We should all be very proud of the youth across this nation, including but not limited to the Fargo-Moorhead area schools.

Moorhead, Fargo and West Fargo public high school students joined the national movement to stop the murder in our nation’s schools. They also plan to join the national movement that plans a march in Washington on Saturday (March 24).

Our young people know that the National Rifle Association has purchased politicians from both parties, and they’ve said, “Enough is enough.” Millions of these young Americans will be of voting age by the midterm elections. If that doesn’t give those up for election pause, then they deserve to be retired.

Let’s get one thing straight! This youth movement has been and is a March for Life — their lives. They don’t want to be slaughtered anywhere including their schools. They know the so-called adults in the room have neither the courage nor the common sense to do what is right to correct this national wrong!

Noticeably absent in our area was participation by religious schools, including my alma mater, Shanley High School. This is not a reflection on the students at these schools but on their administrations.

Apparently, it’s OK to spend a few days and much money to attend a Washington, D.C., March for Life opposing abortion, where the media is aplenty, but not participate in the local movement.

You can say these students are only involved in a gun control movement. If that’s what you think, you are a narrow-minded contributor to the problem. The participants are not single-issue marchers — they believe that once out of the womb, the human deserves the same protections as those who seek to protect them while in the womb.

Why in the name of God would religious school administrators feel it’s OK to be active in a Right to Life movement if the subject is abortion … and not this movement against murder of the living? You can talk until the cows come home, but you will never convince me that the Shanley students, if given the choice, would not have joined the nationwide school protest last week, and may yet join the marches Saturday.

I harken back to the days of the legendary Sid Cichy, coach and teacher at Shanley, and Oliver Lux, the dean of men, when the nuns ran the school. Had this situation arisen, I don’t doubt for a moment that the whole school would have joined the march with their blessings.

Father Lux was one large man who, when he leaned on a wall to have a smoke before he went into class, bowed the wall. He was a former professional football player. No one messed with him.

Cichy was not only a great teacher and coach but a very nice and decent family man. In my senior year, Sid gave me some great personal advice. One of my classmates had defeated me in every track race in my junior year. Sid asked me if I knew why my mate always beat me. I said, “‘Cause he is faster.”

Sid said, “No, it’s because he always tells you he’s going to beat you.” After that little talk, my senior year was outstanding. The mate never beat me again.

I share this only to reflect on what was — and what is now. All of our students want to be involved in the current march against violence and for common sense. They ought to be allowed to do so.

This is a lifetime moment for the youth of today. They have a mission called common sense and a message suggesting to the leaders of our country: “You’d better stop talking and start acting.”

The movement of today may well result in some well-deserved retirements from Congress. The young people remind us that all is not lost in America. We are going through some very tough times right now. These extraordinary students have already accomplished more in the last two months than all of the politicians since mass school shootings started years ago.

I congratulate them for their courage and hope that school administrations, public and parochial will support them. If they will not, perhaps there might be some retirements due there also. Amen.