Carmela Mel Mr. Moody ELA 8 Blue Block 2 3 March 2017 The Devastating Truth: Child Soldiers Picture this, a child is a soldier in war. His duty is to blow up the opposing soldiers by planting mines for them to set off. Once they go off, the child will feel proud of what he did and keep living his normal life without guilt and he will be able to do that again like nothing bad is happening. They would compete against each other to see who could slash the most throats of captured prisoners the quickest. That sounds horrible, doesn't it? Worldwide, children are acting in different armed groups. Child soldiers are any children under the age of 18 who are recruited by a state or non-state armed group and used as fighters, cooks, suicide bombers, human shields, messengers, spies, or for sexual purposes. Some countries that are dealing with this issue are Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and many other sub-saharan countries.The issue is becoming more worldwide spread as more and more civil wars are arising. Child soldiers should be considered perpetrators, because they commit some of the most brutal acts of war, they put themselves in war, and they rely on the commanders to provide them with resources First and foremost, child soldiers commit some of the most harsh acts of war and feel pride with it. The definition of perpetrator is “a person who carries out a harmful, illegal, or immoral act”. Child soldiers harm innocent people and are responsible for lots of dangerous crimes. Many people would say, “Child soldiers have been responsible for brutal acts in wartime-rape and mutilation and mass killings of innocent civilians” ("Child Soldiers Should Be Prosecuted"). One example of this is, Khadr bragged that the “Happiest day of his life” was when he planted mines to kill soldiers. ("The Child Soldier on Trial at Guantanamo." Human Rights Watch). For instance, “Children go around proud of themselves for killings. Others also believe that killing people is the best way to get through war. This shows they aren’t just innocent because they are young”("The Truth about Child Soldiers Opinion CNN.) Child Soldiers are unbelievably brutal and aren't what people expect that's why they need to be stopped and looked over carefully. Even though some children are abducted, drugged, brainwashed, and brutalized, in some cases children choose to become soldiers. They go into the war seeking vengeance, alcohol, and sometimes drugs. Many times they are also provided the decision to leave but stay because they like the idea of getting there anger out through murder. For instance, Sometimes kids will “willingly volunteer themselves as child soldiers because they believe it will give them a form of income and/or security” ("Info About Child Soldiers: What You Need to Know." The Borgen Project). Evidence shows that, “Many refuse to kill, some kill to survive, others murder to thrive. Some are brought to armed groups by their own families. Others join willingly, often traveling long distances of their own volition. They deceive their loved ones in order to enlist”,("The Truth about Child Soldiers Opinion.". All the evidence shows that children aren't always getting dragged to war, They choose to on their own. On the other hand, most children become over reliant on their commanders. An example of this would be, “They expect their commanders to provide them with food, water, shelter, money, alcohol and drugs,”("Child Soldiers- Summative Essay." Child Soldiers: Invisible Children). After that, the soldiers find it extremely difficult to leave. “It was often coerced children, and often high or drunk ones, who perpetrated the acts”(Reich, Scott Gates Simon. "Think Again: Child Soldiers." Foreign Policy). “Many children join without carefully thinking through their decision. At the time they might believe that recruiting would lead to a safer life as necessities such as food, water and shelter would be available” ("Child Soldiers Should Be Prosecuted." DebateWise). For this reason, it is that children become reliant over their commanders. In addition, children may be dragged to war, but they also have the choice to stay alive and out themselves though the pain. Child soldiers should be considered perpetrators not victims. They either have to follow the rules and survive and not feel the guilt or frankly die. So, they are responsible for being alive because they put themselves through something they could have easily came out of. It is devastating that the world thinks that child soldiers are victims.The people in this world need to realize that there is a serious issue that needs to be resolved. It is the fact that child soldiers are murdering innocent civilians. Child soldiers are perpetrators because, they commit illegal acts of war, they know what they are getting into, and they rely on the commanders to provide them with dangerous drugs and alcohol. Overall, child soldiers aren't who they really are. Image Link: http://www.borgenmagazine.com/10-facts-child-soldiers-know/
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Malcolm X and MLK shared their point of views by wanting equal civil rights and they both believed they were being treated differently because of their race and beliefs. Martin Luther King Jr. was a baptist and a social activist, who led the civil rights movement in the United States from the mid 1950s to his assassination in 1968. Malcolm X was an African American leader and a prominent figure in the Islamic Nation. He supported concepts of race pride and black nationalism. They both share some differences and similarities. Malcolm X thought that the only way to get these rights for his race was to fight back in a very violent way. But, MLK believed in a non-violent way such as peaceful protests and giving many speeches as did Malcolm X. According to “I have a dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. he stated “... one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” This quote that Martin Luther King Jr. stated in his speech “I have a dream” represents how he believes black and white kids of both genders will be able to share harmony together. Another quote that he stated was “we must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence.” This quote is showing how much MLK was against violence and how he would do whatever it took to not include violence in way. In the speech, Malcolm X presented called “Address to a Meeting in New York, 1964” Malcolm shows that he wants civil rights by saying “There are 22,000,000 African Americans who are ready to fight for independence right here. When I say fight for independence, I don’t mean any non-violent fight, or turn-the-other-cheek fight. Those days are gone. Those days are over.” This statement that Malcolm X had said shows how he thought the only way to gain African American’s independence was to fight back, and that this wasn’t going to be a peaceful fight. He also believed that when people thought that peace was going to get them their rights was not right and that those days are over and the whites were not going to be able to push the African American’s around any more. Even though both of these strong leaders believed in completely different ways to gain their civil rights, they agreed that everyone should get their rights that are equally deserved. They agreed they should not be treated differently because of their beliefs or race. It might have been a peaceful fight or not but both of these role models worked hard to earn the civil rights that they should have gotten in the first place. Even though their opinions and ideas were expressed in different ways, Martin Luther King Jr. got his voice heard in people’s heads; and Malcolm X was feared and respected by people to be the man who was a “black activist.” They each had their role in black and white history but their stories aren't black and white at all. It had been a long winter. The Howard family has gotten through chemotherapy and radiation and now it is time for them to get through this. The nurse unplugs him from the ventilator. Tears run down Anna Claire's face. Her mom sits on the bed, kisses him and a heart forms on the hospital bed sheets. Suddenly, the screen shows his last heart beat. Then flatline. There was a really long beep.
*** Anna Claire, a young 11 year old, had to deal with probably her worst nightmare. She has one sister who was about to be married. Her sister's last wish was for her dad to walk her down the aisle. Her sister was from a different matrimony although the girls bonded like best friends. During the summer of 2014, Anna Claire's dad had been diagnosed with stage four Hepatocellular Carcinoma that had spread to the liver. The family had gotten through a lot together and they believed they could get through this. The many times Carmela had been over at their house, you could see the pain the sickness had put them through. Carmela tried to get Anna Claire's mind of things. It was her job to. As her best friend at the time, she had been over at their house daily. Multiple times Anna Claire would have to sleep at her house because Anna Claire's mom and dad had to rush to the hospital. Her dad passed. There was no funeral. They cremated him. One afternoon, Carmela went over to Anna Claire's house. She sat on the couch and stared at the box of ashes. After the summer her dad passed, Carmela and Anna Claire grew apart. One afternoon Carmela received a text saying that Anna Claire did not want to be friends anymore. Her mom mentioned that somehow Carmela had been cruel to her but all she was doing was supporting her and her family. They had ran into each other a couple times but neither of us said hello. Every time the girls did run into each other it was very awkward. Really Carmela had done nothing wrong and Anna Claire had no reason to stop being her friend. June 3rd, 2016 at 9:48 am. Carmela receives a text from Anna Claire saying she had been going through a tough time. How she wanted another chance. All this time she had been getting bullied, her dad died, they moved and her dog died. Carmela always told her that when life seems to be falling apart it may just be falling into place. Everything had been going wrong for her. She begun to shut everyone out of her life because of the struggles she had been put through. Carmela talked to her mom about it and she decided she would give Anna Claire another chance because everyone needs another chance and everyone messes up. After the whole tragedy she had told me that her mom has been seeing someone and how he has a lake house. She told Carmela everything that she missed from her life that last couple years. After that our friendship took charge and we forget about the past. It had been a long year. Lots of events the Howard family had gotten through. It felt like someone just pulled a plug on their life's too. The family shrunk and so did the sadness. This summer we bonded like best friends again. This added the piece of Carmela's life that she was missing. She opens the door to her new home and she lets me in. Her new dog runs up to me and her mom welcomes me in.“I am very glad we are friends again,” said Carmela. “Me too, I missed you dearly,” said Anna Claire. |
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March 2017
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