Monday, March 26, 2018

At last there is hope

As you know, I go to Colorado twice a year to see my family. I'm going again in April. In all the times I've visited America, I've never seen a gun held by a person not in uniform and I'm thankful for that. I never think about guns when I'm over there.

When I am here at home and there's news of yet another mass shooting, and afterwards a massive outcry, I try not to pay it much attention. This is not because I don't care. It's because there is nothing I can do about it - nothing. I despair that there are so many gun-crazy people in the US who would rather give up anything than their right under the constitution to bear arms. It makes me boiling mad that because of this love of guns, my grandchildren are at risk. 

Here they are, setting off for spring break with their parents.



I have never had even a smidgeon of hope that gun laws in America would change until yesterday when I heard some of the speeches at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington. If you depend upon the BBC for your news, you may not have heard any of these speeches: the BBC has peculiar priorities (she said mildly.)

The speeches were made by young people and were moving and powerful. They were an inspiration. The first one I heard was by 17 year old Emma Gonzales, who was in the Florida school when her classmates were shot a month ago. She's one of the leaders of the March for our Lives movement. Her speech is 7 minutes long. Click here to listen. Stick with it.

The other speech I commend to you was made by 11 year old Naomi Wadler from Virginia. Click here. The speech is 3 minutes long.

Now I have hope that things will change. The gun laws in Florida have already changed as a result of campaigning by young people there. Much more needs to be done, but a start has been made.

Seeing and hearing these young people gives me hope - not just that gun laws will change, but hope in the future generally. These are dark times, and I am desperately in need of hope. Let's celebrate, encourage and support our young people. They are our future.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Here, here!

There IS hope through these amazing young people.

I applaud your reminder to us to do what we can to support them.

Thanks, as always.