February. The second month of the year, the month of Valentine's Day and the appearance of yet another mass shooting. It seems that one can't simply wake up anymore without hearing about the newest and most "sensational" story of a mass shooter mowing down innocents like it was for sport.
The new shooting in Parkland, Florida seems to be the same as the rest: the main stream news focusing more on the shooter than the survivors, the pictures of terrified students and parents alike and the eruption of yet another debate on gun control that seems to have no close. The cycle is never ending and it makes one wonder when will there be change? When will somebody finally step up and say that this should not be happening?
Well. There was one difference in this shooting than in the last ones. The survivors of the shooting refused to stay silent no longer and they went to Washington to tell of their story.
This generation of kids have been taunted and ridiculed earlier in the year for creating the "tide pod challenge" and being what the media would call "snowflakes" or people unable to hold their own and sheltered at every cost. I have to admit, I was one of those people for a while to call people "snowflakes" because of how different the standards are for today's kids compared to my own when I was growing up.
But not anymore.
These kids have shown a courage most people would be lucky to come by in their lifetimes. They have shown a fierce and fiery compassion for what they believe in and have put a foot down to not feeling safe in one of the places they should feel the safest. They are saying no more to those who think that this sort of thing is OK and they are putting up a fight so that no one has to ever experience what they have experienced. Because they watched as 17 of their classmates, teachers and dearest friends were killed right in front of their eyes.
The survivors of the shooting and the many kids that have joined in their efforts stand as a beacon of hope for the future of this country and they have my highest respects. Seeing their actions and their courage makes me think to myself if these kids can find it in themselves to overcome adversity and laugh in the face of fear then why can't I or we as a whole? What right do I have to hide in my corner of fear and concern when these kids, heroes, are doing it for me?
These kids, these people, have stepped up to the plate, inspired by the violence in their schools and probably others who have marched before them, and have taken a stand. They deserve respect and they have certainly proven that they are no longer this Generation "Snowflake" that everyone has made them out to be.
In fact most people should learn a lesson or two from them when it comes to standing up for what they believe in. I know have and I am certainly proud to see this generation, the one which my youngest cousins are from and so many others, take a stand. Seeing it everywhere, including Snapchat, is certainly inspiring and brings a new hope.
Again, the question I have is if these kids can show such an insurmountable amount of courage, then why can't you?
