With the life that many privileged children live, it might be hard to imagine yourself in the shoes of a child soldier. Imagine walking around with a heavy, destructive piece of metal designed to kill. Imagine going “home” each and every day to violence, drugs, and alcohol provided for obedience. This is the normal, everyday life for a child soldier. This is their childhood. All their memories. All memories of war. TWO MILLION children have been sold to armies across the world in the past decade. Yet, people still think that child soldiers are perpetrators. Child soldiers are victims because they are brainwashed, taken from their families and homes, and are usually severely injured during war.
The first reason why child soldiers are victims is because they are brainwashed. Their captors make them believe that the only way to get food, shelter, and water is to stay with them, and in staying, the requirement is that they must fight. In order to get them to believe this, though, one way that the leaders brainwash them is through drugs and alcohol. According an article “The recruiters of child soldiers also use drugs and alcohol to make the children more compliant” (“Debate Overview”). Another piece of evidence to support the fact that child soldiers are brainwashed using drugs and alcohol is from the same article, which states, “once children are recruited into the military it is also hard for them to leave, because they become dependent on their commanders for drugs, alcohol, money, etc” (“Debate Overview”). While using drugs and alcohol to brainwash child soldiers is an awful thought, another way that the military commanders brainwash them is through killing their loved ones. A child soldier who escaped from Raqqa explains that ISIS is, “brainwashing children to murder their own parents,” (“Isis is brainwashing children…”). So, not only are child soldiers being brainwashed through drugs and alcohol, they are also being brainwashed through violence, things that children at young ages should not be exposed to. This evidence proves that child soldiers are being brainwashed, making them the victims, not the perpetrators. The second reason why child soldiers are victims is because they are stolen from their homes. An abundance of families from all around the world, in other countries live in poverty. Different from families here, instead of facing hardships together, some parents decide to sell their kids to the military, making them child soldiers. In other words, children are stolen from homes, ripped from a life that many children wish to have, to fight in the war. According to a credited source, “Thousands of boys, some as young as ten, are purchased, kidnapped, and terrorized into joining the country’s army” (Upfront Soldiers). The same article also states, “he was abandoned by his parents…” (“Upfront Soldiers”). These excerpts from “Upfront Soldiers” show that many children are either sold to become child soldiers, or they are stolen from their homes and deprived from a real family. The third and final reason why child soldiers are victims is because they are seriously injured in the war. Just because they are children, and not adults, doesn’t mean that they are prone to injuries. Most child soldiers not only suffer from physical injuries, but mental injuries as well. Studies show that, “child soldiers also suffer from high rates of depression and anxiety...causing long lasting damage to their psyche” (“For Child Soldiers, Every Day Is a Living Nightmare”). Another article states, “Child soldiers are often victims of war themselves” (“Upfront Soldiers”), and “suffered abuse” (“Upfront Soldiers”). For child soldiers every day is a living nightmare, and they never know what kind of long lasting trauma that the day will hold. This evidence proves that child soldiers are victims because they are seriously injured in war, not just physically but also mentally. Although most child soldiers are victims, there is also many child soldiers that would definitely be considered perpetrators, such as Omar Khadr. Khadr was involved in many events that proved his involvement in war from a young age, and many of these things were not acts as survival, but as meer choices that he chose to make. Some of these things would include him presumably throwing a grenade at a U.S soldier, “...alleged Khadr threw a grenade that killed Speer and injured others,” bragging about killing a U.S soldier, “two former interrogators testified that Khadr had bragged about killing a U.S. soldier” (Child soldier on trial at Guantanamo bay), and recalling how he killed a U.S soldier which would then make him happy, “ Khadr was angry at his guards, he would recall how he had killed a U.S. soldier and that would make him happy” (Child soldier on trial at Guantanamo bay). Although this evidence from the text shows that there are definitely child soldiers, like Khadr, who are guilty, and not the victims, many child soldiers are unlike Khadr and would not make the rash decisions and act in the ways that he did. For example, “The No.1 reason why Khadr was dangerous was because of his father.” Not all child soldiers have the same background that Khadr has and therefore would not fall under the category of a perpetrator. These excerpts show that Omar Khadr was a perpetrator, and there is some child soldiers that will also be considered perpetrators. Child Soldiers are innocent children that get put into a war and there is nothing they can do about it, they are the victims. Child Soldiers are often brainwashed, stolen from their homes, and seriously injured during war. Unfortunately, some parents are just selling their children to get out of poverty. Child Soldiers must come to an end, the severity of the environment they are in can do many damaging things to an adult’s brain, let alone a child’s brain. Overall, using children to do an adult’s work is an awful idea in general, but when the work is going to war, it makes it twice as hideous. Yet, people still think that child soldiers are perpetrators for a choice that they didn’t make. Just think, if you were in a child’s place as a child soldier, would you do anything to survive?
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By : Haley Slosman and Caitlin Baudier
Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X both believed in equal rights for everyone, but they both had different views on how this should have been done. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed that in order to get their rights, they must protest peacefully, while Malcolm X thought that they should fight for equal rights however they could. In the end, they eventually got what they wanted, equal rights for Blacks, but only after they gave two speeches that changed everything. Malcolm X was a very fearless leader. He fought for the rights that he wanted, and even after being assassinated, his legend still carried on to help all Blacks win equal rights. From a young age, Malcolm got into lots of trouble, and even went to jail for drugs. This may have fueled the idea for protests, and later, the speech he gave to “A Meeting in New York, 1964.” Dr. Martin Luther King was also a very fearless leader. He fought for equal rights for Blacks and would risk anything to accomplish that goal. He is most famous for his speech, “ I have a Dream”. Both of these civil rights protesters believed in equal rights for Blacks and that African Americans are greatly discriminated. Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “ One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” Malcolm X once said, “ 1964 will be America’s hottest year: her hottest year yet: a year of much racial violence and much racial bloodshed.” Even though both Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had lots of similarities in the way that they led their protests, they also had a lot of profound differences. For example, because Malcolm X came from such a troubled home, the conflict from his past may have led into the speech he wrote. See, Malcolm and MLKJ were different in the fact that MLK wanted peaceful protests, while Malcolm said that he almost, “didn’t care,” whether the protests were peaceful or not. In “I Had a Dream,” MLKJ said, “We must not allow our peaceful protests to degenerate into physical violence.” This shows that MLKJ told his followers to have peaceful protests, to “not be guilty of wrongful deeds.” Malcolm X, however said, “When I say fight for independence right here, i don’t mean any non-violent fight, or turn the other cheek fight.” According to MAlcolm, “Those days are gone. Those days are over.” These excerpts show that Malcolm wanted violence/whatever he could get, and MLKJ wanted peaceful protests all around. Haley Slosman
Mr. Moody Red, 2 September 8, 2016 A New Addition The day is August 3rd, 2015. The Slosman family is driving home from Virginia, where they were visiting relatives. During the time they were staying, they were supposed to be getting a new edition to the family. However, prior to this “stay” an accident occurred, causing the date that they got to get the special something to be extended. The Slosman’s faces are stony, they look discouraged that they may never get the bundle of joy . There is definitely no excited chatter like there was on the way to Virginia. The two girls in the backseat are especially sad because they were both looking forward to this part of the trip even more than there two parents. Haley’s on her phone, and Maddie is sitting right next to her in the car, looking over her shoulder at what is flashing on the phone screen. “MOM! DAD!” *** “So you really think that you’re ready to take on such a big responsibility?” “What do you mean? I forgot what kind of responsibility, since it has been two long, long, years since we lost Kelsey." Maddie asked. “When you get a dog, it’s way more than just fun and games all the time.” Trisha said, “A dog requires a lot of responsibility, and we know you can handle it, but we still need to make sure that your Dad and I won’t be the only ones taking care of the puppy when you girls start school again. And yes we know how good you two were with Kelsey, even though when you were born, she was already an oldie." “We both understand, and we're ready to take on the challenge.” Both Maddie and Haley explained. The three of them were outside in the gorgeous July weather, which was a major surprise, the weather had been gross and muggy lately. None the less, the sky was a robin blue, and the birds were definitely chirping. The three headed down the driveway, getting ready to go on a daily walk. The family of four was going to select a puppy in a matter of days, over Maddie’s birthday. But, things weren’t looking up and the breeder, a nine hour drive away, hadn’t given the Slosman family a call to even verify the puppies were born. They were already starting to look into different breeders, just in case. *** “MOM! DAD!” the two sisters shouted from the backseat. “What girls?” their father replied, exasperated from the sudden yelp. “The other puppies were born!” The two happy sisters shouted with glee, there features already brightening up with the sudden change in mood. Haley and Maddie’s faces both looked like they were ready to cry of joy. Trisha and Kevin both exchanged glances of relief, they had a huge weight now lifted off their shoulders from the sudden great news. “We need to email Dale quick though because it says here that the puppies are getting adopted fast and there was only one girl born.” “She’s going to go fast,” Kevin said, “ so we do need to email Dale ASAP!” "What does his website say, honey? His email address?” Trisha said quickly, whipping out her phone, getting ready to shoot an email to Dale to reserve their pup. *** As the girls explained, the Slosman family was going to get a dog from a breeder in Northern Virginia. They chose a breeder this far away because Kevin’s Dad had just recently gotten two Silver Labrador Retrievers from this breeder and he said that the next lab that Haley and Maddie’s grandfather adopted, he would be able to get it for half the price they normally were sold for. At the time that George (the breeder) offered this to Dave (grandfather), the Slosman’s were already looking for a dog to call theirs. This deal fell through though, because the birth of those puppies did not go as planned. At the time of birth, eight puppies were born. Four of these puppies sadly died overnight, either because of lung failure or the mother had accidentally suffocated them, still loopy from the medicine given to her for the c-section birth. The next day, two more puppies passed because of again, lung failure. The breeder had decided to not put the two remaining puppies up for adoption, because he did not think they were healthy enough. Therefore, the Slosman family had to go with the other breeder, who had a litter of chocolate labs born on July 28th, 2015, while the family was in Virginia. This could not have been better timing for the family. Eventually, Dale Brumett of Black Rock Labs got back to the Slosman’s and said, that they could have the one female puppy born with the boys in the litter. When he told him this, Haley and Maddie both screamed so loud, that the all the glass in the house was shaking. Haley was so happy that she started crying. It had been a rocky road, but now they were ready to open there arms up to the lab “Oh my goodness, we’re getting a dog!” Haley exclaimed. “Yes, we are, in eight weeks of course!” Kevin said. “Guess what girls?” Trisha said, the girls turning to look at her. “We get to go visit them tomorrow!!” She explained as the two girls turned towards each other, squealing in excitement. *** “I love her so much!” “She’s so cute!” the girls shared with their Mom while visiting Reese, the new edition, the next day. “You know what girls?” “What?” they asked. “She is adorable and the best part is... that she’s all ours.” Trisha said with a sparkle in her eyes, glancing back at the adorable 7 day old puppy, nestled safely in Haley’s arms. |
AuthorHaley Slosman, |