Why I Supported March For Our Lives and Made What About Us?

Last week, I was watching one of the videos of the students from Parkland speaking out about gun reform, and I was struck with a thought. Several months ago, I caught Pink’s performance of her song “What About Us?” on Saturday Night Live, and I was immediately inspired to learn how to play it, although in my own style. When I heard what the students had to say, the song popped into my head, and I saw the video along with it.

So yesterday, I downloaded some of the videos of what the students had to say, produced the song with a friend of mine, and spent the afternoon editing the video together. The Harry Fox Agency says I am supposed to have a synchronization license in order to share someone else’s material on YouTube, and I sent them an email of my intention as was requested on their website, but they didn’t get back to me and I went ahead and released it anyway. It’s on YouTube and Facebook if you’d like to watch it and share.

Anyway, I was very inspired by these kids and their demand to have a conversation about enacting common sense laws that would decrease the amount of mass shootings in America, especially in our schools. I fully support their March For Our Lives, and any peaceful protests they are compelled to participate in, and I do hope that this video serves to inspire them.

For those who believe that common sense gun laws infringe on their Second Amendment right to bear arms, I think it’s important to realize that “right to bear arms” are only 4 letters of the 27 word amendment. I think that the first 4 words, “a well regulated militia,” are equally important, if not moreso, yet they are always kept out of the conversation.

While the students, and others who are for common sense gun laws, are requesting things like raising the age to buy guns to 21, banning the sale of fully and semi-automatic weapons and equipment, and background checks, I think there is an important question that is being missed. Why do we not ask how are people regulating their militia?

It’s true that the United States Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy, the Coast Guard, and their Reserves are already a pretty well regulated militia, and each soldier is outfitted with only two guns, unless more are required for specialization. So it seems rather unnecessary for civilians to buy as many guns as possible, with as much firepower as possible, to form a militia of their own. And it is also unlikely that they are actually doing so.

I have great compassion for those who live so fearfully that they think they need to have an arsenal of weapons to defend themselves against their fellow humans and the government of the country they claim to love. If you are fearful in this day and age, my greatest recommendation is to consider changing the type of content you are taking in, and decrease the information that will keep you up in arms. Definitely stop watching FOX News, but it’s probably a pretty good idea to steer clear of the other mainstream news stations that are compelled to keep you watching for as long as possible so the can make more money from their advertisers.

FOX and its ilk are designed to keep you fearful and keep the people divided so they will be good consumers and buy from their advertisers instead of being citizens who can make community thrive. Fill your head with something better.

I applaud the effort these kids made to create a stronger community that doesn’t have to live in fear. I hope that you will watch and share the videos.