Although we are hearing a great deal about right wing extremist Laura Ingraham, she is not alone. Many Republicans have attacked the heroic students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who are leading a movement which will likely change our nation in a very necessary manner. They are fighting not only for themselves, they are demanding that our government listen to us and reject special interests including the NRA gun lobby.

This ‘Republican Party in name only’ is rejecting the most important truth of all. These young men and women will be voting soon, and they will become as large or larger than the current largest demographic, millennials. GOP politicians, by their own actions and words, are creating an entire generation which will reject Republican candidates.

Republicans have chosen to continue their support for the NRA and reject the demands of the majority; this will cost them in future elections. The truth is that the Republican Party may no longer exist after the 2020 election.

The fact is that it’s all about the money. The NRA is not protecting the second amendment; they are exploiting it. There is no reference to military assault weapons or high-output magazines. When the right wing says that progressives are ‘coming after your guns,’ they are not being entirely truthful. We are coming after your toys, not weapons you choose for hunting defenseless animals, or claim to own for self-protection. No civilian needs to own weapons of mass destruction.

If you did not watch the broadcast of the ‘March For Our Lives’ one week ago today, you ignored history. I shed tears of hope and joy, and felt a pride for my country I had not experienced since November 7, 2016. I will gladly follow these young men and women into the future. Emma Rodriguez and David Hogg began the movement, but young men and women from schools across the nation joined them and are leading students from their own cities to demand that our government returns to serving the needs and wishes of the people.

We have been ruled by the tyrants in the Republican Party for far too long. They have ignored the polls and served special interests for far too long. Although the majority support changes in our gun laws, a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented workers, free education for all, fair taxation, less funding for the Pentagon to waste, the acceptance of same-sex marriage, and full equality for women, Republican politicians have consistently opposed these issues.

Time for real change. We have new and energetic leadership who will refuse to surrender to the enemy. We must follow or get out of the way. Vote in November; you can save our country.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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