Column: Adults are taking their cues from student protesters — and they should

I frequently write about kids, and a lot of them have had a great deal to say to the rest of us lately. So I decided to listen.

Last weekend I attended one of the March for Our Lives rallies to observe and ask questions. It was a cool, breezy day in Santa Ana, but the sky was a brilliant blue and the air felt fresh from the recent rains as thousands of marchers — many carrying signs emblazoned with messages advocating for gun control — descended on Centennial Regional Park.

The event was one of hundreds held across the country that were organized to honor the victims of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting in February, as well as other victims of gun violence, and to call for increased gun regulations.

I saw people of all ages and races. There were parents, grandparents, teachers and civil servants. Politicians mingled and some spoke to the crowd. Adults who had lost loved ones to gun violence choked through tears to tell their stories.

But I was there to see the kids and hear what they had to say. I share a few takeaways from that experience.

The first thought I was struck with is that I was witnessing a new generation of leaders. Not future leaders. They are, unmistakably, the leaders of today.

You might not agree with their goals, but there is no escaping the conclusion that these young people have harnessed the energy of their peers and won the respect of their like-minded elders, all of whom seem quite comfortable taking their cues from the student leaders.

In every visible way these kids were front and center. They organized and led the march and massed together at the front of the rally. This was their day, and they were completely in charge.

As one young speaker said, “Our generation will lead the way.”

Another captured the raw emotion of the crowd with his impassioned plea: “I should not be afraid to go to school.”

My next observation was that, boy oh boy, these kids are articulate.

In one speech after another, and in interviews with young participants, I was impressed by the students’ composure and clear-eyed statements of their feelings and objectives. They came armed with statistics and arguments that would stand out at any debate team competition.

After rattling off a series of data points, one Northwood High School student who addressed the gathering delivered this reflection about the U.S. Constitution: “The words ‘well regulated’ are there for a reason.”

Another thing I noticed about the kids who were there to protest is that they appear to know exactly what they want.

They are leaving no gray area, no reason to misunderstand their motives. They have offered point-by-point calls for gun control legislation, and seem to understand better than many adults how to employ effective methods of organizing, communicating, and generating support.

They also seem to understand very well the power of the ballot box, as the message was repeated over and over that they will be mobilizing voters and will only back political candidates that will fight for their priorities.

My final observation regarding the young people involved in this effort is that they aren’t going to give up.

At the rally last weekend, I had the distinct impression that what we are witnessing isn’t a momentary flare-up of painful feelings and improbable objectives. Again, whether you agree with these kids or not, there’s no denying that they have started a movement built to endure and which cannot be ignored.

At a very young age, they are behaving like seasoned veterans, ready to dig in for a long fight. They appeared unbowed and unafraid of the criticism that is coming at them.

The signs in the crowd were particularly telling. Many adults offered slogan-style messages of the “Books Not Bullets” variety. The kids’ signs, however, were generally more visceral, more gut-punching in their impact, such as “I Should Feel Lucky That I Get to Go to School, Not That I Get to Come Home,” or “Am I Next?”

A few were even pithy, like one frequently photographed sign that read “Fix It Or We Stop Explaining Technology 2 U.”

History has taught us again and again that young people on a mission can change the world, whether the world is ready for them or not.

From the Vietnam War protest movement to the campus-based divestment campaign against apartheid South Africa, students mobilizing in righteous anger have shown themselves to be a powerful force. We dismiss them at our own peril.

PATRICE APODACA is a former Newport-Mesa public school parent and former Los Angeles Times staff writer. She lives in Newport Beach.