(no subject)

[merchimerch]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4191513.stm

Wow this makes me so incredibly sad - I can completely see why the soldiers would open fire on the poor kid, especially since 13-14 year olds have been known to tote real rifles (the militarization of children is a whole other problem). And taunting soldiers with toy guns is probably not the smartest thing to do. But still - the kid was shot dead for teasing an occupying soldier with a toy. So sad on so many levels.

I think it's a strong argument against both occupation and war toys.

Comments

[lasher.livejournal.com]

toy weapons are hard to accept for me. i used to think nothing of it... as a child... now as an adult... but i find myself over protective with my nephews... and when my then 2 year old nephew wanted to play with my water gun... i found myself suggesting another toy instead and putting it away where he would never see it (i.e. if he doesnt see it he wont ask for it) that same nephew, now 3.5, goes to preschool and is exposed to many more children on the playground... and has recently come home playing pretend games of shooting fire guns and killing things. *gasp* So, we are caustiously working with him on a 3yr olds level as to why we dont play those games at home. Fortunately, when I was baby sitting and wanted to run around the house with me pretending to shoot fire out of guns... and i was explaining that we shouldnt pretend like that because shooting fire can hurt people, he happily suggested just spraying water out of a water hose. for some reason, that made me feel better.

to be a child in that area is especially dangerous even without toy weapons. its sad to think that a child of the age of 13 or 14 wouldnt know better and that taunting soldiers could be dangerous. ofcourse it is also sad that the area is in such a state such that the soldiers would need to feel threatened. as you sad, the whole situation is sad on many many levels.

[merchimerch.livejournal.com]

war toy are big issue. On one hand, I know that most little boys will turn anything into a gun - a stick, some non-descipt lego parts, their hand, whatever. I don't think the more unrealistic toy weapons are so bad, i.e. nerf guns, neon plastic water guns, etc.

I'm assuming that this kid would not have been shot dead if he were taunting that soldier with a nerf gun. That toy gun may have been an Eid gift because 13 and 14 year olds are fantasizing about joining the resistance and killing Israeli soldiers.

The whole thing is just appauling. The amount of anger and despair that flows through both sides of the conflict is something I can't even comprehend. It is these small glimpses of humanity that really reach me more that the statistics of casualties on either side.