Editor,
The March For Our Lives rally in Basin Park was well attended. About 20 people including a group of young students, junior high or younger, were enthusiastic about changing the culture of gun violence. I witnessed only one negative comment from a passing vehicle and one gentleman assured me that it’s not the guns, it’s people.
I replied, yes, too many people with too many guns. I must concede, if you gave guns to any other species, they probably only rarely would shoot each other, maybe never.
An elderly veteran decided that the children there today had no business protesting guns and loudly objected that they were dishonoring his service. He also had no respect for other veterans who tried to speak civilly to him, accusing them of hiding behind a desk or a truck during their service.
The police responded twice to listen to his accusation that the children were getting in his face and yelling at him. No one else witnessed any such thing. Several adult activists stayed close until he left.
One couple walking past stopped and the gentleman said that he had left the NRA decades before because of their totally indefensible attitude toward gun violence reform. I came home and Suzanne and I watched the video of the DC march. Brought me to tears. These kids are amazing!
Mark Eastburn