from all directions. I wonder what we of the older generations, who have so desperately failed them, are willing to do to protect them.
Will it be the same “oh they are passionate but I don’t agree with their measures,” will it be the same, “spoiled kids who don’t understand how the political system works,” will it be the same “Oh SJWs” ? By the way do you know what SJW stands for -social justice warrior (I finally looked it up), and we treat it as derogatory? There will also be personalized attacks on student leaders and their families. What will we do in response?