Something Bigger Than Sports

Today, I come to you, not to talk about the Seattle Mariners. But instead, to talk to you about our humanity. For there is a crippling issue that strikes at the very core of our American ideals, which should not, and will not be ignored, at least by me.

By now, you are no doubt aware of yet another school shooting here in the United States. The shooting, the 35th of this type in 2018 alone, took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida.

The shooting has left 17 human beings dead as of this writing, with countless other injuries still being reported. It is, without a doubt, a dark day in American history.

And while all the thoughts and prayers, flags flying at half-staff and kind words are a nice sentiment, know this: they do nothing to fix this problem. Violence on this level cannot be met merely with prayers. They must be met with action.

Today, more so than any point in our history, our political system is rigged. Not by the people who vote, but by the people who sign checks. Our government has forsaken its solemn duty to protect their citizens. Instead, our government chooses to protect their donors.

Our politicians have told us time and time again, the we, the people, are not worth protecting. They told us on April 20, 1999 after Columbine. They told us again in Aurora on July 20, 2012. Again, they announced their lack of compassion on June 12, 2016.

Some politicians would have you believe, that these lives lost are the cost of living in a free society. That the lives of 20, six-year-old children are worth sacrificing for a 200-year-old law. Children are dead, and still, we do nothing.

17 more people are dead today, thanks to the inaction of just a few dozen people. Among them, a High School football coach, whom upon seeing the gunman, threw himself in front of a hail of bullets to protect students. He threw himself in front of a bullet.

Aaron Feis gave his life to protect others. Aaron Feis is a true American hero. Never before has there been a time when we need more American hero’s.

We must do what is uncomfortable. We must do what is hard. Most importantly, we must do what is right. But we cannot do it alone. Yet the true strength of a people is measured by how they respond to dark times like these.

Will we continue to cower in the corner to the amazing power of special interest? Or will we finally stand up and say enough is enough? We are the owners of our own destiny, and we demand better. We demand our most inalienable right, the right to live.

Politicians cannot do it alone. We must call our Congressman, demand action be taken. We must rise together as a united people and demand more from our leaders. Violence should not be the rule of law in our country.

17 people are dead. They were our teachers, our brothers, our sisters, and our coaches. The streets of heaven are too crowded with Angels today. Today is a dark day in America. But our fear of the dark is not from the absences of light. Rather, the fear is that the light may never return.

But if we stand together, brighter days will be on the horizon for America, and the world. Together, we are strong. Together we can force change. It was Abraham Lincoln who said, ” a house dived among itself, cannot stand”.

Now is the time for us to come together. To demand action. All it requires, is a little courage. A spark of courage can lead to a fire of hope that ignites our highest potential as a people. It is time to stop the excuses. It is time to act. Only then, can we stop this senseless circle of violence, and, as promised to us by our forefathers, be truly free.