Thursday, January 05, 2006

War Toys

This year for Christmas we bought my little brother a large army set, with helicopters, miniature guns, soldiers, etc. As I stood in the aisle looking at this toy for the first time, I realized that my brother would like it. Then I started to get a sick feeling in my stomach. The truth was: I didn’t want to buy him a war toy.

Honestly, I’m not a liberal (shocker). I realize that war is often necessary to keep our freedoms and our ultimate peace. But that doesn’t mean I have to like war or war toys, right?

That’s when Kevin walked up and said, “What’s wrong with war toys? That’s what boys like to play with and if we have boys someday, they’ll play with war toys too.”

Yet another reason why boys need dads … so their moms don’t completely sissify them.

And then there’s my recent aversion to bloody movies. What’s happened to me? It was only eight years ago that I dragged my dad into the theaters to watch Saving Private Ryan. Now I can barely stand to watch most war movies – even the mildly gory ones.

As I pondered my newly-acquired distastes, I tried to think of what had happened in my life recently to make me this way. The only thing I could think of was that last July I became a mom.

I know that not all moms are against war toys and bloody movies but that’s the only connection I can make. The absolutely, only, single one.

8 comments:

the Joneses said...

Since having children, I've become much more squeamish about war toys and violent movies, also. I think it's because I can picture my own children involved. But raising kids on Scripture pretty much eliminates the idea that you can shelter them from violence -- Stuart's current favorite is when David KILLS Goliath, as he puts it -- so I guess we moms just concentrate on civilizing the fighting urge in our sons. :)

-- SJ

Stacie said...

I'm more much more sensative to this kind of stuff since becoming a mom too. I can't watch Law & order anymore and sometimes even CSI is too much for me.

Anonymous said...

“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”

"War is evil, but it is often the lesser evil”

--Orwell

Amy K said...

Braiden - I totally agree with those quotes. That's why I'm such a great Republican. :) It's just that I don't LIKE war.

Amy K said...

P.S. I did watch "Enemy at the Gates" with Kevin, though (which you loaned him). And, actually, I thought it was pretty good, minus all the gore. :)

Anonymous said...

I don't know if becoming a mother is the main reason one can or cannot handle gore. I saw Saving Private Ryan, Gladiator and The Patriot in the theatre. Yet when I went back to watch the first two a few years later I just couldn't stomach it. How'd I manage to watch Gladiator??? I don't remember.

Queen of Carrots said...

I am more squeamish since having kids, too. We watched the whole LOTR cycle the week D1 was born and I was surprised how much more difficult I found it to watch. It didn't help that the baby started looking like Gollum. :-P

Anonymous said...

Your baby looks like gollum?