George Clooney to Parkland Students Standing Up for Gun Safety: 'You Make Me Proud of My Country Again'

George Clooney told the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas who are standing up for gun safety after the deadly Parkland shooting that they make him “proud” of his country again.

In a letter published by The Guardian newspaper in London – where student journalists from the Eagle Eye, the award-winning newspaper at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, will guest edit the newspapers’ coverage of “March for Our Lives” in Washington DC on Saturday – Clooney added that “Amal and I are 100% behind you and will be marching in DC on the 24th”.

The Oscar winner, 56, continued, “Congratulations on the incredible work you and all of your fellow students are doing to make the country a safer place.

“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.”

In February, George and Amal Clooney donated $500,000 to “March for Our Lives” – a sum later matched by Oprah Winfrey, 64, who tweeted “George and Amal, I couldn’t agree with you more.

“These inspiring young people remind me of the Freedom Riders of the 60s who also said we’ve had ENOUGH and our voices will be heard.”

The March for Our Lives is expected to draw thousands of young people to the streets of the US capital at noon on Saturday, to advocate for gun control. Thousands more will join them at 831 other events in cities worldwide.

Addressing his letter to Eagle Eye co-editors Emma Dowd, Lauren Newman and Rebecca, Clooney urged all young people involved to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

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

“You could talk to a dozen kids like the young kids from Chicago and L.A. 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.

“You make me proud of my country again,” he concluded.

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