Nathan Ashley Ela8 2,March,2017 Child Soldiers Victims or Perpetrators Child soldiers are being used daily to fight countries conflicts. The use of child soldiers is debatable, but whether their perpetrators or not is the real question.The use of child Soldiers is something that has been looked down upon in the past, but countries still use them because they want to get as many people as possible to fight for them. Governments are sending 13 year olds and even younger some even as young as six years old into the streets with guns being sent into battle to fight. Sadly children are tricked into becoming soldiers they are manipulated into joining the army, kidnapped, threatened. They join without knowing completely what they are getting into. The children are lied to, told they will make money, eat, and have a good shelter but none of that is true. Child Soldiers are the victims because they are drugged to become a soldier, threatened, and they have lack of knowledge when joining on free will. Another significant reason that child soldiers are victims is that when child soldier first join a cause they are drugged with cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, and gunpowder.They are “brainwashed” because of the amounts of drugs they are given and after a while they have to rely on their commander to provide them with their basic needs, the children are given drugs and alcohol so that they are more compliant and to enable them to commit acts that they would not normally commit like killing a whole village, or going into battle. The children are so vulnerable that it is easy to just manipulate the children and turn them into killers. They kill men, women, and even children due to the drugs. They are not thinking straight while on the drugs which makes them vulnerable to take commands from their commander that include going into battle which makes them the victims. More importantly child soldiers are considered victims is because they're being threatened to do so. A particular compelling example of child soldiers being victims is that child soldiers are typically forced into fighting and have little choice on either they enlist or not. This creates a forceful attitude and the reason why child soldiers should be considered victims. Another example for why child soldiers should be considered victims is, “Many child soldiers are compelled to follow these orders under threat of severe punishment or death,” (HRW, Page N/A). This shows that child soldiers are often forced and beat if they do not comply with the recruiters. Child soldiers, within countries that are in need, are also shown to follow commands more. This is also because they are forced to comply, and the reason child soldiers should be considered victims., child soldiers should be considered victims because they are manipulated, or uninformed from a young age. Usually their families have been murdered, and they themselves have hit rock bottom. They are then recruited, or even threatened,or forced into becoming child soldiers , where they then are manipulated by their leader and persuaded that they are safe. In many cases they see their leader as a father figure and do what he says as a son or daughter would do. In many cases the children are proud to have been served in armed groups, according to rferl.org“Restoy says some children are actually proud to have served in armed groups that combated forces occupying their country”. All in all the children are not responsible for their actions in most instances because they are manipulated and controlled. To concentrate the topic that child soldiers are victims the children who are forced and recruited into becoming child soldiers are manipulated, drugged, threatened, and uninformed. They are the victims of war and should not be charged as perpetrators. They should not be charged for war crimes because they are underage, they are manipulated by commanders, and most of all, they aren’t old enough to know what they are getting into. Child Soldiers are the victims of terrible people who manipulated kids to get what they want. The kids are drugged to become a soldier, threatened, and they have lack of knowledge when joining on free will. Works Cited “Child Soldiers.” IRIN, www.irinnews.org/human-rights/child-soldiers. Accessed 2 Mar. 2017.
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During the civil rights movement, there were two main leaders of minority idealism, Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The two parties didn’t agree on how to get their god given rights are bestowed upon them. This is the freedom to vote, speak out against issues they believe in, non segregated schools and universities, equal rights and opportunities meant the world the African american minority who were treated very poorly before and during this time. The MX party were firm believers in the fact that peace and love could never get African Americans’ their rights and dreams back from the menace of oppression. They believed that they could and would use violence if necessary to get their rights back. Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers were firm believers of peaceful protest and to be the bigger person in the civil rights movement the exact opposite of Malcolm X . They believed in completely peaceful way to protest the African American oppression during the civil rights movement. In the speech “I have a dream” by DMLKJ, his POV is that the time to act is now and that we can only use peace to do it. This is very much seen when he says, “It would be fatal for the nation to overlook this moment”, said DMLKJ as he is giving the “I have a dream” speech to thousands of people. This was a relatively unpopular opinion at the time period, but it grew over time. The Malcolm X supporters had a POV of making the African american population feel as if they are worthless and inferior to their white counterparts. They believed that this was the only way to achieve their goal. This is most evident when he states, “These 22 million victims are waking up. Their eyes are coming open. They're beginning to see what they used to only look at...lt. was the black man's vote that put the present administration in Washington, D.C. Your vote, your dumb vote, your ignorant vote, your wasted vote put in an administration in Washington, D.C., that has seen fit to pass every kind of legislation imaginable, saving you until last, then filibustering on top of that” This is a major quote that sets the POV for Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech. This opinion was largely supported but faded to DMLKJ’s way of thinking over time. BY: Nathan Ashley and Zachary Streitenberger Human Interest story
9/7/2016 Ela, Moody In the beginning, the day was just a normal one for a eighth grade student named Steven Albert. He arrives at school and has a normal day until he arrives home. His mother approaches him with terrible news in store for young Steven. “ Steven… I have some bad news about Jeffery.” “ What? Whats wrong with Jeffery?” “ Steven your brother has leukemia.” Steven was in awe with this terrible news. He kept thinking over and over in his head. Why Jeffery? ... Before Steven was introduced to this conflict he was just a normal eighth grade student. He played the drums, did his homework, worked on his relationship with his friends, and liked a girl named Renee Albert. He was a more self involved person worrying about his problems and his life. He plays in a jazz group and is the main drummer, and shows Jeffery some brotherly love. But everything changed in just one day. Jeffery was going to the doctor constantly and getting treatments for his cancer, and the entire family was planning their days around how Jeffery was feeling and if he was sick. Steven and his mom are constantly worrying about Jefferys condition. Also if someone was sick they would have to live with the grandparents until they improved with their condition. … Steven and his family were going through challenging times, but Steven and his family had stuck together throughout the entire tragedy. They had compromised for the greater good for Jeffrey, and Steven had been a great help to his mother and father doing what they ask even if they had fought a little. Also when his family got the huge stacks of bills and payments Steven was willing to give up his drumming lessons to help pay for Jefferys treatments. ... In between the time Jeffrey was diagnosed with cancer and the end of the book, Steven has changed drastically throughout it. Steven has changed in which he is more caring, understanding, a great role model,and a caregiver. Some might say that he is a completely new person, but Steven is still the same old Steven. However he had added some new traits that make him a great person and role model. This is how Steven is a great friend, brother, and role model. |
AuthorI am a Eight Grade student I go to Creekside Middle School and this is my blog Archives
March 2017
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