Over 50% of television cartoons are found to glorify violence; on average, showing 25 violent acts an hour.
The average homeless American is 9 years old.
75% of video games are combat oriented.
The average American seventh grader has witnessed 8,000 murders and 100,000 other acts of violence on TV.
13 children are killed with handguns everyday.
Children playing with toy guns in New York and other cities have been shot
and killed by police officers who didn't ask questions before they shot.
1 out of 4 children lives in poverty.
In 1996, Congress cut social spending (in education, housing, and urban development, nutrition programs, job training programs, etc.), but voted $10 billion more for the military; the military gets half of each tax dollar!
Don't buy toys that encourage fighting, sexist stereotypes, the creation of enemies in play, or teach that violence and aggression are acceptable ways to settle disputes.
Organize or participate in a toy gun exchange in your community; remove guns from your home.
Watch television critically with children. Talk to them about violence, stereotypes and how different people are treated.
Protest JRTOC and military recruiting in schools; demand funding for non-military school programs.
Participate in International Youth Peace Week.
Contact YouthPeace, a War Resisters League camp sign promoting non-violence,
justice and an end to the militarization of youth, for more information:
YouthPeace
339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012
(212) 228-0450
(800) WRL-YOUTH
E-mail: wrl@igc.org
All of us want to protect children from the overwhelming violence in our society and the world. Violence seems to permeate our culture, from Saturday morning cartoons, to schools that open their doors to recruiters, to the military itself. Too often even toys we purchase teach violence.
One important step toward promoting peace in children's lives is to boycott violent and sexist toys. Ten years ago concerned parents declared the two days following Thanksgiving as the International Days to Protest War Toys. In 1996, this effort was expanded to International YouthPeace Week in order to protest all of the violence in children's lives. Join us in the struggle for peace and justice.
Together we can build a safe world for our children!!