Reflect

Two students read and presented about the memoir A Long Way Gone  by Ishmael Beah. Prior to these presentations, I knew very little about the wars in Sierra Leone and other various places around the globe. I had seen the presentation from the Invisible Children organization and known some about the child soldiers but after last week in class, my eyes have been opened. These children, who are as young as five years old are being brain-washed, drugged, stripped of their humanity and forced to fight in a war and kill hundreds of people. I think it is disgusting that someone could breed these children and completely take away their childhood, their innocence, their everything. Among all things it shocked me that the author of the book describes himself as "lucky" and I complain about the easy life I lead. It 
really made me think and made me appreciate my life in America.

While on the topic of war and fighting, I would also like to reflect on the memoir Lone Survivor that was also presented in class. While war is a hard concept or me to wrap my mind around and its all very confusing to me. I am thankful everyday that there are American soldiers around the world fighting and giving their lives to protect our country. Hearing about how courageous the soldiers are what they do for us made me very proud to live in the United States. The author writes about how even after they had been shot, they would get back up and keep fighting and that is mind blowing to me to know how strong these men are that they would do that. The presentation of the memoir was surprisingly touching and helped me understand the job of a Navy Seal.