Most people hate to iron, but it's my quiet time to think every morning. Himself comes up with a cup of tea for me and then goes off to perform his ablutions while I let my mind wander. Yesterday I had a very startling thought; "Thank God my boys are out of high school so they're safe." Let that sink in for a minute.
This country is sacrificing its children to the gun lobby and the insanity has to stop. While proponents of the NRA argue with members of the "Left" over verbiage, parents are standing in frighteningly quiet bedrooms, looking at piles of socks on the floor that will never make to the hamper because the occupant is dead. That is just wrong on so many levels. Politicians are accepting exorbitant contributions from the NRA who are (there is no other way to phrase it) buying their votes. And children who can't buy cigarettes are buying semi-automatic weapons and with their hormones and undeveloped front lobes are taking young lives.
I would despair, but I don't do that. And one of the reasons I have hope is that this group of teenagers is not waiting for a political caucus to save them. They are taking matters into their own hands. They are speaking frightening truths, their faces contorted with pain and tears and terror. They are finding a way to make the grown ups listen. They have provided more leadership in the last seven days than we've seen come out of Washington in a year. They are cutting through the sugar coated niceties. They don't have time for those. Their friends are dying.
I am so proud of these young people. I am inspired by them. There will be threats and repercussions, undoubtedly, but they seem willing to sign on for that. They are willing to be on the front line for the battle of their lives. The battle for their lives. I believe in the power of prayer. But at some point prayer has to evolve into action or it has little meaning. Let us protect our children, and let us treasure and praise and yes, pray for, these teenagers who are marching out of classrooms around the country, and let us stand next to them in the fight.
This country is sacrificing its children to the gun lobby and the insanity has to stop. While proponents of the NRA argue with members of the "Left" over verbiage, parents are standing in frighteningly quiet bedrooms, looking at piles of socks on the floor that will never make to the hamper because the occupant is dead. That is just wrong on so many levels. Politicians are accepting exorbitant contributions from the NRA who are (there is no other way to phrase it) buying their votes. And children who can't buy cigarettes are buying semi-automatic weapons and with their hormones and undeveloped front lobes are taking young lives.
I would despair, but I don't do that. And one of the reasons I have hope is that this group of teenagers is not waiting for a political caucus to save them. They are taking matters into their own hands. They are speaking frightening truths, their faces contorted with pain and tears and terror. They are finding a way to make the grown ups listen. They have provided more leadership in the last seven days than we've seen come out of Washington in a year. They are cutting through the sugar coated niceties. They don't have time for those. Their friends are dying.
I am so proud of these young people. I am inspired by them. There will be threats and repercussions, undoubtedly, but they seem willing to sign on for that. They are willing to be on the front line for the battle of their lives. The battle for their lives. I believe in the power of prayer. But at some point prayer has to evolve into action or it has little meaning. Let us protect our children, and let us treasure and praise and yes, pray for, these teenagers who are marching out of classrooms around the country, and let us stand next to them in the fight.
This picture was posted by Treva Muhammad, and the message is powerful. I'm not sure if she is the artist, but it stopped me in my tracks.
Note from the author: I apparently wrote this in February. I thought I had posted it. Maybe I was too depressed by the subject matter. Maybe I was afraid of the reactions it would get. I found this in my pile of "drafts". Re-reading it I find my opinion hasn't changed, but perhaps I have, because here it is. Be shocked. Be horrified. Then vote and make sure you do everything you can to have everyone you know vote, too.
Note from the author: I apparently wrote this in February. I thought I had posted it. Maybe I was too depressed by the subject matter. Maybe I was afraid of the reactions it would get. I found this in my pile of "drafts". Re-reading it I find my opinion hasn't changed, but perhaps I have, because here it is. Be shocked. Be horrified. Then vote and make sure you do everything you can to have everyone you know vote, too.
RSS Feed