Why Are Child Soldiers Wrong

Words: 853

Pages: 4

Open Document

Child Soldiers: The On-Going Argument

Child soldiers are one of those topics that nobody can agree on. While some people think that child soldiers should be treated as victims and are traumatized as young kids, I think differently. While there are many valid points that make child soldiers seem like victims, I believe that child soldiers should be treated like criminals. Not only do these soldiers join under legal age, they also commit war crimes (Just because they can), and feel like they can do whatever they want to. In the article, “Witness: A Child Soldier’s Darfur Confession – ‘I shot her. She is dead.’” By Amy Braunschweiger, child soldiers who were in combat were told they could do anything they wanted to do with women at the villages. I don’t know if you read it right, but I know I did. This means that kids, from ages 6-15, were given permission to do anything, anything at all, to anyone in the village. How would you feel knowing that? Imagine that in the middle of a battle, near your city or town, and a child soldier comes into your house with permission to do whatever he wants to you, your …show more content…
This is because the kids who are not punished actually take advantage of their age and commit more war crimes. They know they won’t be punished. Think back to when you had no responsibilities, and just wanted to be on your own and do your own thing. This is kind of how these kids feel! The volunteer kids who want to be a part of this army do the things that they want, and sometimes these things are illegal! An example of this basic concept is represented by the article, “Should child soldiers be prosecuted for their crimes?” This article states that minors guilty of war crimes were not prosecuted. This matches the reasoning above! These kids are taking advantage of the US Judicial

Should Child Soldiers Be Granted Amnesty

Child soldiers are an efficient weapon in war,still most people believe they should be granted amnesty.Yes child soldiers should definitely be granted amnesty.They didn't know what to do,they made a decision and didn't think about it,and they were forced to kill.Others believe that these children shouldn't get amnesty. They believe what they did was wrong ,and that child soldiers are no different from child criminals. Children are forced to to take drugs to kill innocent people.They shouldn't get…

Words 529 - Pages 3

Child Soldier Argumentative Essay

into being child soldiers from the age of eight. ~Sir Roger Moore~ I have learned about an issue that is affecting people or the ex-child soldiers. People have been debating if child soldiers are victims or predators. Child soldiers are being blamed for being in the war and killing people. Child soldiers don’t have a say in if they are to blame for being in the war. The children had no option in the war so therefore are the victims and not the predators. Some may say that the child soldiers know what…

Words 1365 - Pages 6

Stereotypes In A Long Way Gone

In the memoir, A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, he recounts his experience during the war in Sierra Leone where he is forced into becoming a child soldier. When Beah is recruited as a child soldier for the government’s army, the lieutenant brainwashes him into thinking that the rebels killed his family, therefore he needs to seek revenge (Beah, 106). Because Beah is so desperate for survival, he accepts everything that…

Words 1085 - Pages 5

A Long Way Gone Character Analysis

Child Soldiers Unacceptable In the novel A Long A Way Gone, written by Ishmael Beah, Ishmael is the main character. Ishmael is an African boy in his village that is attacked by rebels and runs with his brother and his friend fleeing for their lives being separated from their families. Later on he is separated from his brother and friends in another attack and joins another group of boys after living alone in the forest for months. Searching for his family with other boys after realizing that…

Words 1811 - Pages 8

Morality In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

one’s life. However there is never a full understanding of war, there is no real reason or moral as to why something occurs during war, why goad men die. Is there even a moral in a war story? One could easily ask and the answer there is no. Tim O’Brien writes several stories throughout his book, The Things they Carried, to show that the war blurs boundaries between what is believed as right and wrong. The brutal stripping of innocence on both sides that cannot be explained, and in multiple moments of…

Words 1248 - Pages 5

War poems Essay

these poems had a lot to share, both for the individual soldiers and for the nations that enter the wars. There are many reasons why wars are started, like religion, freedom, peace but unfortunately more often for the main purpose for the rich man with his corporations and government backing him up. But as you read the poems you start to realize that these soldiers in the stories really don’t have much a clue why they are killing other soldiers just like them, and what the reason is. They begin recognizing…

Words 927 - Pages 4

Ethical Movie Review: Blood Diamond Essay

Producer: Warner Bros. Director: Edward Zwick Country: United States of America 0.1 Introduction The following essay will examine ethical issues addressed through the movie “Blood Diamond”. The two main issues identified and discussed are; child soldiers and conflict diamonds. My main lens of ethical theories will consist of the four western theories, this includes, egoism, utilitarianism, ethics of duties and ethics of rights. Even though these theories are based on ethical absolutism, I will…

Words 3515 - Pages 15

Relativism And Morality

120/Ashford University June 10, 2013 In this writers opinion Lenn Goodman is right, there are certain things that are simply wrong. Seeking to control others through violence and or force is not right. Four areas Goodman touched on in his article, Some Moral Minima were (1) genocide, politically induced famine, and germ warfare; (2) terrorism, hostage taking, and child warriors; (3) slavery, polygamy, and incest; and (4) rape and female genital cutting (Goodman, 2010). All four areas do just…

Words 730 - Pages 3

Comparing Beowulf And Grendel

which was during the years of the Vietnam War. Throughout this poem, Gardner reflected Grendel’s experience to the the soldiers of Vietnam War. Grendel is depicted as more human than the other humans to show how man, especially those who have the power to start wars, are the true monster. He also portrays Grendel as a sacrifice for humans and compares him to how the soldiers of Vietnam were also sacrifices. Throughout the poem, Grendel is portrayed in many…

Words 1301 - Pages 6

Sierra Leone Civil War and Solomon Essay examples

Forced Family Separation in A Long Way Gone and Blood Diamond In Sierra Leone many people were separated from their families. They were taken to work with the rebels and become refugees and soldiers. Many children were taken away from their parents and run out of their villages. In A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah and Blood Diamond directed by Edward Zwick, Ishmael and Solomon are taken away from their families unwillingly. They are forced to give up their belongings, struggle to survive, and go…

Words 1233 - Pages 5