In some neighborhoods, every child has seen at least one person shot, and hearing gunfire is a regular occurrence. Toys, video games, popular media and cultural expectations often glorify both men's violence and warfare, reaching young people social roles which encourage more violence. Each year, the military recruits its members through cultural glorification and the poverty draft and trains young men and women to respond to conflict with aggression and violence. Exploitation, hopelessness, injustice, and militarism are a violent, incendiary combination. This deadly cocktail is now exploding throughout our society.
Children are the targets of horrifying violence.
Young people are increasingly lashing out as perpetrators. The military targets youth to be the warriors of the future. And yet youth are also powerful advocates on their own behalf. We need to support, encourage and nurture young peacemakers today to increase the peace today and tomorrow. DMZ is entirely produced by youth and deals with topics such as youth and the prison system and kids on death row.