An Open Letter to Kids

Dear Kids,

I am so proud.

I am so proud because in the past week, we have made our voices heard. We have shown the entire country that we are not going to back down, and we are not going to be silenced. We have proven that we aren't the self-involved, technology-obsessed teens that everyone thinks we are.

Instead, we are compassionate. We are articulate. We are determined. We are inclusive. We are brave.

And, kids, you have proven me wrong.

Last week, in my anger about the Parkland shooting, I wrote that this time would be no different, that we would be upset for a few days and then we would carry on with our lives. I am absolutely elated to admit that I was wrong. The courageous and brilliant survivors of the Parkland shooting have not wavered one bit. They still stand strong, demonstrating that, perhaps, #NeverAgain could become a reality.

It's not our country's leaders nor the adults around us that are creating this change. It's us.

Both my middle and high schools walked out of class in protest on Wednesday this week to demonstrate their support for their peers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. They were joined by hundreds of other schools in Florida and around the nation. Such clear demonstrations of support and unity within our generation bring me so much hope, because I know students like Emma Gonzalez are going to be the people in office one day. People who actually understand the immense responsibility of their positions: to help and protect their fellow citizens. Unfortunately, this understanding seems to be missing amongst today's legislators.

The reason that Parkland hasn't faded into the background, like any of the other school shootings, is because of vocal kids. Kids are making gun reform a question that politicians have to answer. Kids are naming and criticizing NRA kiss-ups. Kids are calling, as Gonzalez puts it, BS.

And us kids are becoming successful. Thousands of people are planning to attend the March for Our Lives, others have traveled to their Capitols to speak with their congressmen and women, and many more have voiced their opinions on social media.

However, kids haven't only made waves with supporters, they've also caused ripples within the opposition. Many gun enthusiasts have claimed that the kids' opinions are invalid because they are "traumatized" or "ill-informed." These adults have tried to devalue our voices, claiming that there is no way a high schooler could thoughtfully contribute to a discussion that's been debated for decades.

There's nothing that infuriates me more than when someone cheapens a young person's opinion just because of his/her age.

Guess what? Young people change the world.

There are countless examples throughout history that demonstrate the extraordinary abilities of young people. Every revolution in the 1960s (including Civil Rights, Feminism, Peace, Sexuality, and Environmentalism, just to name a few) was cultivated and executed by young people. This revolution is no different.

There's something powerful about kids taking a stand. I think it's a sign to adults that they need to do something. When a kid is doing the job of a politician or a community leader, most adults realize that such a responsibility shouldn't weigh on a kid's shoulders. "A kid shouldn't have to worry about society," they might think. "That should be my job."

We have grown up with so many more opportunities, one of the most important being the internet. It is a luxury provided to our generation. Social media has connected us, allowing a movement like this one to happen. Across the country, we can all stand together.

I remember my English teacher in high school telling me that social action skips a generation. As I've gotten older, I've realized the truth behind this statement. Our grandparents were the ones who led all of the social change in the 1960s. Our parents accepted the status quo established by their parents. Now, it's up to us to challenge that status quo so that we can re-shape it in a way that fits our modern world.

If you're a kid that's reading this, and you don't know how to get involved, there is a way. Educate yourself. Read everything. Know all that you can about this topic. Debate with people who think differently. Grow your argument. Learn some more. Voice your opinion. Stand up and fight. Of the many things that the Parkland survivors have proven to us in the past week, it's that we are strong enough to do so.

I know that it can be scary to stand up to adults. For so long, we have been told that our opinion should pale in comparison to that of an adult. They're smarter. They have more life experience. They just know more. Last week, I engaged in a debate with one of my close friend's fathers about my article calling for gun reform. He's someone who I respect, and I knew before our debate that we did not share the same political beliefs. Don't get me wrong, our debate was respectful, and there aren't any hard feelings, but he did challenge some of my harsher statements. I wrote my post last week in a fit of anger, frustration, and sadness, so, of course, my words were extreme and attacking, as they should've been. He noticed, and he called me out on it.

It took a lot of bravery for me to tell him that I still stood by my jarring words.

Even though I knew that I believed in every word I wrote, it's hard to tell someone older than you that you disagree. For a moment there, I felt the impact of "But, you're just a kid. What do you know?" How am I, some passionate 18-year old girl, supposed to actively disagree with someone who does have more life experience? Before I could write my response, I had to take a moment to remember my values and my opinions.

We cannot let ourselves be intimidated or quieted. We are just as capable as anyone to make change. We are so much more than just kids.

And, because of us, this time is going to be different.

I really believe that.

Yours truly,

P.S. Gun enthusiasts are only saying these things about us because they're scared of what we can do. Good. They should be.