español -
April 08, 2026 / Fabiola Cardozo / The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY) - I am a mother who wakes up every morning with the firm conviction to keep going, to do what's best for my daughter, to contribute through my daily work to building a less violent world. Unfortunately, when I check the news, I am disappointed once again. The world is cruel, and the U.S. government continues with its war plans. The military budget leads to social disinvestment, leaving young people vulnerable to military recruitment from many quarters. War and violence are sold as the spectacle of the year through movies, online games, and every other way imaginable. I swim against the current, I stay alert all day long; violence is becoming normalized. Those of us who are in favor of peace smell the terrible scent they use to lull us into a false sense of security. They want us to be on their side, to not perceive their subtle strategies to convince us that they are saving the world. It's a lie. They are putting everyone at risk, especially young people—yours, mine, ours. There are no victors, no winners…
The future is uncertain and frightening to look at… The thought that it is not a safe place for any child is terrifying. The news is not encouraging: violence, war, death, destruction. It makes me feel disappointed as an adult human being and a mother in the world that my little daughter inherits. We must do more as a species. After all, we are supposed to still be thinking beings with the capacity for discernment, with awareness of our actions, and there are still paths to explore. There is no path to peace, peace is the path (Gandhi's phrase sounds like a murmur), and I try to continue believing that this must remain the way. Not only for my daughter, but rejecting war must be an absolute obligation to future generations. We must leave them a more respectful world, both inside and outside our homes. A world where children are not collateral damage, where the spectacle of violence and war propaganda comes to an end.
The amount of military spending the United States incurs to perpetuate wars in different parts of the world is alarming, while young people from the most vulnerable economic classes are used as cannon fodder. These young people are sold myths and magical tales of patriotism, service, and heroism through violent pornography, with false promises of a prosperous future. Young people die, young people return as war casualties, young people are wounded not only physically and mentally, but also socially, often unable to live in society, and they remain just that… young people… And it deeply worries me because in every war, in every intervention, it is young people who bear the brunt of it… There are never any winners… So I think, how can I continue to go against the grain, raising children with love and respect, when the world is in chaos, when violence reigns, when war and violence are promoted as a new devotion? I'm sure other mothers are also worried.
What kind of world are we leaving them? Why don't we complain more about this situation? Why don't we do more? Why are we still unable to stop the global war machine? What can we do? So many questions…
Fabiola Cardozo
Sociologist, specialist in International Humanitarian Law, Master's student in Women's Studies at the Central University of Venezuela, Venezuelan mother, collaborator with social research organizations against war, the military recruitment of young people and children, and the prevention of child abuse.
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Updated on 4/18/2026 - FCP
