Why I'm Marching

Every night, I bless and pray with my twins individually before turning out their lights. (They indulge me....)

Last night, as I was leaning over to kiss Darren goodnight before departing his room, he asked, "Why are you going to the march in DC?"

He and his sister are participating in our city's companionate march. He was---and perhaps still is---rightly curious as to why I (who treasure every opportunity to sleep in) am going to be up and on a bus by 6:30am tomorrow en route to our nation's capital.  

In my gut, I know this is the right thing to do---to NOT do what that conviction/small voice/conscience/Jiminy Cricket-urging is telling me to do is essentially wrong/sin of omission/lazy/chicken sh*t.

But it's bigger than that, and my reasons are, too.

I am marching because as a nation we've demonstrably placed our right to possess lethal weapons above the value of our fellow Americans'---even our children's---lives. 

I am marching because our leaders pay devout attention to crowd-size, and care about votes.

I am marching to let those directly harmed by our national inaction and reckless selfishness know they are not alone; I mourn with them. Their loss is inexcusable, and should not---will not---continue to be tolerated. 

I am marching because when contemplating horrors and injustices of the past, I've often wondered if I'd have had the courage to stand alongside those fighting for the right to vote, for civil rights...or standing firmly against the Holocaust. 

I am marching because our Constitution is being idolized and treated as an inflexible, immalleable document. 

I am marching to demonstrate no matter your age---individually or a country---it's imperative to acknowledge harmful practices. Upon seeing them, you can, you should, you MUST change. 

I am marching FOR something (the sensible imposition of common sense gun laws), not "against" something.

I am marching because the mentally ill, the domestic abuser, the temporarily-angry teen, the zealot, the racist, the criminal should not have minimally fettered ease acquiring guns and vast quantities of ammunition.

I am marching because we all deserve a life wherein we can freely pursue entertainment, education, and worship without having to predetermine escape routes.

Beloved Darren and Sarah, most especially, I am marching for YOU.