We often give children little input into matters of foreign affairs, politics or human rights, however children are the most observant and astute and regardless of weather or not we teach them about the world or not, they are watching and learning.
Recently I was sitting around with my friends son, who is the ripe old inquisitive age of 7 years-old, and he was asking me question after question about what I do. I told him I try to help people and sometimes share their stories so that others will help them. When I told him I write things he wanted to see them and began to ask more questions when I showed him a bot of my web writings, he did not seem to understand why I needed to write about these things so much. He did not understand why adults let such things happen, it was simple to him that such violations of ones human rights were just wrong.
When asked what he thought about war he said;
“You shouldn’t have to have war just over what you think, its your mind…”
When I asked him what he thought about children having to fight in wars, and use things such as guns to fight he told me;
“It’s not fair to make kids fight if they don’t want to do it…its just really bad.”
what if kids weren’t allowed to go to school? They have to have the rights to do it…the president said it was illegal…he should keep his word…its kinda bad!
I then asked him. Do you think people should buy other people?
“No, we already said a long time ago we couldn’t by people. its their rights….they are just people walking along happy until people just start making them do stuff…its not fair.”
A seven year-old took no time at all to see the reality our injustice world, he spoke instanly of the truth and he spoke open. Most of all this young boy, spoke of the truth that we so often want to ignore, the truth of justice. Maybe it is children that should be teaching us about life, relationships, leadership and equality!
