Violence

I met one of the most adorable child Saturday. Let's call him Nick. So Nick is no more than 4 and taught me something. It was my boyfriend's little cousin's birthday and her parents threw her a party with a jumper and amazing food. It was me, my boyfriend, my boyfriend's older cousin (not the birthday girl), and Nick. We were fooling around, playing with a gigantic ball and Nick of course wants the ball, begging us to give it to him. Suddenly, my boyfriend's other cousin (about 4) comes running in with another boy swinging foam swords around and begins to attack us all. However, Nick was not enjoying himself and began to cry.
After asking Nick what was wrong, he began to sob, "It's too loud." And almost immediately after he said that I got hit in the head with a foam sword and he cried, "STOP THE VIOLENCE! STOP THE VIOLENCE!"I yelled at everyone to calm down and just jump around, no more hitting. That was short lived and the evil little boys began hitting everyone again with their foam swords. Nick again began to cry, "STOP THE VIOLENCE!" It didn't really occur to me in the moment but when I reflected upon it later that night I realized that this boy taught me that already at a young age children are being taught violence. They hit each other and have wars that are all in their imagination, but look at the world now and those kids have grown to actually participate in wars.
Children, that are now fighting for our sakes. Fighting to keep us alive. I give my respects for the fallen. The following day I was listening to my music and a song came up that I always enjoyed listening to and I remembered that the music video for this particular song was of children in a daycare center reenacting war. There was the enemy and there was us, but only it was children and they literally went full out with the confetti bombs and Nerf guns. When I first saw the video I was intrigued and enjoyed myself watching this video, but now, it brings horror to my eyes. What have we taught our children? Anytime someone threatens us or shoves us we instantly go to war? It's what happened with Pearl Harbor and it's what happened with 9/11. Someone decided to slap us in the face but we decided to pull out the gun. Is that really what we want? I've written about senseless violence before, but now it's beginning to affect kids.
For more than 10 years kids have had to grow up without a father, or mother because that parent was either in the plane, the tower, or in the army. Why take away someone as important as that away from a growing child, it makes no sense to me, but it was all for the sake that America cannot look weak? Forget weakness, think smart! Anytime my friends threaten to join the army, navy, marines, or air force, I die a little inside. I don't want to lose my friend simply because someone else is scared of dying or looking weak. No, I want to keep all my friends because they are all good people and would change anyone's life for the better. No, I do not want to be informed that they were killed and that their funeral is nearby. No. People who volunteer are very brave but in reality, I'd rather die myself than see my friends slowly dwindle away.
And children, at such a young age, are being taught that violence is necessary and that their parents died for good reason? Living without a parent, a son/daughter, a niece/nephew, an aunt/uncle, a brother/sister, is better than dying? In my eyes, nothing is worth someone's death, whether for our side or the "enemies.'"
Tonight the news announced that there are protesters in Russia standing up against violence by not being violent. These people are just standing staring straight ahead unwilling to forgive violence. Yet, some people got arrested. Arrested for standing silent? Oh, God forbid that they stand silently! May the police arrest them all! Down with the silence!
Exactly, sounds ridiculous. People are texting and driving without a care in the world. People driving drunk and killing innocent bystanders. There are robbers, rapists, drug dealers, murderers, and so much more roaming the streets, but no, we must arrest the silent protesters! That's just not right. I'm starting to feel very ashamed of those living in this world now. Soon it'll be okay to commit crimes but not to blow your nose in public because there's a slight chance someone can catch a cold and DIE!
I am willing to stand up against violence and speak not a word at all until people realize it's as ridiculous as it seems. One day I will stand in the middle of a riot and stand perfectly still without saying a word in protest to all the violence. I am willing. Are you? Here's my challenge to you: Take a day to think about your opinion on violence and then stand by it without a second thought. Think of it as, "I will go to jail if I have to." Take a stand. Let's stop all this idiotic violence.