George Clooney to Student Gun Control Activists: ‘You Make Me Proud of My Country Again’

With thousands of gun control advocates set to descend on the nation’s capital and dozens of other locations across the country on Saturday, for the March For Our Lives demonstrations, actor and activist George Clooney wrote a letter to the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, to thank them for what they “are doing to make the country a safer place.”

Clooney’s letter was published by The Guardian. The British paper will also use three student journalists from Marjory Stoneman’s student newspaper, to help edit The Guardian’s coverage of the March in Washington.

Clooney writes, “Amal and I are 100% behind you and will be marching in DC on the 24th.” He continues, “We both feel very strongly that this is your march. Your moment. Young people are taking it to the adults and that has been your most effective tool.”

The Ocean’s Eleven nearly a dozenstar has made millions starring in films in which his characters used a firearm, but is now a very vocal advocate for gun control.

Last month, George and Amal Clooney pledged to donate $500,000 to the upcoming student march for gun control, saying that they are “inspired by the courage and eloquence of these young men and women from Stoneman Douglas High School.”

Clooney’s full letter can be read below:

Dear Emma, Lauren, and Rebecca,

Thank you for your note and congratulations on the incredible work you and all of your fellow students are doing to make the country a safer place.

It’s terrific that you’re editing the Guardian. It’s a stellar newspaper and they must feel honored to be working with you.

Amal and I are 100% behind you and will be marching in DC on the 24th, but we both feel very strongly that this is your march. Your moment. Young people are taking it to the adults and that has been your most effective tool. The fact that no adults will speak on the stage in DC is a powerful message to the world that if we can’t do something about gun violence then you will. The issue is going to be this, anyone you ask would feel proud to be interviewed by you but it’s so much more effective if it’s young people.

You could talk to a dozen kids like the young kids from Chicago and LA that Emma met with. You could take over the Guardian and make it tell the stories of children by children. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to point to this moment and say it belongs to you. You certainly should do what you want but that would be my hope for you.

Amal and I stand behind you, in support of you, in gratitude to you.

You make me proud of my country again.

Thank you.

All the best,

George

Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn