To the Editor:

A Shout Out to Teenagers of 2018

At last you have arrived, I’ve been waiting for 50 years for the sound of your voice, I didn’t expect you to be so young.  I believe in order to maintain a democracy, citizens must constantly stand up to politicians whose natural inclination is their own personal care and feeding. Our country is in need of replacements for the protester passion of the 60’s and 70’s. I waited through the Baby Boomers, gen Xers, and the Millennials. I watched as my generation produced brilliant grandkids who played sports like pros, shopped like mad, attended expensive colleges and achieved good jobs.  But group passion never appeared until Valentine’s Day 2018 in Parkland Florida.

You appeared; born in a horrible traumatic situation, making the same journey out of your class rooms, arms raised overhead, as countless other kids have done in the past 20 years but in you was forged something I hadn’t seen before.  It became visible in the next hours and days.

I heard Emma Gonzalez calling BS before I saw her. I listened to her entire plea, watched her gather her strength, wipe her tears as she doggedly called out the congress, NRA and the president.  I felt moved by that and her article that appeared in Vanity Fair. I have not experienced emotions like this since I heard Barack Obama for the first time addressing the convention of 2004.

In the past month we got to see many other classmates, including David Hogg, every bit as precise and determined on the morning news shows. My God, they now have acquired their own song, organized a march on Washington, gotten the backing of some very powerful people besides interviews on all the news and social networks. In just a of couple weeks.  So comfortable with a mike in their hands and precisely researched information at their fingertips ready to debate.

I’m sure they have the same fear as everyone has addressing a hostile interview, like the NRA but their aplomb and courage in the face of all the personal attacks, takes my breath away, makes me hopeful that they can lead the way to overcome the evil and apathy that now lives in Washington, DC.  It makes modern the message, “and a child shall lead them”.

Welcome children of 2018, I am so proud of you.

Joan Ouellette
Stevens Point
March, 2018