“There's something happening here; What it is ain't exactly clear. There's a man with a gun over there; Telling me I got to beware….
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound; Everybody look what's going down. There's battle lines being drawn ; Nobody's right if everybody's wrong. Young people speaking their minds ; Getting so much resistance from behind.” - Buffalo Springfield, For What It Is Worth
No matter your views on guns, our hearts break for the children and families of Parkland, Florida.
The effort to reduce gun violence in America is paralyzed because no gun law will prevent mass shootings and there is no one solution to gun violence. However, despite the general consensus among most Americans that some new laws would make harder for bad guys and mentally unstable people to own and use a gun to kill innocent human beings, there has been no federal legislative action.
This time feels different. A new generation of young activists appears poised to take the lead for common sense legislation. The deeply personal response of the high school survivors has struck a chord with millions of Americans.
David Hogg, a student who survived the Parkland killing, said, “We are children. You guys are the adults. Work together, get over your politics, and get something done.”
Emma Gonzalez , another student who survived, said, “We are going to be the kids you read about in textbooks….we are going to change the law.”
Much of the most important change around the world -from the peaceful pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to the fall of the Berlin Wall to the American civil rights movement, the efforts to end the Vietnam War, and the LGBTQ equality movement - have been led by youth.
This generation, which includes most of our students at C|M|LAW, has the potential to be the most powerful in history. Through the power of the internet and social media, this interconnected generation has a unique capacity to speak truth to power.
Law school is not only about learning the law and acquiring critical thinking skills. It’s also about finding your purpose and your voice.
For the victims of Columbine, Sandy Hook, Chardon, Parkland, and so many other heartbreaking tragedies, let’s hope that this generation’s voices will lead us to some common sense solutions and some common ground.
There’s something happening here. What it is, is about to be clear.
Have a great week.
For copies of past messages, please go to this link: Monday Morning Messages.
My best,
Lee
My views in all my Monday Morning Messages are my personal views alone and do not reflect the views of our Law School or our University.