April 2003
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OPINION

America, The Six Year old
By Becky M., Grade 12, Fredericton High, Fredericton, NB

"Mommy! Iraq has oil, I want oil too! France won't agree with me, I hate France, they're mean and stupid!" (While beating up the Middle East) "Don't hit! Hitting's wrong!"

America is like the six year old who's a bit bigger than the others and an only child. Used to getting its way, it can't stand to think that maybe its idea, war, is a bad thing. Perhaps this war could have been averted if we sent all the world leaders back to kindergarten. Then maybe they'd learn how to share the blocks (oil and other commodities), play fair (waiting until the end of a deadline before dropping the bombs, and not torturing your own people), and follow the rules (listening to the UN).

America has also done a few things wrong so far in their war history. For one they have the largest, most high-tech military, and yet even with all their G.P.S. and other toys, they manage to hit a Chinese embassy and other "accidental" targets. They also recently managed to get a supply convoy lost and ambushed. Apparently double checking G.P.S. co-ordinates and maps is not a top priority for these military leaders.

Another thing done wrong is the insane pettiness. Because France wouldn't support their decision to go to war, french fries and toast are now being called "freedom", or "American" fries and toast. And Canadians making fun of American for their insatiable hunger for war, no. If a Canadian, or American for that matter, publically criticizes America, they'll be forced to make a public apology. But wasn't there something like "Freedom of speech" in their constitution? Maybe I just dreamt that up.

Speaking of the fact that they're a bit hypocritical, aren't they the only government that has ever used a nuclear weapon against another country. Yet they are scared that some other countries might, though they are not positive, have a nuclear weapon. But, they are not that scared of North Korea, who has admitted to having a nuke. Is it possible there might be other reasons? Oh yes, Iraq is killing its citizens, unlike many, many other countries. I haven't ever heard the American government say anything about trying to end the violence in Ireland, maybe that's because Ireland doesn't have oil fields. Oops, did that slip out? Oh yes, Iraq's also oppressing their women, well Bush, wake up and smell the domestic violence, America's not safe from it either.

"Friendly fire" by the way is an oxymoron, like responsible American government. America kills a few Canadians here and a couple British there, but its not their fault apparently. Few apologies and many reasons why they're not to blame in these tragedies. Lives were not lost, families were not devastated, the victims were not American.

Aren't the church and government supposed to separate entities in the good ‘ole US of A? The line gets a bit blurred when every speech from the White House ends with a "God bless" and their enemies are called the "axis of evil". Maybe by God they mean any religion's spiritual leader, still leaves out the atheist but you can't please everyone, and maybe they don't mean evil in its religious context. Perhaps, but I doubt it. Maybe their alienation of non-Christians is one of the reasons there are so many anti-America groups, who are by coincidence usually religious.


     



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