Our nation has been divided along various fault lines since our founding. The latest division pits teenagers who don’t want to get shot against conservatives who seem upset that these teenagers are speaking out about not wanting to get shot.
That seems absurd, but that’s the country we inhabit these days. Many students who survived the Parkland, Florida, shooting are calling for common-sense gun-safety laws that could reduce the likelihood and severity of mass shootings. They’ve been articulate and passionate voices since their lives were interrupted by gunfire that killed many of their friends.
Last month, they led the March for Our Lives, one of the largest demonstrations in American history. The main march swelled the streets of Washington, D.C., while millions more marched in cities across the globe. I joined thousands of other marchers here in Northampton on March 24.
Our current national divide can be seen in the contrast between the signs carried by young people at the Northampton march and the comments from conservative “adults” on television and in social media.
Here’s a sign I saw held by a student at the Northampton march: “Save Kids Not Guns.” Sounds good to me.
Here’s a right-wing attack against the students: Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King mocked student activist Emma Gonzalez in a Facebook post because she wore a Cuban flag patch on her jacket, somehow implying that her heritage disqualified her from advocating on the issue of guns. When called out on the bigoted post, King claimed that only a “brainwashed lefty” would object to his views.
Here’s another student sign: “One Child Is Worth More Than All The Guns On Earth.”
Here’s another right wing-attack: Many conservative blogs spread the false accusation that student activist David Hogg wasn’t even in school during the shooting. Their claim was quickly debunked, but the attackers’ critical thinking skills disintegrated the moment they thought they could discredit Hogg. They ended up discrediting themselves.
Another sign: “I Want To Live To See Graduation.”
Another right-wing attack: Fox News contributor Tomi Lahren tweeted that, “Simply being anti-NRA is not a solution. March FOR something, not just against everything.” Lahren was so blinded by her pro-gun agenda that she was unable to read the word “for” in the name “March for Our Lives.”
Another sign: “History Has Its Eyes On You.”
Another attack: Fox News host Laura Ingraham accused Hogg of “whining” about not being accepted by some colleges. When advertisers left her show in droves after her insensitive and nonsensical comment, she backtracked “in the spirit of Holy Week.” It’s a shame that Ingraham needed the Easter holiday and sponsor boycott to inspire her to show basic human decency toward a mass shooting survivor.
Sign: “Policy Change Not Thoughts and Prayers.”
Attack: Republican former Sen. Rick Santorum said, “How about kids — instead of looking to someone else to solve their problem — do something about maybe taking CPR classes or trying to deal with situations that, when there is a violent shooter, that you can actually respond to that?” It’s bad enough that Santorum thinks cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an appropriate treatment for gunshot wounds. It’s worse that his statement implies that school shootings are inevitable. But the worst part is that Santorum, a former lawmaker, thinks advocating for better laws is “looking to someone else to solve your problem.” No wonder he’s a former senator.
Sign: “I Want to Read Books Not Eulogies.”
Attack: One right-wing social media meme showed an altered photo of Gonzalez ripping the Constitution in half. In reality, she ripped a shooting target in half. Another meme showed a shaven-headed young woman swinging an umbrella at a truck. The caption claimed Gonzalez was “attacking a Second Amendment supporter’s truck.” This was actually a decade-old photo of Britney Spears. Oops, they did it again — lying that is.
Sign: “Fear Has No Place in Schools.”
Attack: An aide to a Florida state representative claimed that Gonzalez and Hogg were “crisis actors” who pretended to be part of the tragedy. A Republican candidate for Maine state Senate called Gonzalez a “skinhead lesbian” and “moron moonbat.” He also called Hogg a “moron” and a “bald-faced liar.” An aide to a New York state senator posted a photo of Hogg with his arm raised alongside a photo of Hitler giving a Nazi salute. Classy, these Republicans are not.
Sign: “I Want To Live To See Graduation.”
Attack: Washed-up musician Ted Nugent made perhaps the most ludicrous attack on the students, calling them “ignorant and dangerously stupid” and claiming that “They have no soul.” Nugent isn’t an expert on having a soul. Among a long list of hateful statements, he once yelled, “Obama, he’s a piece of s. I told him to suck on my machine gun. Hey, Hillary, you might want to ride one of these into the sunset, you worthless b,” while holding assault rifles aloft at a concert. Despite such disgusting public comments, Nugent remains a frequent contributor to right-wing media, a board member of the National Rifle Association, and a recent guest of Donald Trump at the White House.
Finally, here’s a sign held by one of the many adults who came out to support the young activists at the Northampton march: “We’ll Follow Our Students All The Way To The Ballot Box.”
Our nation faces a choice. Do we support young people who don’t want to die in a mass shooting, or do we support people who seem to have guns where their souls should be? A good place to make that choice is in the voting booth at the upcoming midterm election.
John Sheirer is an author and teacher who lives in Florence. His most recent book is the satire, Donald Trump’s Top Secret Concession Speech. Find him at JohnSheirer.com.