Youth Opinion : Should We Be Sending Young Americans to Haiti?

DARREL PRITCHARD

Senior, 17, Hemet High School

We should not put our young men and women in harm’s way under false pretenses. It seems that the young are always doing the killing for the old. They just call the conflict a different name. Like peacekeeping.

Do we really care that Haiti is a democracy or is governed by a military coup? I really don’t think that is the issue when it comes down to making these decisions. I think Rwanda is a perfect example. While the carnage was going on, we did nothing. Where was the call for the peacekeeping mission then?

VENESSA JOHNSON

Senior, 17, Claremont High School

It seems that every generation has had to spill blood for some reason or another in this country. A friend of mine, who joined the Navy last year, could be involved in one of these so-called peacekeeping missions. And I would hate to see anything happen to him. Especially if the violence he was involved in could have been avoided. It seems that fighting has always been something that every generation has had to deal with. I just don’t like the idea of soldiers dying for something that could have easily been settled through diplomacy. We need our young here to help out with the problems we have here--not in some foreign county.

ADAM FRIEDBERG

Junior, 16, Irvine High School

I can’t help but wonder how the U.S. can deal with Haiti given the history between the two countries that dates back to 1918. Can we get into and out of the situation if necessary?

I understand that in order to keep the peace in the world, that it may require bloodshed. I just hope that if we do decide to use it, it will be as a last resort. Since the conflicts that are occurring now, and in the near future are now directly affecting my generation, I hope that the U.S. policy would be selective and inform the public what the entire policy entails. I would hate to see my generation get bogged down in some unwinnable land war. If we must intervene, I would hope that our plans to pull out would be fast with no blood spilled.

I have a bad feeling about Haiti. I would rather not see us get involved.

EDDY CHEN

Senior, 16, Arcadia High School

I am 100% against any involvement by U.S troops anywhere as long as we have so many problems right here in our own country. We need to worry about our own people more and not the problems of the world. To send in our troops and put their lives in danger is completely absurd. Maybe this sounds isolationist, but how can we go into a country to fix it when we have so much to fix right here in our own back yard? We might have an obligation to help out in some instances, but not carry the whole thing on our back.

LILA CHAHBAZI

Senior, 17, Irvine High School

I would hope that more of my generation would question the purpose of U.S. policy. Too many of my generation don’t stop to examine the situation. But it’s not just the youth, but all Americans. It’s our duty to voice our opinion on what we think is a bad policy.