March

I’m with her.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas student survivor Emma González spoke at the March for Our Lives protest in Washington, D.C. (and while every speech was moving, thoughtful, thought provoking and from the heart, Emma delivered. It was powerful speech made even more powerful when she stopped speaking.

After more than a minute of silence from the podium, with Emma standing still and quiet, someone came on stage, touched her shoulder, and seemed to ask if she was all right.

Emma González didn't move or speak. As she stayed silent, people in the crowd began chanting:

"Never again! Never again!"

Emma stood silent, in tears, and soon the crowd fell quiet. Still, nothing, but a tear running down her face. Finally, someone in the crowd, perhaps thinking Emma couldn’t go on shouted:

"We love you Emma!" 

Emma said nothing … for four solid minutes; then a timer went off., and Emma reached in her pocket, turned it off, and said:

"Since the time that I came out here, it has been six minutes and 20 seconds. The shooter has ceased shooting and will soon abandon his rifle, blend in with the students and walk free for an hour before arrest. Fight for your lives before it's someone else's job."

And then Emma González walked off the stage, silently becoming one of the most powerful speakers ever.

The March for our Lives event in Columbia, organized by Building Better Communities, an organization that works with law enforcement to create better community relations, as well as local chapters of Moms Demand Action, Faith Coalition On Gun Violence and Moms Against Gun Violence, brought several thousand people to the streets of the capitol city.

The march, led by high school students walked up toward the South Carolina State House, growing larger and louder; signs waved; people chanted; some cried. Many held signs:

 “Guns are the death of U.S.”

“Protect kids not guns.”

“No more silence. End Gun violence.”

And a play on ____’s campaign slogan:

“Make America safe again.”

Hundreds of orange flowers were laid out on the State House steps, spelling out Never Again, the motto of the growing gun control movement and Columbia Mayor Stephen Benjamin, praised the students, but chastised those older folks:

“Old folks need to act. This is a moment in the history of our nation that if we stand behind our young people and follow them, we can fundamentally change our nation. Listen to what the youth are saying about gun control measures."

Sarah Hinnant was one of those young people leading the marchers; she is 18 and is quite clear about what she wants:

Universal background checks.

An assault weapons ban.

No more high-capacity magazines.

The closing of loopholes that allow people to buy guns without the proper protocol.

That loophole is known as the “Charleston loophole” because it allowed a racist white supremacist lunatic—I won’t say his name—to murder nine black parishioners in Charleston, by outlasting a waiting period for a background check to come back.

Sadly, even after Charleston, South Carolina allows the purchase of assault rifles and high-capacity magazines and does not require background checks for private sales, such as at gun shows.

This was a loophole that state Representative James Smith, a Democrat and candidate for governor, called for state and national lawmakers to close.:

“It’s been the youth of America that have been a catalyst for positive change. Like the Freedom Riders of the ’60s demanding civil rights and racial equality, it’s you here today who can bring about the positive change for safer schools, a stronger community and let us leave this place for the next generation a better place than we found it.”

Better than we found it; safer than before.

But not all politicians feel that way, and mots of those are Republicans and most of those are sucking at the teat of the NRA.

Marco Rubio.

On the day of the March, Rubio released a statement to tell those students that he does not support their cause:

“I commend those who today are peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights to march in favor of a gun ban. While I do not agree with all of the solutions they propose, I respect their views and recognize that many Americans support certain gun bans. However, many other Americans do not support a gun ban. They too want to prevent mass shootings, but view banning guns as an infringement on the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens that ultimately will not prevent these tragedies.

“While protests are a legitimate way of making a point, in our system of government, making a change requires finding common ground with those who hold opposing views. Common ground is how we were able to achieve the STOP School Violence Act, improvements to our background check system, propelling CDC studies on gun violence and now, a ban on bump stocks. And finding common ground is what it will take to pass our red flag law so we can take guns away from dangerous people.”

Marco Rubio receives more campaign donations form the NRA—more than $3 million—than any other politician, left or right. Remember that; he has a vested interest in keeping gun control legislation from passing.

Marjorie Stoneman Douglas students have repeatedly attacked Marco Rubio for his ties to the NRA and at the March this past weekend they continued;  at the D.C. rally, Parkland students wore orange price tags listed at $1.05, which is what they say they were worth to Marco Rubio; the $1.05 price tag represents the number of students in Florida divided by the amount of money the NRA has donated to Rubio’s campaign.

I guess high school students aren't even worth a buck to Marco Rubio.

And, lastly, where was _____ during the march? Playing golf, of course; having another vacation weekend and saying nothing about the march. Of course, being in the pocket of the NRA, what could he say? This:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the horrible attack in France yesterday, and we grieve the nation’s loss. We also condemn the violent actions of the attacker and anyone who would provide him support. We are with you @EmmanuelMacron!”

Yes, he stood in support of victims of terrorism in France, but not with the victims and survivors of gun violence, and home-grown terrorism right in his own backyard.

He said nothing about the more than one million Americans in over 800 cities in all 50 states protesting gun violence and demanding stronger gun control laws.

I’m with Emma … and the students of Parkland … and Sarah Hinnant and James Smith and the thousands of people who took to the streets of Columbia and around the country to simply say …

#Enough