Since the Parkland shooting, the students of Stoneman Douglas have been very vocal about wanting something to be done about school shootings. On March 24, 2018, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington D.C. (and many other participating cities) to form the “March for Our Lives” demonstration. Attendees included students, parents, and celebrities such as Lin Manuel-Miranda, Miley Cyrus, and Ariana Grande. Even politicians came out to show their support, such as New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo.

As expected with any political event, there was lots of backlash from those who oppose gun reform. What I did not expect, however, was the blatant disrespect and hatred towards the students who have been fighting for change. Grown adults attacking young people for voicing their opinions and calling for action. People online are calling Emma González (the front-runner of the movement) expletives, spreading doctored photos of her tearing up the Constitution, and bashing her for wearing a Cuban flag on her jacket.

These are the same people who argue that bullying is the reason behind school shootings. The same people that say the current generation has respect problem. The same people that claim the current generation is lazy, but now that their speaking out, they should shut up and sit down. But look at the example you’re giving them. You’re showing these kids that, when you don’t like what someone has to say, you can go on social media and call that person every name in the book. You’re showing them that it’s okay to disrespect people that think differently from you.

These grown men and women are claiming that these kids aren’t mature enough to understand these issues, all while behaving like children, resulting to name-calling rather than logic. They must have forgotten what they were like as teenagers. I highly doubt that none of them ever wanted change in their country, opposed the people in power, or wished that things were different.

I’ve seen close friends and family members talking down to these kids who lived through something no one should ever have to experience, who watched their classmates be gunned down by one of their own. I’ve been in arguments where people have told me that their right to own a gun, a piece of metal and plastic, is equal to a child’s right to live. When did weapons become more important than the lives of children? When did we let our computer screens blind us to the hatred we spit out on a daily basis?

You can say what you want about gun reform, but don’t hate on these kids for wanting change. Because, one day, these kids are going to rule this nation.