And a Child Will Lead Them

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“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, 
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, 
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; 
And a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6

 Yesterday, millions of children, young people, their teachers, parents and supports protested gun violence. This was a world-wide event with sister protests in every continent except Antarctica. 

The speakers at the Washington, DC protest were very articulate, very courageous children and young people. They brought me to tears with their words, their bravery, and their conviction. 

Emma Gonzalez, one of the Parkland students, a student leader and activist, stood for six and a half minutes in silence. Six and a half minutes - the time it took to the shooter to kill her classmates. She ended her speech with the challenge, "Fight for your lives before it's someone else's job." 

Martin Luther King's granddaughter was among the speakers. She shared that she too had a dream like her grandfather. Nine-year-old Yolanda Renee King said to world, "My grandfather had a dream that his four little children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream that enough is enough. And that this should be a gun-free world, period."

Cameron Kasky, another Parkland student announced, "Welcome to the Revolution! We are the change...Represent us or get out!"

Another student, Naomi Wadler, 11 from Alexandria, is an activist that has, among other achievements, organized an 18-minute walk-out at her school (17 minutes to honor the Parkland victims and 1 minute for Courtlin Arrington, who was shot and killed after the Parkland shootings. "I am here today to acknowledge and represent the African American girls whose stories don't make the front page of every national newspaper," she told the protesters.

David Hogg, also from Parkland, declared, "We are going to take this to every election, to every state and every city. When politicians send their thoughts and prayers with no action, we say, 'No more.' " 

These are only six of the young people who stood up the Goliath of greed and capitalism. Hundreds of others spoke out around the world this weekend. They spoke for the generations to come; they spoke for those whose voices have been silenced forever; and they spoke for all those who believe, "Enough is enough!"

May the voices of our young people become the stone that smites the giant of avarice and economic gain. May their unabashed courage and tenacity inspire the adults of this country to vote for the change needed to keep children safe in our schools, streets, and homes. May the voters of this country carry the voices of these children and young people in their hearts and minds this November, so that we never again hear the words, "Enough is enough!"

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