The worst thing...

(In this entry, I assume you are aware of my goal of raising a lot of money to help child soldiers by donating all of my earnings from sales of the hardback of Children No More to Falling Whistles. If you're not, you can go to the Children No More site and learn more there. I'll be here when you return.)


People often begin discussions of rough topics with that phrase. When it comes to child soldiers, though, there are so many aspects of the problem vying for the title of "worst" that it's almost impossible to pick one. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to touch briefly on a few of them. I'm starting with the one that most clearly explains why we need to raise a lot of money:

Nobody wants these kids.

Think about it: They were trained to kill. They were traumatized by experiences no human, much less a child, should have to endure. Their socialization was screwed up in unthinkable ways. Let's be honest: would you want one in your house?

That's exactly why we need to help. With the right rehabilitation and reintegration programs, these kids can return to normal society. It takes time and skilled people to help them, but it is possible. Many kids have gone through successful rehabilitation programs. We shouldn't be satisfied until they all have. Falling Whistles works to help these kids, which is why I'm giving them this money.

Let's help these kids return to normal lives.