[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Bonnevie

I respectfully disagree that marching and protesting are a waste of time. an example of positive change from such actions:

On April 22,1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders. By the end of that year, the first Earth Day had led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. “It was a gamble,” Gaylord (wisconsin senator) recalled, “but it worked.”

I believe walks,etc. let people know there are other people who feel as they do and it lessens discouragement with the status quo. The early civil rights marches where marchers had dogs attack them and water cannons, brought an awareness to many who didn't experience that in their lives.


and I do not believe the Parkland students are pawns of anyone. They might be getting help from teachers and adults, but they are the ones leading this, they are intelligent, articulate victims of a mass shooting who want to bring about change.

the problem with living in a "bubble" is that it keeps ideas and different opinions out.

Originally Posted by redwitch

Marches do make a difference. Civil protest can and does make a huge difference. Our history has shown what protests can accomplish (from peaceful to violent) — the Boston Tea Party, Carrie Nation and Prohibition, Vietnam War protests, Women Rights marches in the the sixties and seventies and today, and so on and so forth. It was the Civil Right marches that brought some injustices to the forefront of many Americans long before violent protests and rioting started. The kids today have already made a difference — there have been some new gun laws passed and, hopefully, more will occur in the future.

That this boy was killed is a tragedy. Had he followed the rules and stayed in the designated areas rather than sneaking off to play, his family, friends and school would not be in mourning.

As to the kids being manipulated, I don’t think so. They have a right to be fearful. They have a right to be angry. Just sitting at their desks and bemoaning their fates has gotten them nowhere but shot at. Adults have spoken up in the past but nothing was accomplished. Parkland kids spoke and started a movement that is getting things accomplished.

So, my chant is, “Go, kids, go! Get it done. We failed. Show us how to do it right.”