Shari Della Penna
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"Small acts of kindness can change and humanise our world."
   Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks 1948-2020
   ​Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, 1991-2020
                         Author, Advocate, Advisor

Her Legacy Lives On

3/13/2018

2 Comments

 
FORBES:  It was a registered gun. Our records show that Mr. Nesbitt applied for a license to have a gun on the premises in August of 1989. That permit was still in effect. The gun was licensed to him from that time.
                                                                  from: Monster
                                                         by Walter Dean Myers
                                                               Harper Teen, 1999
                                                            Printz Award winner
                                                   National Book Award Finalist
 
       Tomorrow marks the one month anniversary of the tragic massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.
       Marjory was a humanitarian, a suffragist, an environmentalist. She was an activist before the word was even invented.
       Serendipity worked in Marjory’s life, just as it does in so many of our lives. Even though her father was not part of her life as she was growing up, they ended up in the same place at the same time. Marjory completed her studies in journalism and looked for a career as Frank Stoneman, her father, acquired ownership of the Miami Herald through a serendipitous route of his own.
       A great movement was underway to drain the swamp (The Everglades) to make room for more development and more people. Frank saw how wrongheaded the plans were and editorialized about them.
       Marjory learned the science of how the Everglades works to provide fresh water for all of South Florida. She wrote of it, too. A best-seller called Everglades: River of Grass. And she spoke of it to anyone who would listen long after the book was published.
       Marjory’s activism stopped great harm. Although the Everglades continues to fight for its life against pollution and over-development, Marjory led a movement to call attention to a problem and mobilized friends and acquaintances to save a whole ecosystem.
       She would be proud of the student activists at her High School. Armed with hashtags, forward thinking, and determination, they have begun a national, even international, movement.
       People are talking about guns.                                                 People are asking hard questions.
       People (and companies) are beginning to stand up to the NRA.
       So maybe even a killer, full of fear and hate and intent on doing harm, can be the impetus for great good.
​       There’s fabulous irony in that. Irony not lost on the great kids, teachers, administrators, and alumnae of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, activists all.
                                                   --stay curious (and involved!)

2 Comments
Lynda Boucher link
3/13/2018 01:59:14 pm

Thank you for educating many about MSD, as you have done for a long time with your critique mates. Her name has been before us every day for a month, and I've wondered how many folks have no clue of who she was, and her life's work.

Reply
Shari Della Penna link
3/13/2018 03:04:48 pm

Maybe some will feed their curiosity and find out how much influence one person can really have.
Thanks for the comment (as usual!!)

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         I'm a children's writer and poet intent on observing the world and nurturing those I find in my small space .

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