March on!

So there are walk-outs happening throughout our schools across the country. But for what?

Gun control? Not really, but for some, probably.

Stopping gun violence? Kinda, yeah.

To find an excuse to skip class? For some, definitely.

I won’t rehash what I wrote a couple weeks ago about how change is coming and this is the generation at the forefront of it. But, regarding these walk-outs, I’m fascinated by some of the opinions I see.

But most all of them I’ve seen are from adults. Who don’t go to school.

I’ve seen some teachers chime in with good points on all sides of the issue.

But, of those who think these walk-outs are stupid and pointless, I find it interesting they are all from adults. I’m sure there are some kids who do as well. I’m not dumb enough to think I’ve seen the entire gamut of opinions here. But, as adults, we’ve conditioned ourselves to think we know better, so we just shut down and ignore the voice of the young. And if history has proven one thing, it’s marginalized voices eventually get fed up and force themselves to be heard.

What does it accomplish? Sometimes nothing. Sometimes something.

But it reminds me of a verse I learned in Jr. High from Benny Proffitt. (Some of you may know him/of him).

1 Timothy 4:12: Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

For this ‘movement’ to gain traction, I do believe it has to be rooted in good speech, good conduct, love, faith and purity.

But, just because someone is young, doesn’t mean they are always wrong at the expense of adult opinion.

It may change nothing, but who are we to stomp out their voice and flame? Maybe part of the problem we created in the world they live in was because we never acted on our convictions when WE were young. We keep saying the world is getting worse and worse… why snuff out their desire to make it better before life proves they can’t? It goes beyond the issue at hand. It’s a concept. Gun violence in schools is just the backdrop to a larger discussion and movement of having their voices heard and respected.

Who are we to deny them developing a voice. Our might have been snuffed out when we were younger and the only thing that changed as we grew up is this world got more messed up. Maybe this next generation will screw things up even worse. But we can’t pray for change and then knock the podium away from those willing to speak toward change. We can’t be saying the children are the future then deny them the right to make it theirs. Children are the future. But it’s their future. We had our chance and our present is the future we made for ourselves back then. They deserve the right to create their future-turned-present.

Most of the fear of ‘their future’ stems from our fear of what that future will be. That’s why they need adult guidance. There’s a fire in youth that usually gets snuffed by the adulting world. Let them embrace what youth really can do before adulthood grips them and doesn’t let go.

Bills. Responsibilities. Jobs. Dumb Presidents.

All these things and more eventually weigh down and turn our youth into adulthood. By then, it’s usually too late. That fire has to be harnessed and controlled… and guided. If it’s just chaotic, then it’s our fault for allowing it. But, you can either be scared of that fire and put it out or turn it the direction it should go and watch it burn what needs burning and spare what needs sparing. Because when they become adults, that fire will probably burn less hot too. But if we teach them by our actions now that their voice doesn’t matter… if we water down their fire out of fear, then that’s our problem that we are shoving down their throats.

 

We may have done that with the national debt. We don’t need to do it in every other way too.

Don’t be scared of change… step up and in to help guide it.

Recapture some of the fire YOU had when you were young and didn’t know what you know now about life.

If you’re worried (or just carry the opinion) that this will do nothing or these kids are just getting out of class, etc… then look for ways to educate them on the issue. They are a captive audience. They may initially reject it… but who can blame them? All they see from most adults is people telling them to shut up and sit down. But, once they trust you, they’ll be sponges to trusted guidance.

Some won’t. Obviously. Some are knuckleheads. But, there’s enough sincerity in the cause to make plenty of noise. Noise that can turn into coherent sound and a true voice if it’s guided appropriately.

Will the walk-outs themselves accomplish anything? Probably not. But it lets those in power know they deserve a seat at the table we set for them.

It doesn’t mean they control the conversation… or outcomes. It teaches them what they can and can’t control, actually. But, at minimum, it’s a lesson in what it really takes to enact meaningful change and at most, actual change for the better will happen.

If we are raising them to be good adults, we can’t say something must change and then deny those most impacted a voice.

That’s not good adulting.