Monday, January 21, 2008
Child Soldiers
After watching the movie "Blood Diamond" and reading "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah I have formed some rather strong feelings to the people who use children as soldiers. In particular feelings of hate and disgust to any man or woman on this planet who would dare to do such a terrible thing to a child. Turning a child into a soldier, especially in such a barbarian way, ruins his/her mind and future. The consequences go even further. This terrible wrong doing would eventually hurt the country. Most of those children will be mentally handicapped for the rest of their lives and will never be able to live in a civilized society again, thus eliminating any possibility for a good demographic situation in the country after the war. I think that a person, as an individual is mature enough to make a decision to fight in a war when he/she is at least seventeen years of age. Anybody younger than seventeen simply cannot make a rational decision based on the current situation in my opinion. Also, I believe that forcing people to fight in a war is wrong. It should be a choice an individual makes. A logical decision to protect his/her home and country, if it is worth protecting.
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3 comments:
I agree with you about how forcing children to particpate in war really handicaps them for their future. They see so much death and cause so much of it that it really changes who they are as a person, as we've seen in reading A Long Way Gone. And you're right, forcing someone to fight is just wrong. You have to want to protect your country and know what you're fighting for, not just get thrown in there against your own decision.
I too agree with you baout how children are memotionally affected when they pss through this tough war consequences. And then it does get difficult for them to accept any new better lifestyle!As we saw in the movie Blood Diamond, the little boy initially refuses to recognize his father on seeing him after a long gap filled with ghastly circumstances!
I agree that forcing people to fight is wronf whether they be children or adults. Especially since they are children, this is a very sensitive thing that should not be ignored.
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