Child soldiers are children who are forced to commit horrendous crimes in times of war. They are victims because they are too young to make adult decisions. When child soldiers are recruited, they are forced and don’t get the chance to really think about the decision because they are adolescents. Children are often recruited because they are easy to manipulate. When kids don’t do what they're asked by the adults they get punished and drugged so they cooperate. They are ripped from all they know, and are deprived of a childhood. Kids of the ages of 17 and younger are usually recruited because they are not officially adults. People often portray child soldiers as perpetrators. They think regardless of the child’s age, or state of mind, they should be held accountable for what they did. But, they are children that should not be blamed for their actions if they are being threatened and are under adult influence. They know they have to obey orders or they’ll get killed or tortured, so why should they held accountable? These children will never change, if people keep treating them like criminals after they are rescued. It is the fault of the people who blame them for their actions, that they will never get better. “In the last ten years over two million children have been killed, over one million orphaned, over six million have been left seriously injured or permanently disabled and over 10 million have been diagnosed with psychological trauma”. It would be terrible if this were happening to adults, but children? It’s unthinkable. The drugs and alcohol make the children become more enabled and willing to commit acts of war which they never would have done before. Do you think children would waste their lives or hurt themselves on purpose during the war out of their own free will? Under drugs, alcohol, and many other manipulative things they would do anything even risk their lives because they can’t control themselves. “However, once they are recruited the children become over reliant on their commanders for shelter, money, water, drugs and alcohol that they find an extreme difficulty to leave. Children at that young age will rarely ever have the same understanding as an adult.” One child soldier Ishmael Beah wrote a book about being a child soldier. He is often interviewed about what being a child soldier was like. In one interview he said when he was first rescued from the war he was angry because he was so brainwashed that he thought fighting was the right thing to do. Once he the brainwashing had worn off, he was horrified with his actions. He says “I still have nightmares”. Being a child soldier would scar anyone for life. Helping them get better is the best we can do for them. If we consider them to be these evil perpetrators they will think the whole world is against them, they will never learn. Just think of Ishmael Beah, he was helped when he was first rescued, and today he is just like you and me. Thinking of a child soldier as a perpetrator, is like thinking of a knife as a serial killer. Without manipulation a knife cannot do harm to anyone or anything. In conclusion child soldiers are not perpetrators, but victims, for it is not their fault for their actions. This topic is important to discuss because people need to know the truth about child soldiers. They are much too young to make good decisions and know the difference between right and wrong, and how they also are under the influence of drugs, alcohol and are being threatened by adults, who treat them like slaves. It is also important to know that they can be saved. If they are given time and a proper upbringing they can change. It just requires a second chance, a better life where they can learn right from wrong.
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By: Jack Ducat and Emma Richardson “All men are created equal,” that’s what the United States Constitution states. But what if at one point that wasn’t true, what if there was racial oppression. Not too long ago that was the case. African Americans and many racial minorities in America were very racially oppressed and many people were discriminatory against them. There were two men who spoke out against the oppression, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Both fought for the same cause and wanted the same outcome. However, their beliefs had similarities and differences. You can see this in two different speeches, Martin Luther King Jr's “I Have A Dream” Speech and Malcolm X’s address to a meeting in New York. The first way that we see the two speaker’s viewpoints is the types of words that they use. In Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech we see words such as, “Dream”, “Hatred”, “Rise”, “Discrimination”, “Chains”, “Crippling” and “Bitterness”. In Malcolm X’s speech in New York you see words such as, “Racial Explosion”, “Bloodshed”, “Intolerance” and “Black Nationalism”. In both, you see word choice that seems as if they both look down gloomily upon their time with the words like, “Crippling” or “Racial Explosion”. Both look at their time a see discrimination as a problem. However, Martin Luther King Jr. unlike Malcolm X also looks towards the future and sees a better world, a world where there is no racism and all are equal. He uses words such a “Dream” and “RIse” where he sees the prosperity of the world and ending racism over time. Furthermore, you see the two speaker’s points of view through their mentioned actions. Martin Luther King Jr. shows actions like, “Police Brutality”, “Racists”, “Join Hands”, “Quest” and “Dream”. Malcolm X shows actions such as, “Seething with bitterness”, “Trickery”, “Treachery”, “Hostility”, “Beg” and “Ready to fight”. Through actions mentioned you can see that they both have a belief that African Americans are unfairly treated. However, with Martin’s actions it seems as if he wants to change the world with a peaceful approach with the actions like, “Join Hands” and “Dream”. Malcolm X looks to want to fight and take action when he says, “Ready to fight”, and “Seething with bitterness”. Unlike Martin, Malcolm wants to fight for his rights. Moreover, you see that Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X both want to have equal rights but want it in different ways by the way they describe things. Martin Luther King Jr. describes things where he wants to rise up but never shows how he wants to fight. “ I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed” Malcolm X talks about fighting for rights, “There are 22,000,000 African Americans who are ready to fight for independance right here. When I say fight for independance right here, I don’t mean any nonviolent fight, or turn~the~other~cheek fight. Those days are gone. Those days are over.” Malcolm X is looking to fight for justice. Not stand around and wait for the time of peace. The last thing that differs the point of view between the two is their choice of detail and things that they left out. Both leave out the fact that things that have changed and are better so far and how oppression is a little less than time before. However, Malcolm leaves out how things could be peaceful and Martin talks about peace greatly. In choice of detail you see that Malcolm decides to use details to show how fighting will break out and Martin Luther King Jr. uses details to show how Blacks can have peace later in time. Malcolm says, “ America’s a racial powder keg, in short, it can actually fuse or ignite a world-wide powder keg.” He uses the details of fighting. Martin Luther King Jr. explains, “And when this happens and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day and all of God’s children, Black men and White men, Jews and gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands…” Martin Luther King Jr. wants peace for every man. In Conclusion, Martin Luther Kings Jr. and Malcolm X have points of view that are a bit of the same and also a lot different. We see this through word choice, actions mentioned, description, choice of detail and things that they left out. Martin Luther King Jr. wants peace and equality for all without fighting for it and Malcolm X wants to fight for rights. Both believe that African Americans are racially oppressed. “We should go to the hospital John” My frantic mother says, as my father and sister sit on the old green couch opposite me, biting their nails, obviously worried about something. Wait was I asleep?
I look around not knowing where I am, but I recognize the soft couch and the bright yellow wallpaper. I must be at home, but why? I remember playing blind tag with my friends just a minute ago. I sat up, but all of a sudden I was hit with an excruciating wave of pain in my face and mouth. There was fresh blood dried in streaks coming down from my nose and the corners of my lips. My knees were scraped up too, but that almost felt like nothing compared to the pain in my face. “Whats going on?” I asked my nervous family. Talking felt different than before. I felt my teeth with my tongue. They were all bent out of shape. I could taste the coppery flavor of blood in my mouth. Hesitantly my sister started to speak. “ Do you remember anything Fi-Fi?’ “Well,” I responded pushing past the pain of talking “ I was playing blind tag with Kayley and Marissa and I was it but suddenly…” I stop because I don't know what happened net. “I don’t remember the rest.” “Well Fionna, while you were playing tag,” My mom started “You ran into a pole and blacked out.” *** “ Well you’re going to need braces for sure...” The orthodontist shuffled the stack of files, paper, and envelopes, to look at a purple file “... a tooth cap” he set down his papers, and looked at me, “and time, lots of time.” We thanked him and turned to leave, but before we could he said “Oh yeah, and no more blind tag.” I guess this is how life would be for the next year. One orthodontist appointment after another, sympathy from friends, being made fun of by others, soft foods, etc... And as much as I love yogurt, one can only eat so much low-fat greek. *** I can't sleep It's three thirty in the morning and Fionna's teeth are preventing her from falling asleep. It's her sixth day, or rather night with her braces. She "thinks" she can actually feel them pulling her teeth back into place. Eventually she drifts of into a light slumber One year later Fionna sits in the quiet kitchen, excitedly awaiting for her mom to be ready to leave. Today was the day. The day she had waited a year for. Finally she can remove her uncomfortable braces and swap them out for a retainer. No more yogurt, no more funny looks, and most importantly, no more messed up teeth. Her mom comes into the room and snaps her out of her thoughts. “You ready, hun?” “Yup!” She responds excitedly “Although, what if my teeth aren’t completely fixed? What if they’ll be messed up forever?” “You know young lady, you’re lucky to have any teeth at all” Her mom joked She laughed “Yeah yeah…” *** When she opens her eyes, and looks into the yellow hand held mirror the orthodontist is holding, she sees normal teeth. Teeth that couldn't possibly be hers, but somehow, were. She felt them with her tongue. There was no pain, just smooth slimy teeth. Gross, She thought to herself, but she was glad her teeth were back to normal. She would never play blind tag again. |
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March 2017
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