What has happened to the world? I am an Australian teenager who is shocked and is in disgust with the powers and leaders of the world. True, I am a teenager who has not lived life and has not experienced the curveballs life throws, but I believe that I have a good grasp on the themes of good and bad. I believe that killing innocent people is wrong. I believe that twisting and shaping evidence in order to target a specific group of people is wrong. I believe that terrorism and that having weapons of mass destruction is wrong. But I also believe in an idea that the world today does not seem to understand or even want to recognize. An idea that in my eyes could be the solution to ending deaths in the mass. This idea is that war is not a necessity.
The funny thing is, that I learnt this theory from the people who are not applying it. Throughout our entire educational life, we are taught that violence is never the way to solve a problem. During our school life we are told to report acts of bullying and that everyone has the freedom to practice their beliefs. However, in reality this theory has been proven to be incorrect. If it were true, then the leaders of countries would not be at war. If it were true, then all these innocent men, women and children would not be dead. If it were true, it would be applied in the real world. Its a fairytale told to little children. Really, its as true as the Easter Bunny and Santa Clause. This is not the right thing to be happening, but it is happening. This is what our hypocritical world leaders have tried to make normal. But this is wrong. Just because people have high-ranking positions and are considered very important, that does not exclude them from following the rights and wrongs of
the world. That shouldnt mean they are allowed to apply certain rules when they feel it appropriate and not apply rules when they dont see it appropriate.
Leaders are meant to be servants of their people, not the dictator tyrants we see today. They should be fair, just and unmoved by corruption, blackmail and bribery. Or thats what I was taught when I attended a leadership camp run by the Premiers Department of NSW. Myself, along with another 18 girls between the ages of 15 and 18 attended a camp aimed at helping the youth of today become leaders of their community. This camp was called Shifa, meaning healing, and it was sponsored by the Muslims Womens Association. There, we were taught that good leaders listen to the needs of their people. That they do all they can to help their people and not condemn them. We were taught something which is not seen in any of our leaders today. We were taught the characteristics of a leader as well as how to work as a team. Then we were told that the best thing that would help us become leaders is to be able to identify someone who we believed was a good leader, someone who we looked up to and
admired. However, when we went out into the world we could not find anyone who fit the characteristics we were told we had to acquire. We could not see anyone who was fighting for their people through serving them. We could not see anyone who left war as not the last resort but as no resort. Who practiced what they preached. This I found to be very upsetting. Especially since I am constantly told that I am the future and that I would be the leader of the future.
Why is it that humans cannot all live in a world that no human being owns? Why do leaders who are unable to create peace in their own country feel that they must enforce peace on to other countries? Why do people have to feel scared of their leaders? Why cant the people live in peace? Why was there World War I? Why was there World War II? Why does it look like there will be World War III? These are all very big questions, but there is one very important thing that the whole world should understand: war is not a normal thing. But for some reason people see it as the only solution. When killing people in the mass is seen as the only way for peace; when leaders believe that it is only through death and destruction that peace can be acquired, then there is seriously something wrong with the morals of our leaders.
We should all be able to live in peace. Our differences and our similarities are no reasons why people should die. It is said that as time progresses humans become more aware and wiser when it comes to making decisions. Well I hope that my generation will be wise enough to understand the importance of life. I hope that my generation is able to apply the morals that will encourage peace and not hatred. I hope that in the future war will be the thing of the past. I hope for peace.
By Fatima Mawas
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