I am utterly heartbroken, I have failed my 2 year old daughter. I fail her every day when I drop her off at daycare and promise her that I will see her soon. She will be growing up in a world much worse than the childhood I grew up in. I could have fought when these issues started to arise, I didn't. I could have spoke up when I see children getting murdered by other children, I didn't. I could have protested when kids were being gunned down on their way to school, I didn't. I have failed my 2 year old daughter. My generation has failed and left this world worse off than it was handed to us.
These kids in Florida now bear the burden of generations that have left these issues engorge itself. These kids are standing toe to toe with the NRA. These kids are directly asking their politicians the very tough questions and demanding immediate change. These kids are doing this just days after watching their friends get gunned down in their high school ... the place where memories should be cheering on their school's sports teams, dressing up for prom, experiencing team building groups such as clubs, sports, etc. These kids are stronger than I was as a young adult.
Why did I sit around and do nothing, say nothing? Why didn't I fight the fight then? These issues could be more manageable by our children and their future generations. We have taken steps backwards in a way I thought not possible. But it happened and I did nothing to stop it.
Not anymore.
I will stand behind these kids not only in Florida but across America when they have to ask the difficult questions and demand immediate change. I will listen to their ideas and how they want their future to transpire. Their vision is more sophisticated than how I have left my eyes closed to these issues. If they protest and create large banners so vast that 8 people are needed to hold them up high but are short one person, I will be that person. If they are short funds and need #LoveMoney to fight against #BloodMoney, I will be that person. If they are tired from days and weeks of not sleeping and fighting the fight but need someone to be the voice to keep the momentum progressing forward, I will be that person. If these kids are threatened by adults that say they are just kids and don't understand the world and requires another adult to defend them, I will be that person.
I call for everyone in my generation to support our future and the life we want them to live. We want our children to not have to worry about going to a movie theatre, attending a concert and for God's sake not have to worry about walking to school or inside their school with their classmates trying to gain an education in order to better their life and leave their world a better place for the next generations. Our generation had that gift, we lost that gift for no fault but our own, it's now time we give our kids a chance to find that gift again.
