COMMENTARY: Hats off to all these high-schoolers

This is my third attempt on the subject of the high-schoolers’ protests against gun violence; things are changing rapidly and it’s hard to keep up with such enthusiasm.

Initially, I thought such protests were best conducted in the schools, and applauded the walkouts. Schools are where they are naturally gathered together, and their schools are the very heart of the issue. And in the schools there could be no stupid arguments about outside agitators or financial backing. School walkouts would also illustrate their peaceful disobedience and willingness to accept consequences.

Yes. I know they’re supposed to be law-abiding young citizens, and they should understand that rule-breaking has consequences. And they need to be taught a lesson.

So maybe we could teach them a lesson. We could impose consequences, like an after-school detention. And use that detention period for dialogue with them about actions and consequences. Dialogue, as in “both ways.” Yes, “the system” cannot allow such infractions to go unnoticed; else we will not be able to maintain a functioning society.

And we can also discuss that the “functioning society” is not perfect, that sometimes it requires a kick in the posterior, and that citizens have a constitutional right to “petition for redress of grievances.” And that sometimes the status quo must temporarily yield a bit to bring attention to a problem that a sleepy society needs to address. (As good a lesson as the missed school class.)

But then the kids marched on Washington, D.C., the seat of our government which needs that kick, and I had to rewrite. They made speeches few adults could manage, and appeared on TV (even on Fox) and behaved so much more admirably and more maturely than their primary antagonist.

It’s frustrating but not unexpected that they were lampooned and vilified by folks less mature than they. Oh, gun-hating billionaires funded them, who paid for the “entertainment” (no one), they should just learn CPR, they just wanted to be on video, no one would have known the names of the dead, they tore up the Constitution (she didn’t, of course), even that “they want to complain but have no solution.”

I thought this last was comical. We have 535 U.S. Congress members with thousands of staffers, and 50 governors and state legislatures with similar bureaucracies, all cognizant of the problem and nothing has been done for decades. And they chastise teenagers for lack of solutions? Actually, the kids expressed some good logical compromise steps. But compromise is impossible when your primary antagonist doesn’t understand the word.

So let’s hear it for the kids! I hope they maintain the momentum and don’t get discouraged. They are the future, not only as voters but as political, organizational and societal leaders. Yes, they differ, but from what I saw they are willing to think, discuss, compromise, and act responsibly … unlike some.

David Shumway is a regular contributor.


We have 535 U.S. Congress members with thousands of staffers, and 50 governors and state legislatures with similar bureaucracies, all cognizant of the problem and nothing has been done for decades. And they chastise teenagers for lack of solutions?

About the Author