Fredrick Douglass once said, “I prayed for freedom for 20 years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.”

Legislators and citizens in the United States are quick to offer “thoughts and prayers” when tragedy strikes, but thoughts and prayers without action are just empty words.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas students are holding their legislators to their sometimes quick and thoughtless words by demanding action.

School shooting, after school shooting, the scenes of candle-lined streets and memorials in lockers of dead classmates haunt many, but after a few weeks, national media has moved on.

These students from Parkland have had enough. They have seen and lived the nightmare that is gun violence and they have started a revolution. They went straight from grief to action. They have done more than their lawmakers and they have influenced the American public to do and be better.

If legislators are so quick to pray, then why don’t they take their words and do something?

According to the Center for Disease Control, every day an average of 96 Americans die from gun violence. Seven children and teens are killed from gun violence on an average day.

With these terrifying statistics, why hasn’t there been a change? Why are Americans so quick to pray, but so resistant to what they are praying for?

It is hypocritical for lawmakers to pray for peace and comfort and then not use their position to provide said peace and comfort and continue to accept bribes from the National Rifle Association.

It is scary to live in a country where the price tag of children’s lives can be $1.05. It is amazing that Florida Senator Marco Rubio can even sleep at night knowing that he could have changed things but neglected his people in exchange for over 3 million dollars.

So, what happens next? This generation is giving hope for the future of America. They know more about politics than many of their elders, but they are constantly told that they are too young to be educated.

As Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Cameron Kasky said, “To the leaders, skeptics and cynics who told us to sit down and stay silent, wait your turn. Welcome to the revolution.” These kids are praying with their legs.