So unless you're dead inside yourself, the photos of the student walkouts should at the very least trigger a reaction that they are too young to bear the burden of the adults who were charged with their safety.
And of course they're young. But these are the faces of disappointed rage, disbelief and sorrow that the adults in the room were petulant greedy brats.
For myself and many of the adults I know, our kids were among those who walked out; our kids are the same age as the Stoneman Douglas victims, and the Columbine victims, and all the other high school shootings since Columbine.
These are Courtlin Arrington's parents.
Which is every other parent nationwide who sent their kids to school today. Some parents don't give a rip about these protests, I'm sure.
But most of us are filled with grief and pride in equal measure.
This is an excellent question: "Am I next?"
Can you imagine going to school everyday haunted by the reality that some day--maybe today even--you or your friends might face an armed killer?
If you can't, let me put it in perspective.
This morning my son said, struggling under his backpack on his way out the door, "I don't know about doing the #NationalStudentWalkout."
I was surprised. I told him he'd probably want to, but it's up to him.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because if a killer is ready to take out a bunch of kids, these marches would be the best target."
His logic, as usual, is impeccable.
14 years old, and pondering the reality of "soft targets," of which he and his friends are always an option.
This is staggering. This is millions of students' realities.
I imagine this photo looks much like my own kid walking out with his peers today.
So all those bastards in Washington with their hands in the NRA cookie jar were just put on notice.
These kids grew up in the shade of Columbine and every other shooting since and they are DONE.
Ignore them at your peril.
They're not armed with rifles.
They're armed with righteousness, a far more effective weapon.
The future is HERE.
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Addendum: This happened TODAY at my kid's possible future high school.
None of this is okay. NONE OF THIS IS ACCEPTABLE.
#MarchForOurLives #PDX #NRABoycott oregonlive.com/portland/index…
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