Letters and Responses at The Progress Report

Responses to the "A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq" Article
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
Dear Charlotte, Wow I just read your web page on Iraqi children and itwas totally awesome.Just to let you know, I know Chris Webber. Thanks a lot and keep up the good work, Ana Meng
--Ana Meng
anameng@comcast.net

Monday December 6, 2004
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
i'm doing a report on famous speeches and your daughters speech interested me but i really need some backround info for my report. why was she chosen to say this speech? where was this rally?
--bridget
lilnena416@aol.com
The publisher replies:
Ms. Aldebron's mother's email address is provided in the article. Good luck on your report.

Wednesday June 23, 2004
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
Amazing. So many excellent points that no one in this "advanced nation" ever think of. It doesn't make any sense that during the 60's people were less naive about war than they are now.
My hat is off to you young lady. Keep your voice heard.
----justin
Colorado

Wednesday November 26, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I have read the article. No tears came only again the fear in my heart as to what will happen to my children should this child's message be accepted. She talks of her fear of dying and the deaths of other children. This is of course a valid concern when war becomes necessary. I would ask her does she truly understand why those children might die? I do not remember any time that President Bush spoke of war before 9-11-01. This date brought death to children and adults. When young children, such as this young lady, only considers the result of war and not the need to defend the country in which she is able to voice her concern then we face more death and destruction to come from those who care nothing for the children this young lady speaks about. In addition, I notice the fact that the editor responds to those who speak of the true need to protect children by opposing those who bring death and destruction. Sir - I ask you to consider the need to allow both voices to be heard and not impose your negative/emotional reaction on those who see the need to teach this child that "there are times when it is necessary to protect freedom and the secure life that comes with it".
--Myles Beckum
United States
The publisher replies:
You appear to be confused on some things. For instance, if we print someone's letter and then disagree with it, you somehow imagine that is not allowing both voices to be heard. But that is simply false.
You go on to say that I "impose" my reaction on those people whose letters I disagree with. Look, if A says something and B says he disagrees with that, where is the "imposing"? Sounds like a part of a dialogue, that's all.
You appear to be saying that the killing of thousands of civilians in Iraq was a good thing, because otherwise even more U.S. civilians would have been killed. First of all, that has been convincingly shown to be false -- we now know that there were no weapons of mass destruction other than the ones we provided, and the Bush administration now admits it only made the WMD story up in order to trick British leaders into supporting our war campaign.
But secondly, and far more importantly, you seem to be assuming that the choices in this situation amount only to either the killing of U.S. civilians or the killing of Iraqi civilians. I reject that completely. That is totally wrong! There are far more, and far better, ways to handle difficult situations than wimpily calling in the military. To press the military button whenever a situation gets complicated is a terrible, wimpy cop out!

Friday October 24, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I think, Charlotte, after reading your article, that children should rule the world. You have wisdom, and adults have it only in extremely rare cases, unless you take charge? So I have included a link to excellent Progres.Org in my homepage Wintuition.Net on the frontpage after reading your tale. Good luck further.
--Stein von Reusch
New York

Tuesday April 15, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I want to say "bravo" to you Charlotte : you are a very sensitive young girl. Right now, I am crying, as most people in my country, since yesterday evening, when french TV showed little Ali, 12 years old (almost your age, Charlotte), who wanted to become a doctor, but who is now crying because of a bomb, a bomb that not only killed all his family members, his mother, his father, his brothers and sisters, a bomb that alson severely injured him : he has no more arms now, and he suffers of severe burns all over his body, making his suffer so much that he wishes to die.
Poor little Ali, he din't ask for anything to any one. And he is now just a wound, nothing else that a living pain.
I hope american children will also see this poor child on TV; personaly, I have two children (they are 8 and 10 years old, so I recieved your "I message" loud and clear), they saw Ali on TV too : now they know, despite the distance, that war is ugly and terrible, now they know the difference between war and video games !
I whish Mr Bush and Mr Rumsfeld would accept to spend 5 seconds of their time to look at this child. Maybe they would think twice before making war to Syria (it seems that it's the next name on their list).
Thank you Charlotte
--Xavier Kieffer
France

Saturday April 12, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
it was good
--kate and cassie
me

Thursday April 10, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I think she is really right and god will protect the chilfren of Iraq. We should also thank god for the safety we have today, living in a safe america, uafraid. I have not lived in such terror but certainly know the feeling. I can see the look of all the children of Iraq on TV. G od bless Iraq
--Susmitha Chivukula
India
The publisher replies:
May God bless all persons, everywhere, regardless of what government claims them as citizens.
(By the way, millions of Americans do not consider America to be safe. Certainly the chance of a terrorist attack against the US is greater if the US is widely hated than if it is widely loved.)

Tuesday April 8, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
Thank you so much for having this info here. We need all voices to understand the connection between us especially those of this young women.
--Jadesong Maridas
Calgary Canada

Tuesday April 8, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
Dear Ms.Aldebron
I hope you wouldn't mind sharing your Charlotte's wonderful speech with the headmaster who has suspended an anti-war pupil in England. I am going to write him to lift the suspension but if you could forward the massage below I would be grateful.
Best regards
Kaoru Aramaki(London,UK)
A 16-year-old pupil at Helena Romanes School in England has been suspended for six weeks for anti-war activites. She is due to sit exams at the end of this period: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2917085.stm
Head teacher is Stephen Smith.
The Helena Romanes School
Parsonage Downs
Dunmow, Essex,UK
CM6 2AU
Telephone: 01371 872560
Fax: 01371 874632
Email: hrschool@rmplc.co.uk
Please write to the school asking for the suspension to be lifted and for the actions of a student to be applauded not punished.
--kaoru Aramaki
UK

Monday April 7, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I am a Japanese. It was impressed by her very much. For me as a music creator of the by the side independent music of work It listens to the original song for pacifism with the net. It borrows a domestic version and an overseas version of YAMAHA that SHARE is wide. Music is thrown for pacifism.
http://www.playersparadise.net/song_list.php?page=1&sort=2
9.11 of the topics the tune is what.
I will also love peace also by other musics and appeal for the anti-war. http://www.playersparadise.net/player_detail.php?player_id=49
Download can be easily made reproduction software for the audition from the following. http://download.music-eclub.com/midradio/
--Mr.knaon
Japan

Monday April 7, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
Point very well made, you described those that have died, or are hurt, you gave examples, my applause
--Dan
Virginia

Sunday April 6, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I read the speech of Ms. Charlotte Aldebron many times and tears kept on coming out of my eyes each time.
I sincerely agree her point of view, that we should know much more the reality in Iraq and that we should have much more imagination on the people there, especially children, suffering from the attack even at this moment. It could have been I or you, who are scared, desperate, crying or dying in Iraq now, if you were born in this country as an Iraqi. What would happen then? Feel happy because Saddam Hussein might be defeated? Be full of hope that Iraq would be reformed by America? Who could really think so, if you have to pay the lives of somebody whom you love, your parents, your children, or your friends, for that as compensation?
Today, if you turn on the TV or radio, you can immediately hear the information, like _Six people died from the bombing attack in Iraqi Capital, Baghdad_ or _There are 10 casualties in Nasiriyah_ etc. Most probably they are somebody whom we don\'t know. And if we hear such information every day, it can be heard as \"just a figure\". Today 6, yesterday 10, tomorrow maybe 20...
There is no scream of fear, no smell of the smoke which people are burned, and no hurt of the people who lost their family in the figure itself. But if one person is killed, it means that it has created tens times of sorrow and hatred or even more.
You can see the World history. There have been uncountable numbers of wars or conflicts and each of them has created new sorrow and hatred. They last generations and have made a chain of tragedies, even if a country won once. Even if a war finished, the sorrow and hatred do not disappear. At some moment, people should decide to cut the chain. And people who are mature enough and have enough reason could do it. I hope from the bottom of my heart that America has still such a reason as \'a protector of liberty and democracy\' to stop the war. It is not only for Iraqi people, but also for American people and all the other people who seek for peace in the world.

--Haruko Sugita
Japan (now I live in Switzerla

Saturday April 5, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
Keep up with your courage, we need many more people like you here in the US.
--Kaori Chinen
Japan

Tuesday April 1, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I think you'r report is amazing. You are 100% right. It's also so sad.If I were Bush I would stop this war immediatly. Hundreds of lives will be lost of men,women and children. YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--Molly Nadeau
California

Wednesday March 26, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I read an article of Charlotte Aldebron today on our Japanese newspaper.
I wish her to stand strong.
I want you to know the story, "If the world were a village of 100 people."
If the world were a village of 100 people
My daughter's junior high school teacher is a wonderful woman who sends out an e-mail every day to her students, in the form of a class paper.
Among those messages there was one that so moved me that I want to send it to you.
Sorry if it's a bit long.
When you woke this morning, did you look forward joyously to the day?
When you go to bed tonight, do you think you will be filled with satisfaction?
Do you think the place you are is precious?
It is to you who cannot say right away, "Yes, of course" that I send this message.
If you read this, the things around you might start to look a little different.
In the world today, 6 billion 300 million people live.
If this world were shrunk to the size of a village, what would it look like?
If 100 people lived in this village.
52 would be women, 48 would be men.
30 would be children, 70 would be adults, among those, 7 would be aged.
90 would be heterosexual, 10 would be gay or lesbian.
70 would be non-white, 30 would be white.
61 would be Asians, 13 Africans, 13 from North and South America, 12 Europeans, and the remaining one from the South Pacific.
33 would be Christians, 19 believers in Islam, 13 would be Hindus, and 6 would follow Buddhist teaching. 5 would believe that there are spirits in the trees and rocks and in all of nature.
24 would believe in other religions, or would believe in no religion.
17 would speak Chinese, 9 English, 8 Hindi and Urdu, 6 Spanish, 6 Russian, and 4 would speak Arabic. That would account for half the village. The other half would speak Bengal, Portuguese, Indonesian, Japanese, German, French, or some other languages.
In such a village, with so many sorts of folks, it would be very important to learn to understand people different from yourself, and to accept others as they are.
But consider this. Of the 100 people in this village, 20 are undernourished, 1 is dying of starvation, while 15 are overweight.
Of the wealth in this village, 6 people own 59%, -all of them the United States- 74 people own 39%, and 20 people share the remaining 2%.
Of the energy of this village, 20 people consume 80%, and 80 people share the remaining 20%.
75 people have some supply of food and a place to shelter them from the wind and the rain. But 25 do not. 17 have no clean, safe water to drink.
If you have money in the bank, money in your wallet and spare change somewhere around the house, you are among the richest 8. If you have a car, you are among the richest 7.
Among the villagers 1 has a college education. 2 have computers. 14 cannot read.
If you can speak and act according to your faith and your conscience without harassment, imprisonment, torture or death, then you are more fortunate than 48, who can not.
If you do not live in fear of death by bombardment, armed attach, landmines, or of rape or kidnapping by armed groups, then you are more fortunate than 20, who do.
In one year, 1 person in the village will die, but, in the same year, 2 babies will be born, so that at the year's end, the number of villagers will be 101.
if you can read this e-mail, that means you are thrice-blessed. First, because someone thought of you, and sent you this message. Second, because you are able to read. Third, and most important, because you are alive.
Someone once said: What you send out Comes back again.
So sing from the bottom of your heart, dance with your body waving free, and live, putting your soul into it.
And love the fact that you, and others, live here, in this village.
Perhaps, if enough of us learn to love our village it may yet be possible to save it from the violence that is tearing it apart.

--CJ
Japan

Tuesday March 25, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
What about the little Iraqi children that have been trained to use guns to kill???? Did you even think about that one? Have you been trained to kill others because you have nothing better to do - thanks to the corruptness of the Iraqi Gov't? Yes the majority of children dont do these things, but the sad fact is that some REALLY are! There are two sides to every story.
--Brian
USA
The publisher replies:
You sound confused. What you are saying is not relevant to the article, nor is it close to any of the reasons offered by the United States for going to war against Iraq. If a child being trained to kill is enough reason to invade a country, you will have a very long list of nations that you want to attack. Including the USA. (Or have you already forgotten the Littleton Columbine slayings?)

Tuesday March 25, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
brilliant
Thanks Charlotte
--mike biddell
uk

Saturday March 22, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I knew there would be harsh affects on our children, here in the US and Iraq. I am so sorry that so many young chidren has to know what war is, like your daughter and to know it is a terrible killing event. I hope the government hears your daughters voice and really think twice. Thank you Charlotte for sharing your emotional letter and making the world think twice.
--nancy
southern california

Tuesday March 18, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I think Ms Alderbron should run for the presidency of US in the next elections. The maturity and the sense of compassion and brotherhood shown by her should be a benchmark for people running for high offices as in case of Bush
--
--Neil Lenker

Tuesday March 18, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
As a conscientious human being I want to convey my whole-hearted support to Charlotte. We are all with you, please keep it up.
--Souva Chattopadhyay
India

Thursday March 6, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I have read so many anti war messages, but none affected me so much. Your daugnter leaves me with hope that our future generation and wold are safe b�coz of children like her.
--Kasthuri
India

Wednesday March 5, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
Too bad she didn�t think about whether all this has happened because of Saddam�s poilicies and actions, and not just because someone else decided to bomb or impose sanctions because of them (and possibly what he does to his *own* people).
--Dave Nottage
Australia
The publisher replies:
You badly misundertood the article. It was not a wide-ranging survey of the entire Middle East region and its conflicts. Instead it focused on a single, underreported topic -- the fate of real children.
Your flimsy attempts to place blame and justify violence are part of the problem, not part of the solution. And your narrow remarks have nothing to do with the article.

Wednesday March 5, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
I wish the President of the most powerful country had the insight of this 13 year old girl. Perhaps a new Presidential election should take place in the US to bring sanity to the world.
--D K Bhattacharyya
INDIAN

Tuesday March 4, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
Does this you girl know that 20000 children die every month because of the regiem in Iraq? That less then half that amount might die in the event of a war? Does the child realize that if the likes of Saddam are not stopped she may not make it to a ripe old age? This 12 year old child does not know the facts. As most anti Bush people do not know the facts. NO ONE WANTS WAR! Bus some times when you have people like Hitler, Bin Laden, Saddam, and what�s his face in N. Korea, war is the only answer. I wish that every one could learn to "solve problems with other kids not by hitting or name-calling, but by talking and using �I messages�" In the real world to many people are about money and power. And not love and peace.
--Shannon
SCBThompson@netscape.net
The publisher replies:
You say that no one wants war but then you contradict yourself.
The article was about one thing -- children. You go on and on about Bush and bin Laden and North Korea, well go ahead, but your response is simply not related to the article. To be taken seriously, you have to learn to address something that was actually said in the article.

Tuesday March 4, 2003
Concerning the A 12-Year-Old Girl Discusses The Bombing of Iraq article:
This article should be sent to all government people in the U.S. and abroad, in favour of waging war not only against Iracq,but in general.There are several war going on in this world and many children are enduring what this 12-year-old girl said. Are we still living in medieval times ?
--Marcel Schuer
Belgium

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