She was only 12 years old and at a anti-war demonstration, in Greenville, South Carolina, with her parents. I can't help but to wonder if she really understood everything that the grownups were yelling about. Sure, the poster appears to be the work of a child her age; therefor I am lead to believe that she is actually the artist. But what does she really know of the war? Has she been exposed to information that is beyond her capability to understand and base her own opinion on the situation? Should children be exposed to the gruesome facts of wars? Was she there to please her parents, who, by the way, are very much against any war. I often wonder if children who are intentionally brought into adult situations like this eventually develop coping problems later on in life. As a mother, I do not think I can subject my children to such an unpredictable event as an anti-war demonstration. This demonstration did not go over without an eruption of violence. Several passersby did yell and throw items at the demonstrators. Of course there was retaliation and before long 911 dispatchers were overwhelmed with calls from cell phones. ( So much for their" peaceful"existence ) How quickly can a 12 year old get caught up in a shuffle of 1,200 angry adults?
Jackie, i think you chose a good image for this weeks blog. I agree 100% that parents do drag their children into Adult situations far to often, in my first blog i touched on the subject of parents teaching racism in their home. It is not fair for these children to be used as tools. I cant help but wonder to what extent they are affected as adults, in their own decision making.
ReplyDeleteJackie, this image is fantastic! I can't believe that this girl would end up at a peace rally, and I agree that parent's shouldn't be subjecting their children to things like this. I think it is okay to instill your beliefs in them, but to take it to this level is a bit extreme. Great job!
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