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Don’t you cringe when some folks, when faced with a problem, respond with a defeatist attitude? ‘There’s nothing we can do about that’ is not just a statement, it’s a surrender. It’s a choice to give up, to not even try, or to stubbornly refuse to change. But doing nothing only leads to deeper woes in the future. The time for change is not just now, it’s yesterday. It’s urgently needed, and it starts with us.

Being humble enough to accept defeat, possessing the courage to apologize, and having the conviction to compromise for the common good are signs of good character, not weakness.   

Today, I take on this challenge because I must be brave enough to speak up as a mom and a writer who loves people. But I’m not alone. Our voices, when united, can create a powerful force for change. Together, we can make a difference. 

After the 2018 Parkland school shooting in Florida, I wrote a story, “The Ones Who Missed the Dance,” that resonated with many.  Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was just a few miles from where my granddaughter lived.  When tragedy strikes near the one you love, you quickly realize the murdered school child lying in the grave could have been yours.   It alters one’s perspective and should change all of ours. 

I am a gun owner, but for me to say that nothing can be done about gun violence is being defensive and cowardly.   Folks, our children are dying, and for us to nonchalantly say, “It is just the way it is today,” is a sign of weakness and indifference.  It also represents a society deeply divided and a tad bit crazy.

We can enact laws to protect a six-week-old unborn fetus and ban books in school libraries that we deem harmful.   However, we seem unwilling to pass national common-sense gun legislation to protect the living child’s ability to safely walk to the library to obtain one of those controversial books.  Does that make sense to anyone?

Gun violence is the number one cause of death in today’s American children.  In my day, it was polio, cancer, and car accidents.   Many said, “Well, there is nothing anyone can do.”  Yet, Jonas Salk created the polio vaccine, and childhood cancer death rates have fallen dramatically due to advanced research and treatment.   Today, we have seat belts, warning signals, airbags, and many car gadgets to protect us.  We also enacted nationwide laws regarding children’s car seats to protect them.  Why?  Because folks never gave up trying to save the lives of our children.  They never accepted the notion there was nothing that could be done. 

The majority of us do not want to take away a person’s right to bear arms, but most Americans today are crying for universal background checks, banning assault rifles, and prosecuting those who give children access to weapons.   Yet, many of our leaders offer nothing but condolences.   Do they no longer represent the majority, hear the pleas, or are they just not courageous enough to try? 

Our children are not Democrats or Republicans or swayed by lobbying groups, maintaining power, and other influences.  They are just kids who do not want to worry about entering a classroom or walking down the street.

At some point, we must use our God-given brains to discern how to safeguard each other instead of constantly quoting the Second Amendment.  Hasn’t weaponry, population, and society changed slightly since it was written in 1791? 

Our youngsters should always come before our partisan politics; we are a weak and self-serving society if they don’t.  The children that thrive beyond their fetus status should be allowed to grow up in a safer, more respectable, unified environment. 

The belief that no matter what, nothing will change promotes an attitude that teaches our children to give up, never improve, never fight for what is right, and never compromise.  How does that help us grow courageous future leaders?

I don’t know about you, but this gal is over the lame excuses, done with politics harming our children, and over the gun-toting fools who give their kids assault weapons as a gift.  I am beyond mortified at the lack of mental health care for our youths, but not surprised that some are damaged by the deranged environment in which they live.

They were taught early that life is not sacred, that it doesn’t matter what you do, and no one offered them hope.  And we call these broken children ‘demons?’ The monsters are the adults in the room who led the child into darkness and taught them nothing can be done to find a way out.

“Children are a gift from God; they are his reward.”  Psalm 127:3

We must collectively remember to protect such treasures.