Mosaic - World News

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When the rich meet: Jay Z and Prince Charles in London

Going forward in life is not just the amount of money in our pockets.

No doubt, opportunities to earn make a big difference.

But what may be more important is the Human Right to have a healthy childhood in which to create, be shaped and molded, to find one’s potential.

Outside of the West, but inside too, the future of youth is not seriously being considered.

I’ve conversed with and actively been able to listen, learn and lend some life experiences to those under 25 years old. The startling brilliance of these youth is a constant inspiration. But they are calling out for help: the older ones of this world population are not in step with them. Admission of the coming crisis in the numbers-Iran to the US Virgin Islands, youngsters are often a third to three quarters of the total residents. In five dozen African nations, orphans from 1990s wars, (cornucopia of guns from France, China, USA and UK) malaria and HIV AIDS are coming of age.

Born in Ghana, Canada, or Germany or Palestine, youth have been telling me that they cannot trust most adults, even their parents. Rage simmers and explodes in violence via the gun or firm adherence to the fundamentalism of an ideology. Some turn to narcotizing themselves with purchasing mobile phones that cost a week’s wages-whether they have a job or not. Sweden has a least 20 billion kronor in welfare payments wrongly paid out each year. Degrading low wage work for corporations and governments await even the most serious of school graduates in almost any country globally. If the generations previously took what they could and got away with it, why shouldn’t they?

Others don’t bathe, or even eat, find their salvation in drugs ignited by a flame, snorted or drunk from a bottle. Infants born to the parents in the glow of consumption of burned dreams fall into a further crevice of pain and numb loss.

In Oslo, Norway or Honiaga, Solomon Islands, the strain to get some human respect for themselves or from the society is deathly. In one nation, oil wealth and beautiful natural expanses cannot keep a massive Nordic heroin addiction at bay.

In a Pacific island world of tropic splendor, the highest suicide rates in the world combine with forced assimilation to produce more drug related casualties.

In Liberia, Congo and though disputed, the USA, child soldiers have put their bloodstained tatoos on the recent past. Murdering for governments or street organizations, the social despair and drugs markets have been expanded.

In Colombia, Mexico and the drug superstore the USA, gunshot wounds and the prison door have become status symbols.

In America’s sprawling system of incarceration, as in places such as Yemen, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, youth are caged with adults in prisons.

Some will argue the mantra of “work hard, study hard…” keeps a new age group achieving success.

If the youth can be seen as a “demographic” what do they gain?

Is pain a product for sale?

And, if there is a hole in the soul, what is the cure?

A revolution, the reach for life instead of an existence has to be made.

18 November 2007
From Exile,
Bankole
www.geocities.com/exiledone2002

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