Wait what? Yeah, these kids get to put their grubby hands all over weapons of medium destruction. I’m not saying it’s wrong – there’s no way those guns can be loaded – but isn’t there someone who thinks it’s a little bit unsettling? Anyone? (Anyone?) Do kids even understand what these tools are capable of? Playing Call of Duty is a far cry from handling real weapons that can kill real people.
I don’t want to be a prude but come on people. [Flickr]
Nick
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:11 PMthere’s something really disturbing about the big grins on the faces of the kids… YAYYYYYY!!!! DEATH IS FUN!!
Brendan
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:19 PMLooks like a scene from Starship Troopers!
TedJ
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 3:22 PMWould you like to know more?
Ian
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:27 PMIndeed. Those pictures don’t look much different from photos of kids in various African and Arab militias.
Ribsi
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:45 PMAaaaaah come on, shooting guns is fun, shooting people isn’t so much. No different to touring a warship in dry-dock in my opinion.
Come on, admit it, you want to be those kids.
But I agree with the whole Starship Troopers thing, there’s a creepy forced-patriot thing that goes on the US that just…. well, creepy was the right word.
attila
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:54 PMBoo-hoo. I hope you go around taking plastic pistols off kids playing cowboys and indians or swords off kids playing as knights.
After all – killing people is bad mmm’kay
ozoneocean
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 1:07 PMThis is really devaluing the word “hero”.
AxisofEvil
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 1:24 PM@Ian I’ve never seen a little arab or little congolese kid smile as he holds his AK47, so your comment is a wee bit off mate
d_b
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 1:27 PMHyphen please.
olearymo
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 2:06 PM1. They’re not that adorable.
2. I didn’t know Tony Martin had joined the US Marines (top photo).
Nodeity
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 2:20 PMActually being an ex Ausi Digger myself, I had to go through a few open house days, where the public comes in and tours the units facilities. When it comes to the US however, I really can’t help but wince, when I see this sort of thing, given their preponderance for recruiting poor and marginalised people and their draconian “Stop Loss” bullshit! I really do believe that they are fast heading down the track to being a Military Hegemony, and in general, an “Army for Hire”…!!
Steve
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 7:48 PMI also don’t see what’s the difference between this and a floating museum or military airshow. What kid didn’t go through school wanting to shoot some type of gun whether it was a tommygun or laser?
But I agree with everyone else, huge Starship Troopers vibe (the movie, not the book) with these pictures. Did they stomp some bugs too?
Nodeity
Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 8:33 AMAh,.. Someone else who actually read the book,… the movie had nothing to do with the book really, did it..:]
ChemZ
Friday, July 8, 2011 at 4:52 PMGet ‘em early and young!
That’s should be the US army motto.