High schooler says youth will bridge gun divide
As the gun control debate rages across the country once again, we see the same talking points spewed out. Republicans call for safer schools while not infringing on the Second Amendment. Democrats call for expanded background checks and weapon bans.
But, as adults talk and talk and do nothing, a new group of activists has risen. The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are speaking out on gun control and forcing the American public to recognize, once and for all, the importance of this issue as it pertains to the physical and emotional safety of my generation.
Young voices are being raised and are finally contributing to the national conversation. These new perspectives will finally help us reach a consensus on guns in this nation.
People my age know more about what’s going on in this country than we are given credit for. We have issues we care about: The environment, health care, net neutrality and, now, gun control.
We post on Instagram and Snapchat not “thoughts and prayers” but rants and complaints lodged against the inaction of the people in power. We want something, anything, done and done quickly. Young people see clearly what’s going on in this country, without campaign funds or political pushback clouding our judgment.
The days of teenagers being dismissed just because they are teenagers are coming to an end. It will be our generation that fixes the mess left by our parents and grandparents. High school students know that they can change our country and that speaking out, going to town halls and attending marches are, little by little, altering America for the better.
I, for one, attended Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s town hall on gun control in Lafayette recently. While attendance at such events is, I believe, imperative to furthering the discussion on gun control, these town halls are not enough. Real action is needed and needed soon.
Young people have the capacity to change this country and they know that they have a lot on their shoulders. We all feel a common sense of urgency to quickly become not just a more politically active generation, but a generation that won’t wait for their parents to create change for them.
These debates cannot just be on the national level. It is easy for Americans, especially young people, to be caught up in the spectacle of national campaigns and forget the sleepy local elections that, arguably, are more important. Local politics, on the state level or town level, affect the average American more than broad policy changes in the halls of Congress.
To effect real change on the issue of gun control and others like it, we need to pay attention to who our mayor or state senator is. Calling your congressman is great but when it comes to quicker change, local officials are more important. This upcoming generation can be the one that changes America local election by local election.
The students from Florida are not the outliers. Kids around this country are starting to wake up and speak up. Adults had their shot and now it’s time for the younger generation to take over.
Not every person at my high school will become a mayor or congressman. Most won’t spend their careers in political office or in public service. But, when the time comes for people to step up, this generation, no matter what occupation, political affiliation or how small and seemingly unimportant the election is, will do just that.