Children are not pawns

I read something on 5xMom’s blog that made me blink first in disbelief and then in disgust.

Here’s the excerpt from Bernama:-

Students In Mass Movement Against Israeli Atrocities

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 8 (Bernama) — School students nationwide will be galvanised into a mass movement aimed at instilling hatred against Israeli atrocities on Palestinians, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

Hishammuddin said the mass movement would involve those in the teaching profession and education ministry staff.

“Through the mass movement, the students will be exposed and reminded that the peace, justice and comfortable living environment can be easily robbed by people with greed,” he told reporters after presenting the ministry’s new year address here today.

The movement to be launched soon would involve all quarters including non-governmental organisations (NGO) and ministries to make the voice of young Malaysians heard globally.

Hishammuddin said the mass movement was approved at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday.

– BERNAMA

I don’t have children but it is besides the point. It is WRONG to use children in any political fight. It is as good as taking 6 year olds out of school, handing them guns and telling them to kill people whom the persons in power want to get rid of. And teachers? Why aren’t the teachers saying no to this madness? Did they not take an oath to instill knowledge to our young? Just like politics have no place in schools, so too does international politics.

What is the difference between propaganda and indoctrination of this sort – instilling of hatred against anyone is propaganda ok? – and that of children guerillas? Why not just arm our children and send them off to the Gaza Strip to fight a war they know nothing about and which affects us nought?

Children are the future. You want peace and harmony in the world? STOP USING THE CHILDREN TO FIGHT YOUR PETTY BATTLES!

Bastards.

Now, I’m going to sit back and wait for the inevitable whine of “but… but… I have been misquoted!”

Tagged as: Politics, Rantings