Loud and Clear: Students Calling for Change

The debate rages on across the country as to what steps need to be taken to prevent another school shooting massacre like the one that took place in Parkland, Florida just two weeks ago.

Recent surveys show the overwhelming majority of Americans favor stronger gun control measures beginning with more thorough background checks that could have prevented then 18-year old Nikolas Cruz from legally purchasing an AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle last year.

Those same surveys also reveal we don’t expect any swift action from lawmakers, especially those in Washington who at times have no idea what the word “swift” actually means.  They will call for study after study which often is just a waste of time and money.

The one dynamic however in all of this that just might cause meaningful conversation and action is the youth movement that is taking place in schools and communities across the country.  Rational thoughts and voices are not coming from political leaders but in some cases those who are not even old enough to vote.

It’s their generation that are the victims for the most part of these mass shootings and they want answers and solutions, not just talk.  While they may not represent a large voting block our so-called leaders better listen because as parents we encourage our children to be involved and don’t like it when they’re ignored.

Keep in mind that many of today’s high school students were born just about the time of the Columbine shooting in 1999 and have grown up with a fear that generations before never had.  They don’t just have fire alarm drills in schools but ones in the case of an active shooter with the school on lockdown.  That’s something most of us could never imagine but it’s what they live with on a daily basis.

The student voices are getting louder and stronger for change and it’s time we adults listen.