Aug 7, 2006

Using children to start fights

One of the basic rules in human conflict is to shield children from the fighting. I'm not just talking about "women and children first". I mean trying to keep them out of the politics and away from the propoganda. Why? Because conflicts inevitably end, and the hope is always for a lasting peace, or at least a stable co-existance. If children are taught an early age to demean and ridicule the enemy, then how will they "unlearn" those lessons? How can they understand that the "bad" people can become "good" people, though nothing much seems to have changed. They still look the same and talk the same and live in the same place. The subtleties of realpolitick will be lost on them.

You might think I'm talking about the children caught up in the violence in the Middle East, a place where one day Israelis and Palestinians will have to figure out how to live together.

I'm not. I'm talking about events here at home, in Caledonia.

From Macleans:

The ongoing peace process between residents of Caledonia, Ont. and Six Nations protesters turned violent early Monday.

Pebbles, rocks, and golf balls were thrown from both sides, hitting a resident, an occupier and an officer.

No one was hurt, but vehicles and property were damaged.

What precipitated this?

Harwood said Monday's altercation was sparked by minor incidents that occurred Sunday, beginning when Six Nations children cut the middle out of a Canada flag.

"They were taunting at the Caledonia residents, then the Caledonia residents put up some signs," said Harwood.

Harwood doesn't know what the signs said, but he said they were offensive to the aboriginals, who tore them down.

So the Natives are letting children start their fights for them? Is that the great Mohawk Warrior, standing behind the children? Or is he crouching?

I wonder if comments like these are the one that "were offensive to the aboriginals". Well, they can't tear down a blog.

But besides the disturbing use of children to taunt angry adults, the long term is grim. In twenty-five years, if there is another point of contention -- a land dispute, an arrest warrant for a resident of the reserve, an argument over a business contract -- how many of the Native leaders are going to be drawn from the ranks of these children? And how do you think the discussions will proceed?

Hopefully things won't get as bad as with the Palestinians and the way they indoctrinate their children. But it is only a question of degree.