THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 23, 1994 TAG: 9409230060
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Teenspeak
SOURCE: BY VANEE VINES, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
H AITI . . . RWANDA . . . Bosnia . . . Somalia . . . Panama . . . Angola . calls for help, a group of Portsmouth teens said.
Unlike past generations of American youth, however, they weren't so sure that the United States should be a world cop - even of the Officer Friendly variety.
``We have the power and the ability to help other countries and groups of indigenous peoples, and I think we should help them,'' said Jill Bruner, 16, a junior at Churchland High, ``but sometimes it just gets to the point that the United States is spreading itself too thin.''
The country held its breath last week as U.S. forces prepared for a possible invasion of Haiti. Haiti's military leaders, who took over their country in 1991, agreed at the last minute to allow the elected president to return to power.
A group of six Churchland High students split over whether our nation should mind its own business under such circumstances.
Senior Mike Holland, 17, said America should help foreign countries in crisis - from a distance. But if we can avoid invading a country or offering assistance, we should, he said.
``We're broke. They have poverty in other countries, but we got it right here, too,'' Mike said. ``I don't see a health care plan on the streets out here. We got to get ourselves straight before we can go help somebody else.''
Anthony Watkins disagreed.
``We have a lot of problems here, but the problems of a lot of other countries are much bigger than ours,'' he said. ``If we can help, we should.'' Watkins, a 15-year-old junior, made another point: ``What goes around comes around - like good will.''
senior Clare Seagraves, 17, said, ``We have an ethical obligation to help.'' Even so, she said, ``We really put ourselves in over our heads sometimes.''
``We're a power in the world,'' added Temonius Styles, a 16-year-old sophomore. ``I think it's our responsibility to help out.'' Other well-off nations, he said, should pitch in more.
Moreover, Temonius said the American military can be put to better use at home, by helping to fight crime, for example.
Sophomore Heather Apperson, 15, said some conflicts can be eased before things get out of hand.
``We need to try harder to help countries work things out by talking it out,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Mike Holland
Jill Bruner
by CNB