If a journalist takes a picture of a real child soldier from Africa or Palestine, then that does speak more than a thousand words about the issue, but Rosie O'Donnell 'art', although radical it is disturbing at an altogether different level than say the plight of children in war zones.

Hello Mallika and Everyone,

Just looked at the website...Although Rosie is a celebrity and publicity is part of the celebrity package...her children are not... I do not doubt Rosie's love for her children but I would question the amount of publicity she is giving them via the Internet, really, using them in this way would make me, as a parent, very uncomfortable...exposing my children faces across the World...day after day...in my opinion, is putting them at risk, unnecessarily....this picture does not compare to the abuses that are being infliced against children worldwide, but it is, in a way, to me, using your child for your own needs, whatever they are...her child's innocence is still being used by her adult caretakers and I question Rosie's motivation for this picture, only, the picture takes me no farther than what is personally going on in the O'Donnell household..if it is supposed to make me think of the child soldiers elsewhere in the world, it doesn't...I have seen the images of the "real" child soldiers flashed across the news...I do not need Rosie to strap bullets on her child and flash it across the World for me to have empathy or to motivate me...

sorry, got a little carried away...

have a great day everyone, ruth

I didn't see Rosie's site, did she mention where or what countries are promoting and fostering the child soliders and hint- suicide bombers? Where posters are displayed showing the proud mother of the little martyred ones?

Maybe one day we can call out specifically where this horrific behaviour is happening and apply the rarely used word found on IB - Justice.

Regards,

Steve

Aloha Mallika

Children, mothers, elderly and of course men in other countries are killed and maimed for life through war. Guns are big business, just like the medical community. It is time the voters in the US wakes up. Who makes the weapons? We are victims of our own propaganda. She is doing Americans a service as Michael Moore.

Sicko is on line. It will not last..

http://www.ichblog.eu/mambots/content/bot_flvplayer/flvplayer.swf?f... Or..

[link to www.ichblog.eu]

http://www.ichblog.eu/mambots/content/bot_flvplayer/flvplayer.swf?f...

The server may be jammed so keep trying..

love patty

I did not see the Rosie picture until now, but I did see an even worse picture on local news, Channel 5, that totally overwhelmed me. The story showed a young boy, probably 5 or 6, who had turned himself into some Afghanistani soldiers, whether American or Afghans, I forget now, but the point is that he had been wired to blow himself up by the Taliban as a kind of weapon. He had the good sense to get help for his miserable plight. This story so outraged me I could hardly believe it. Some angel was protecting him for certain. At that tender age, what else could explain it?

And I would have to add children in the US kill children. What I love about Rosie is she calls it like it is: The war benefits Rich White Men. People like her, Michael Moore and Deepak Chopra are turning the tables on the moneychangers. Americas biggest industries are: weapons, drugs and alcohol. No wonder we are fear based. Love patty

I admire Rosie for her up-in-your-face attitude about the criminalization of the invasion of Iraq. However, as a parent, I feel it in very poor taste, to use and jeapardize your children, to make a "statement."

Rosies child is young and innocent, they do not even watch tv, nor do they attend school, they are home-schooled.

I met children whom were home-schooled!! They were all brilliant brothers and sisters. However, as proscribed by LAW, children have to attend high school!!

Home-school children are often bullied, and do not fit IN, with their peers, as they come off as alienated.. not knowing/understanding normal, teen thoughts, actions or interests??

The family I happened to personnaly know; their children took a huge personal loss, when they went to high school. They were awkwared, and acted like country bumpkins??

So, what's the purpose of home-schooling, if their child/ren will become outcasts at 13-14 when they attend high school?

I feel sorry for her kids...

In my humble opinion, Rosie is more or less, setting her children up for a major crisis later on.

I think it is WRONG, to use your children to get an adult message across!!

I LOVE Michael Moore--the only man in the US, with man-balls it seems....
Luv,
North

You know, I love kids. But even when I am out taking pictures with my camera, I hesitate to take front poses of kids as I think it is not right to expose them without permission from parents.

It is just something I am uncomfortable about. Obviously she made a choice. I do not think if I was a well known person if I would share my children's pictures for the public like that.

joanie

Hello Mallika and EVeryone,

just an update on the Rosie picture...Rosie says it was just a picture of her child playing dress up...last year a princess this year a soldier...although the choice of soldier costume picked for her child is suspect, in my opinion..if I picked a soldier outfit for my child it would probably be without the very real looking bullet belt, but that is just me...of course her flashing the picture across the world wide web is really just Rosie sharing her family photos with her "global family," what's the big deal? She does go on to "shame" the folks who are giving this picture unwarranted attention(in her opinion) and not giving attention to the "real war", the 3,500 soldiers who have died...so she gets to hang the carrot in front of millions of people on the world wide web and then she gets to be self-rightous about everyone taking a big fat bite! Could it be that Rosie's little stint on the View has left her a little "sicko?"

have a great day everyone, ruth

Rosie can get her messages across without the guilt she seems to want everyone to "feel."

One can draw more flies with sugar, than with salt.

I admire Rosie; been a fan of hers for so many years; yet, I cannot help sense an urgency in her pleas for peace. Does she NOT realize, peace is found "within?"

Mallika, time to send Rosie some of your Dad's books....

Luv, North
http://www.myspace.com/northdesigns

Dear Mallika,

I have always admired Rosie. While I agree with her message, her method of 'getting it across' is not; in my opinion, the wisest choice. Her message that we should feel the plight of children soldiers gets lost in the 'outrage' over showing her daughter's photo in soldiers garb.

Her own outrage is being turned back onto herself. I agree with North: Rosie work on your own peace, but keep getting those messages out there.

~Love
bonnie

Actually, there are already lots of images and reports on the web of child soldiers. The level of outrage is insufficient.

And Rosie nailed the reason why that is so: because we can continue with the denial that it only happens tpo "their" children in "faraway places".

Her message is unmistakable: "their" children "far away" is wrong thinking.

They are 'our' children, here now. The picture makes the message clear.

If she ups the level of the debate and helps save lives of children, it's the right thing to do.

yogi-one

I agree with what you say. If only Rosie had explained it that way instead of saying "it was just a photo of her daughter playing dress up."
Either most people missed the real message or the media did. At any rate, the discussion now seems to be about Rosie herself instead of what it should be. I think Rosie is very sincere but her big bad ego does get in her way sometimes.

~Love
bonnie

Hello Everyone,

No one missed any message because as Rosie herself states, there was no message...this is simply a picture of her little girl playing "dress up," and she deceided to post it on the www. It seems everyone( who is claiming there is a message is simply "projecting" their own meanings as to what the picture is saying and meaning...Rosie, herself, said..."hey, it's only her kids playing dress up"...isn't it fun how all this stuff gets going?...

I think Rosie could use a good year or two with a good psychologist it is amazing what they can help you unravel emotionally and mentally in order for you to captain your ship a little bit better(if you know what I mean)sometimes it is good to have an objective perspective pertaining to the deeper motivations behind our somewhat confused actions....

have a great evening..ruth

Aloha Everyone

Here is the following article the day after Rosie posted the picture of her little girl with the bullets draping over her shoulder. Rosie posted this article under a new picture of her little girl giving a peace sign today. What I feel she is she telling her daughter and the world by posting this article by Bob Chernow is: I would never let you die for reasons uninvestigated. You can trust me as a parent. I am trying to make sure you live in a safe environment by exercising the rights that our forefathers fought for: freedom of speech. It is like we are afraid to speak up is it because: we (US) are the gun makers of the world.

The Covenant
posted by ro on june 28th at 1:27pm in in the news
written by Bob Chernow

There’s a covenant between those who serve in war and the nation they serve. In the first part are those who agree to defend our country. They know the risks, which often involve death, but they serve because they are asked.

The second part of this covenant is twofold: The nation agrees never to forget their sacrifice. And leaders ensure that the cause they ask others to fight is just. This covenant is a simple one, unwritten and unspoken. While few of us who have served in war can make clear the reasons we did, most would agree with this sacred pact.

Sometimes the reasons for war are poorly thought out or just plain wrong. Vietnam is a prime example. Soldiers were condemned for fulfilling their part of the contract. Doors were closed, smiles stayed hidden. Following Vietnam, it was the veteran who experienced the fallout from losing an unwinnable war. Only years later would Vietnam veterans hear those sweet words, “welcome home.” Only since the Gulf War, would we receive respect for honoring the sacred covenant.

General Dwight Eisenhower said, “Men acquainted with the battlefield will not be found among the numbers that glibly talk of another war. ”Would Eisenhower view the invasion and conquest of Iraq a just cause? Would he see Iraq as a digression of resources from the actual terrorist threat?

Eisenhower also warned us of the danger of the military-industrial complex. Are they manipulating part of the war behind the scenes?

We and other great powers tend to get involved in the quicksand of foreign lands, where the justification for war has been fabricated or is pre-emptive or created for the wrong motives. At times like these, the covenant between those who serve and the nation is best reviewed in all parts.
SHELDON DRONBY- HUFFINGTON POST

I don't know who Rosie O'Donnell is, I don't know her intention in doing this, but to me, the picture is a reminder that only a loss of innocence can make people kill each other. And Mallika, I don't see why you should feel you need to post the picture of your daughters. It's not the only way to get the message across.

Mallika, I also disagree with your view thumping Rosie on her back. Her "art" involving her child is in very bad taste and the poor kid feels like a puppet in this whole drama. Has she not used her child in some way, just as the crime lords use other people's children?
Today, I am deeply disturbed by another thing. The lack of corporate social responsibility in TiE Seattle. My blog, "Monsoon Masala" has the story:
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/monsoonmasala/

PJ