Imagine, if you are given a chance to rule the world, what would you do?
Well ... if I ruled the world, I would create a world that is safe for children. Every time when I heard a child is being kidnapped or hurt by someone, my heart felt like being twisted and it bothered me so much that I was awaken in the middle of the night. One time, I was watching this movie about children trafficking that was happening in Mexico. It was simply mind boggling! Why? The movie was made based on true stories.
That reminded me of another article that I read on my way vacationing somewhere couple years ago describing how young brides were bought by foreigners in rural areas of India. And after the honeymoons were over, they were literally returned to the family. And the dowry was not even worth mentioning.
Another instance of a true story was told by a tour guide when I was in China that kids were kidnapped then asked to steal as well as begging for money on the streets. They were often beaten so they could attract more income.
In this world that we are living in today, unfortunately we can't protect all of the children in the world. But, I am hoping we can help each other to protect all the children that we have come in contact. Bit by bit, perhaps we can go back to the time when we used to play outside without worrying that someone might snatch or hurt us. And I hope I don't have to rule the world to see that day again ...
Until next stop,
Journey of Life
Yes--if only we could protect all the children-- I am so with you on this one :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Jenn!
DeleteYes this is certainly an area the world needs to focus on. The stories and facts are simply appalling.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are with me, Corinne!
DeleteIt's an interesting question, and to be honest, I have no idea what ONE thing I would do if given ultimate power over the earth for a day. There are many, many needs, and I fear that no matter what I chose, other needs not provided for would haunt me.
ReplyDeleteWhile I share your feeling of anger, pain, and outrage over the mis-treatment of children (and other people) in the world, I would like to warn people not to take too sentimental a view of the way we think things were, or too harsh a view of the world we live in.
To that end, I ask in response to the point "we can go back to the time when we used to play outside without worrying that someone might snatch or hurt us," and ask, when was that time?
The stories we read about children being snatched off of our streets (virtually in all cases by family members or other people known to them), or of stolen child brides, or abused gangs of children used for begging, I think are KNOWN to us now, but in fact have ALWAYS been with us.
Much of the fears we have - and as the parent of a seven year old, I find I am cautious about his life in ways my parents were not with my siblings and me, or at the least, we were not aware of those concerns - are overblown and hyped by fantastic stories on cable news.
In fact, I believe the world we live in is by virtually any measure, superior to any other, and in many cases, far better. We all know about the terrible story of Jaycee Dugard. We wish things were like they "used to be," when kids could.... go to work in terrible factories and be maimed by machines. There is a famous (cynical) poem called "The Golf Links" from days gone by:
The golf links lie so near the mill
That almost every day
The laboring children can look out
And see the men at play.
The poem was written by a woman who died in 1959.
I generally think that our progress is uneven, and individual items in our world are nastier than they used to be, but the arc of history, as the President says, tends to bend towards justice, and I personally am glad to live in the time and place that I do.
You brought up a very good point that I had overlooked. Perhaps all of the things were there but not being exposed as technology has enabled us to do so these days.
DeleteAt the same time, the same technology has enabled the offenders to do more sophisticated crimes which lead us more vulnerable or are we more secure if we know how to use the same technology to protect us?
Did I make any sense?:-)
Of course it makes sense.
DeleteI was having a conversation at work yesterday (on an unrelated topic, of course) that the increasing technology and ability to detect illness earlier is increasing the prevalence of disease - for example, autism spectrum disorder is manifold higher now than when we were young. The other person, a medical doctor, observed that the tests themselves may have significant effect on the numbers. It's not so much that we are sicker, but that we are now able to detect things we could not earlier.
In that vein, I think a lot of what we perceive to be an increase in threats, violence, and abuse of children was, in fact, always there. We just did not know about it.
But to your point - the invention of new technologies of course gives additional tools for depraved individuals. When we were young, for an example, if sick individuals wanted to view child pornography, they had to obtain it first or second-hand. Now with the internet, it can be had by those who want it pretty easily and "discretely" (i.e., they can view it without much risk of detection and thus punishment or social sanction.)
People who look objectively at science and technology recognise that a new platform or invention, in and of itself, is neither "good" nor "bad." It's how we use it. Atom splitting can be used to provide "clean" energy, or to kill millions of people.
Human beings are a mix; we have the ability to greatness. We also have a nasty ability to commit barbarism against one another. Technologies enhance our capabilities to do both.
Pepper wrote an essay last night and shared it with me and this is a snippet of hers "According to Freud’s theory of the mind, the Id of the human psyche is what represents man’s true instincts. Void of the Superego and the Ego to balance the Id, man would be his savage and malicious self as is shown in Golding’s novel the Lord of the Flies. Piggy’s death--a character in the book-- demonstrates that society is sewn together by logic and morality; however, when these “stitches” tear, society falls apart, and mankind’s true sinister nature is revealed."
DeleteSo true. It is SO disturbing to hear about child trafficking and all the other horrors kids have to endure.
ReplyDeleteYeah ...very unfortunate!
DeleteOh what a wonderful world that would be. I'm so glad I have a hope of a world in which this will be the case... no more tears, no more innocent suffering. Can't wait.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Papa is Preacher would like to cordially invite you to our very first Link Up party beginning tomorrow (Thursday) at 9:30 a.m. going 'till Tuesday. Please see this post for more info: http://papaisapreacher.blogspot.ca/2012/10/tidbit-thursday.html
We'd really be honored to see you there!
I am in :-)
DeleteI worry about children too. I know we hear a lot more due to technology, and media, but it is mind blowing how often we hear it. It makes me feel ill each day when I turn on the news just to hear weather and traffic! Sad. I am thinking if I could do one thing, I would like to see everyone fed. Plenty of food, but not everyone can receive it for various reasons. That is so sad to me.
ReplyDeleteYeah ... in this modern world, you would think food would be basic but then again ... the hunger is still seen.
Deletesad that our kids can't just go off and ride bikes as we did as kids...
ReplyDeleteYeah ...
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