I've watched 2 very different programmes in the last couple of days, both of which really got my blood boiling.
The first was very much the hot topic of the moment in the UK, the London bombings. A reporter had followed a Muslim extremist for a year, filming his teachings to the young and impressionable, telling them to live by "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth", and other such crap. He declared that the recent bombings were the Christian's punishement for some bloody thing or other they did to the Muslims about 500 years ago (I can't forgive the Japanese soldiers for what they did to my Grandparents in WW11, but hold no grudge against their children or grandchildren, and certainly have no desire to bomb a Japanese city for of innocent people, but that's just me!). Already, my blood was boiling!
Some of the young men attending these teachings (some as young as 10) were interviewed, stating they are Muslim first and British second and anyone who supports the British government is their enemy. They sat through "how to be a suicide bomber" training, which included a DVD of the 9/11 Twin Towers attack, all jazzed up and made to look exciting and romantic. They truly believe this is how their religion wants them to live their lives.
Then we saw other senior Muslim members condeming the bombings, the teachings of this raving lunatic, and doing everything they can to keep the extremists away from their mosques. These people are extremely concerned about racist attacks against their innocent communities. It seems to me, in any religion, people interpret things in their own way, given a little encouragement by a few self-important, power-seeking individuals who pick on the weak and vunerable. Stating the obvious, I know!
So, what is the government doing about this? Well, they're having talks.
Ok, now we come to the second programme. (There is a point to all this...stay with me!) School bullying is a serious problem, and one I've had the displeasure to experience myself. A film crew followed a group of 8 year olds learning to become mediators to their fellow pupils in a government funded trial for several schools in the Leicestershire area. The pupils had to learn what a mediator is and does, and if interested, apply for the position. After passing an interview, they then had to complete several weeks of training before being let loose on the bullies and the bullied.
Remembering that these are 8 year olds, they had a huge responsibility on their shoulders and a serious amount of information to absorb and learn how to use it. It was incredible to watch these kids in action! They had ground rules to set out for each person brough in for mediation, which they remembered, understood and enforced, they had ground rules for themselves (don't take sides), which they stuck to, and they conducted themselves better than many adults I've come across in my time. These kids have learnt valuable, life-changing skills that will stand them in good stead for the future. They've learnt how to complete an application form, experienced a job interview, had on-the-job training, and perhaps more importantly, learnt how to be a good, open-minded and kind human being.
So, you ask, how did the trial go? Well, it was proved that schools with mediators had cut down bullying by two-thirds. Fantastic, I hear you cry, then the government must be on the verge of implimenting this wonderful scheme in schools across the UK? Well no, actually. They've decided they've got better things to spend their funds on. Don't ask me what, coz I don't know what's more important than cutting child suicide rates (due to bullying) down by as much as half. This is where my blood started to boil! I thought we were all about investing the our country's future? The way I see it, they're taking away a fantastic opportunity for young people, and snuffing out the potential of future generations who could turn this country around.
So where's the connection between the two programmes? Well, after thinking for all of about a minute, I realised that perhaps these young mediators should attend government talks between various foreign powers and religious groups, such as the Muslim community, with whom we have unresolved issues. Sometimes, things appear much clearer and simpler through the eyes of a child, and I truly believe they can teach us all a thing or two about being better people and learning to live together. Sure, there are some horrible, wicked children out there but may be they didn't get the chance to experience what these amazing 8 year olds did. May be no-one sat them down and asked "why did you do that?" or "how do you think that made the other person feel?" or "do you think you could learn to agree to disagree, respect the other persons feelings, and be friends?".
These child mediators seemed so grown-up in their attitudes and understandings, but I think, may be grown ups should be a little more like these kids, and may be the world would be a better place. If they can get two kids who five minutes ago were kicking the proverbial s**t out of each other to sit down and discuss their differences, forgive, shake hands and leave the room as friends, think what they could do with the rest of the world.
Power to the children!