Word: belfasters
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...land that is itself a child of war, where even the youngest know of places like Auschwitz and Dachau. For the Arab children in the occupied territories, darkness is in the present; the land is no longer theirs, their freedoms are snatched away. Like the children of Belfast, both the Israeli and the Palestinian children resist the life imposed on them. The Palestinians show their strength of will in bitterness toward the enemy. The Israeli feelings are often more generous, perhaps because they are children of the victors...
Jamila observes that by losing their parents they have lost their childhood as well. Like the girls in Belfast, these three have had to grow up quickly. Asked if they believe that they have gained anything by such experiences, Boutros replies, "Power." His face seems amiable for the answer. What he means by power is something specific: "To regain our homeland." At that all three talk at once: "First we were driven from Palestine in 1948"; "The Israelis tried to exterminate us." "It's not their land. It's our land," says Jamila. Her voice is urgent...
...asked if he believes in God; his yes is awed. Is his faith at all shaken when he sees something like the devastation of yesterday's explosion? "Do you think: How could God allow such a thing to happen?" His answer is like Elizabeth's in Belfast: "No There is no relationship between God and the people who do such things. Man does his work...
...level of suffering among these children seems to be in direct proportion to their level of optimism. Aida in the West Bank and Joseph in Belfast are far more soured on life than are Boutros and Jamila in Lebanon, who have more to be sour about. This is not surprising; adults who have endured hardships often manage a more optimistic view than their experiences would justify. What is surprising here is that some of the children who have suffered the most are not only the more optimistic; they also show the greatest amount of charity toward their fellows, including their...
Most of the children met so far have known what they want out of life, and their desires are connected to the violence around them. The Belfast children long to get away from that violence, even if it means not seeing their country again. The Israelis want peace with victory. The Palestinian children seek redress for wrongs done their people. The Cambodians yearn for tranquillity. Within their various desires, they show great kindliness and generosity and a high sense of fairness. This generally applies to the children of Viet Nam as well. Most of these children seek a little...