• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, March 21, 2018

This “March for Our Lives” event happening this weekend is pretty amazing. By some accounts, millions around the globe may participate.

As most of you know, it is being organized by a group of kids that survived the horrific mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last month. They’ve created a movement dubbed #NeverAgain. Everytown For Gun Safety, a grassroots group that supports gun control, is assisting with logistics.

I say kids because well, they’re in high school. By definition they’re still kids. But they’re stepping up and acting like mature adults, before they should have to, frankly, because the adults aren’t stepping up.

What they want is very reasonable — a ban on the military-style assault weapons that seem to be the weapons of choice for mass shooters in this country, particularly those that target schools. And they want to close ridiculous loopholes that exist for background checks on gun buyers.

Simple, reasonable goals that perhaps would have saved the lives of some of their classmates, had they been in effect Feb. 14.

Despite what the gun nuts in this country would have you believe, none of what the Parkland kids want infringes on Second Amendment rights.

Some Adland creatives have taken very laudable steps to support those marching this weekend, for the most part by putting their creative skills to work on downloadable protest signs. MediaPost wrote about one such effort yesterday, which has been supported by creatives at McKinney, KBS, CP+B, Connelly Partners, and others. BBH has devised its own downloadable protest poster platform via Instagram.

Both of these efforts are commendable and there are probably others. But I really have to wonder, where is the C-level support? Not just at the agencies, but at the holding companies?

I know, some clients are reactionary jackasses who think restricting rocket launchers and tanks are Second Amendment violations. But the C-level suits have to call bullshit on that.

The holding companies have the talent and the clout — through an array of political consulting and lobbying firms — to help make a run at meaningful and reasonable gun legislation. Like a ban on assault weapons.

That kind of modest legislation would save lives without any diminishment of Second Amendment rights.

So come on Adland. Grow a pair and get involved in this. If Dick’s and Walmart can do it, so can you.