As Florida teens show us how it's done, my anger is…

As Florida teens show us how it's done, my anger is turning to hope

Alfonso Calderon, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, speaks at the Florida state Capitol. Photograph: Colin Abbey/EPA

It’s hard to imagine finding light and hope in the aftermath of a tragedy like the one that left 17 people dead in Parkland, Florida. Yet somehow we have, thanks to the sheer determination of student survivors. They’re flooding cable television and social media, starting walkouts and marches. Even better, they’re fighting back against rightwing smears with the kind of online savvy that only young people have.

Now if we could just do half as much for them as they’re doing for this country ...

Glass half full

Thanks to pressure by the young people in Parkland, three rental car companies have ended their relationships with the NRA. Fingers crossed for more to come.

What I’m RTing

Students in Miami-Dade and Broward counties are walking out of school to protest for gun reform. These kids are incredible. ✊
pic.twitter.com/ApWdOvzadz
— Brynna Quillin (@brynnaquillin) February 21, 2018

.@NRA lobbyist Dana Loesch blaming mental illness for violent crime. People with mental illness commit less than 5% of violent crimes. They are more likely to be victims than perpetrators.

CNN Town Hall
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) February 22, 2018

The posture on the Left cannot be that there is *no money* to arm teachers. THERE IS. Our posture needs to be that we OPPOSE militarism on its face and refuse to allow our children to be educated in prison prep and in fortresses.
— #GeniusTweeter (@prisonculture) February 22, 2018

Wayne LaPierre makes $970,000 a year. https://t.co/3ePyB4GOMc
— Jenavieve Hatch (@jenavievehatch) February 22, 2018

Who I’m reading

Michael Ian Black on the way we are failing boys; a doctor who treated Parkland victims talks about what kind of damage bullets do to young bodies; and Jamelle Bouie on how arming teachers would put students of color in danger.

What I’m writing

On one of the most nefarious lies the NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch told at CNN’s town hall.

How outraged I am

This week I’m more hopeful than angry. Watching teenagers take apart politicians with ease, seeing how they’re turning their grief into action – it’s the first time in a long while that I’ve thought maybe things will start to get better.