March For Our Lives

I am glad that you were able to go to the Newseum for your 8th Grade class trip. Although I didn't tag along on this trip like a did for the Harper's Ferry trip, I am glad that our family was able to go at least once together.

It's unfortunate that the Newseum will close at this DC location at the end of this year. When I asked you what I should see before it closes, you mentioned that there was a newspaper headline that talked about the March For Our Lives.
I am sure that you remember we went to this historic, though somber, event back in 2018. I am sure you remember the large crowds and you probably also remember that we stood right outside the Newseum for most of the day. I hope you also remember what happened as we went to leave.

Next to the Newseum is the Canadian Embassy. Outside it several volunteers had set up places where kids and youth could sit. There were some activities and crafts for them to work on having to do with gun violence and school safety. Many national and international cameras were set up with reporters to talk to students because this never-ending blight of school shootings continues to be something I never had to deal with, but that your generation is growing up with. It isn't normal. And like addressing climate change, it is a deep lack of moral leadership and indifference of older generations that is letting this persist.

In any case, I hope you remember the woman volunteer who asked us if she could speak to you. She knelt down and she held you and spoke very clearly and directly to you. I wrote about it here at this link if you want to scroll to the end of that article and read exactly what she said so you can remember.

Here is the speech that Emma Gonzalez gave. It went viral and I used it at one of my parent confirmation meetings to talk to the parents about choosing a Confirmation/Saint Name. I said it should be like a #hashtag. It should stand for something that goes viral.

I love what

I appreciate what you share with me of your social media life. I'm glad that most of what you watch and participate in on your channels is entertaining and fun. I'm glad for the most part that you and I are safe and live in a world where law enforcement does its job well. But we've also seen how easily violence, especially gun violence upsets that. And that isn't something that happens far away to other people unlike us.

With the various local, state, and national elections you've seen mom and I work on, we've helped elect more officials who want to do something about gun violence. We don't believe the solution is putting more guns out there. We want you to grow up in safety. And we want you to also remember that you have a voice and you matter. However it is that you choose to work for the common good, never forget that.