Do Child Soldiers Deserve Amnesty?

As individuals with the ability to think and take a stand in a way that is informed and fair, it's time to apply our skills of argument to issues that truly matter in our world.  If we want to live in a world that is just, it is morally imperative to understand complex issues in which we must argue to promote justice.

The issue we are forming these morals around is:  child soldiers.  This argument concerns each of us, because we live in this world and we need to shape it; otherwise, it gets shaped for us.

The question we are grappling with is:

Should child soldiers be given amnesty?

This issue is currently debated in The United Nations, Amnesty International, and the US military.  This argument requires you to think:

Should child soldiers be considered victims or perpetrators?

As we know from our previous work with argument, it is important that we withhold our gut reactions, and examine both sides of an issue before taking a position, a claim, for ourselves.

Here are both sides of this issue for you to consider:

• Child soldiers are victims.
• This position states that child soldiers are not morally responsible for their actions.  These children should not be punished for the crimes they commit.  
• Child soldiers are perpetrators.
• This position states that child soldiers should be held responsible for their actions, and should be punished for the crimes they commit.

What do YOU think?

Submit a comment.  Your comment might:

• state your position (and why)
• ask a question
• reply to another comment
• share a link to important information on this issue