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This Is What I Believe

by Anne Trevitt, Age 15

I am a teen activist and this is what I believe . . .

I have a dream that we will win this war of terror and our children will be able to live in a world where they do not know of guns, hardship, pain or fear. That people will be able to feel safe at home and not fear for the lives of their brothers and sisters. I have a dream! My dream has been dreamt by many before me and will be dreamt by many after. I have a dream that this battle of hate will be over and peace will be restored amongst us.

War is murder. War is wrong. No matter what the circumstances war is never justified. The killing of innocent people who happen to walk down the street at the wrong time is murder. It is senseless killing. War is designed to create fear, and only this random killing can produce a fear so strong that the country will be forced to succumb to the attacker. War is a strategic plan to create mayhem.

War is children. War is children who watch their friends being blown apart. War is children who see their parents get shot and bleed to death. War is children who fight each other with guns and hate. War is brothers and sisters hating each other and shooting each other because they are told they are serving their country.

War is celebrating death. It is cheering at the downfall of an enemy plane. Applauding the fact that the pilot of that plane had a wife and two children who will loose their father.

If I walked down the street and shot at three men because they were Asian I would be sent to jail for murder. In Gallipoli, World War One, if I shot at three men because they were Turkish I would be congratulated. War is murder. War is discrimination. War is wrong.

Look around you at the terrorism in Iraq, the poverty in Africa and the suffering all over the world. Now, look amongst yourselves at the love that still exists. We cannot let hate fester on this planet. You cannot fight hate with hate. But how much stronger must love be to survive midst all the killing. We must hold onto the love and share this message with everyone: War is Murder. To win this battled against hatred we must fight with only one weapon – Love.