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A review by madisonboboltz
Parkland: Birth of a Movement by Dave Cullen
5.0
“Listen to what’s in the heart of a child,
A song so big in one so small...”
I wasn’t sure if I would like this book. I loved Dave Cullen’s work on Columbine, but as opposed to that one, this was published so soon after the shooting. Then I realized that this book was not about the shooting... it is about a hopeful movement of young people who dedicated themselves to life-saving work in the midst of this mess of a political climate the generations before them have created.
I am blown away by what I have learned. I am a very left-leaning 21-year-old from Texas who often debates gun control with family members and peers, yet I myself initially wrote off the MFOL movement as merely an impassioned and flashy coping mechanism, which I sympathized, but did not really support. I watched some of their speeches, and was loved, but didn’t jump on board. I am so sorry that I doubted the wisdom and resilience of these teenagers. The more I read about them and learned about them, the more I came to love them.
Some of their quotes... about survivors guilt... about the internet trolls and death threats... about politicians belittling them... about groups from Texas (my home state) showing up to their events flashing assault rifles in order to intimidate them... came to be just as shocking, horrific, and difficult to read about as the events of the shooting itself. But there were quotes which were inspirational and beautiful as well... about these band of misfits coming together and creating a family... about how they sacrificed their summer to go on a bus tour to dialogue with leadership and encourage people to vote... about how they learned from their own privilege and tackled not just school shootings, but gun violence in general, and gave a voice to inner city groups trying to promote change... about how they made beautiful art and participated in theater... about how they learned to comfort one another when they were struggling with PTSD, depression, and anxiety... about how they stood up for one another and for kids across the country, despite the stress and fatigue....
What I admire most is how they recognize and learn from their mistakes with great attitudes. They admit when a tweet or a comment went too far. They are mindful of how their statements could be twisted and used against them. So they do their best to own up to those shortcomings and do better next time... which most adults never seem to be willing to do. They also remember they are just kids... doing their best to address these problems they should never had to have addressed in the first place. So they joke around and have fun too, which I find to be a relief.
Thank you so much! I pledge my support, and I can’t wait to join the movement here in Texas!
A song so big in one so small...”
I wasn’t sure if I would like this book. I loved Dave Cullen’s work on Columbine, but as opposed to that one, this was published so soon after the shooting. Then I realized that this book was not about the shooting... it is about a hopeful movement of young people who dedicated themselves to life-saving work in the midst of this mess of a political climate the generations before them have created.
I am blown away by what I have learned. I am a very left-leaning 21-year-old from Texas who often debates gun control with family members and peers, yet I myself initially wrote off the MFOL movement as merely an impassioned and flashy coping mechanism, which I sympathized, but did not really support. I watched some of their speeches, and was loved, but didn’t jump on board. I am so sorry that I doubted the wisdom and resilience of these teenagers. The more I read about them and learned about them, the more I came to love them.
Some of their quotes... about survivors guilt... about the internet trolls and death threats... about politicians belittling them... about groups from Texas (my home state) showing up to their events flashing assault rifles in order to intimidate them... came to be just as shocking, horrific, and difficult to read about as the events of the shooting itself. But there were quotes which were inspirational and beautiful as well... about these band of misfits coming together and creating a family... about how they sacrificed their summer to go on a bus tour to dialogue with leadership and encourage people to vote... about how they learned from their own privilege and tackled not just school shootings, but gun violence in general, and gave a voice to inner city groups trying to promote change... about how they made beautiful art and participated in theater... about how they learned to comfort one another when they were struggling with PTSD, depression, and anxiety... about how they stood up for one another and for kids across the country, despite the stress and fatigue....
What I admire most is how they recognize and learn from their mistakes with great attitudes. They admit when a tweet or a comment went too far. They are mindful of how their statements could be twisted and used against them. So they do their best to own up to those shortcomings and do better next time... which most adults never seem to be willing to do. They also remember they are just kids... doing their best to address these problems they should never had to have addressed in the first place. So they joke around and have fun too, which I find to be a relief.
Thank you so much! I pledge my support, and I can’t wait to join the movement here in Texas!