There are good comments on both sides, and I must admit I have mixed feelings about this.

The cadet duty should be part-time. That means, like JROTC, or even Scouts, they have that time when they are learning those skills, and also their regular life with their friends, too. That means they are not being de-socialized. They are not being brainwashed into a specific belief, like the reference to the Hitler Jugend, which was practically 24 hour a day training.

I don't mind organized training with weapons. As far as teenagers to that young age, I feel there should be limits. Ranges and target shooting, yes. Learning to dismantle, clean and reassemble rifles, yes. That's not evil in nature. It shouldn't run too far off the course of what a father might do with his son.

But the nastier aspects should be totally verboten until that person has reached an age when they can join the military, if they so choose. What I mean by that is no "playing soldier" with training like; fixed bayonets, close combat, urban assault and clearing buildings. That takes the dark side of war too close to home for young ones. And no "area weapons".

They look real intimidating. Like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade without floats.

HeidelbergJaeger:
First, Thank you for your service. My path in life has not taken me that direction, but I respect you and all that you do.

Second, let's get the personal things out of the way:

1-This parade in another country does not get my blood pressure up.
2-To state that people on this board support "Child Soldiers" anywhere in the world is inflamatory and a straw man argument that lessens the significance of your previous comments.

I do not have the time to try to refute everything you posted above, nor would it be helpful. But here is a key point: These young people are not being prohibited from from drilling with guns or from being trained in their use; they are simply being denied a decades-old privilege of marching/drilling in this parade while carrying them. Appearances are being altered to soothe the sensibilities of a vocal, overly sensitive minority.

The only other thing I will address right now is the comparison to the Hitler Youth. I understood this to be something similar to America's ROTC program. I believe these to Hitler Youth is a poor comparison. I will fight tooth and nail to prevent such an organization from forming in my country, and would never allow my boys to be part of such an organization. Not because it involved weapons training, but because it centered around indoctrinating those young people with an ethos and policy that was despicable, inhuman, and ungodly.

No hard feelings.

Keep your head down, and come home safely!

How does the Hitler Youth end up being dragged into this?
These are cadets, like our ROTC cadets which is a paramilitary organization. They learn things like discipline, marksmanship, care and opperation of arms, and other martial skills. That makes them neither "child soldiers" or the Hitler Youth.

The concept that bearing arms is somehow intimidating and should be banned from public display is rediculous. Whether these cadets are 12 years old or not should not make one bit of difference. Their parents, neighbors and country should be proud that they are trained or being trained to be disciplined and skilled in the use of arms.

A "child" carrying a rifle in a disciplined and safe manner should not cause people to wet their pants and become terrified.

Paramilitary oraganizations such as Junior ROTC programs are not creating the next generation of Hitler Youth. Instead, they are teaching MARTIAL skills and discipline to young men and women that are interested in military service. Those skills include less controversial subjects such as map reading and land navagation, but also the use of arms.

Where do you think the word "infantry" comes from?

Give 'em pikes. Swords too. They'll like that. Pike drill is what the manual of arms is based on anyway and you can call pikes flagpoles if you put a pennant on each one. They won't do it of course, but this is one more reason why one goes to England, see a few castles, drink a few ales and comes home.

Steward.. good that you see it with your viewpoint. I have mine as well. For any of the others who can't handle an opposing viewpoint- I feel for you.

I have been an Army Recruiter, and am currently serving on active duty in Afghanistan. I am not speaking without experience.I have been in uniform since before I was 18. The militarization of those above the age of legal consent is fine and good. However, we are talking about kids in middle school and up to high school.

Do you mean to tell me that at 12-14 years of age that a child is capable of the forethought required to understand the total implications of their actions at any given time? Surely you don't.

Then again, the age has little to do with it. I believe it is about maturity. Are you're saying that the 12 year olds referenced in this story are not children? Really? Because there are many others like you who had the same thought that arming the youth of their nation was acceptable, namely Adolph Hitler. Ever heard of the Hitler Youth?

Let's review your statement: "The 12-18 year olds mentioned in the article are young adults who should be, and apparently are, thinking about their future and planning for adulthood." You mean to tell me that 12 and 13 year olds need to be planning for adulthood? Why aren't they concentrating on developing socially and educationally? Militarizing youth removes them from the social construct and puts them into a homogenous sub-sect of the overall society at large. This robs them of the opportunity to develop with the same frame of reference as their contemporaries that do not go through that same path. Why do you think that there is always such a divide between those who have served and those who have not?

The "cadets" (I originally thought these were service academy cadets-not the likes of school age children who are a member of an auxillary organization) in this article are still children. In every sense of the word. Legally they are kids and when you have 18 year olds being prosecuted for offeses as minors, the courts agree.

Weapons safety begins at home, with you I agree on this. However, for the sake of a parade, if this really got your blood pressure up, considering it isn't even in the US, well then maybe some priorities need to be reassessed.

Apparently, according to those on this board, the world needs more Child Soldiers, as we don't have enough.

Steward, no hard feelings either. I don't have a problem with weapons familiarization at all, i was just saying that I can understand the view point of the parents who complained.

Thanks for the well wishes, enjoy the rut and the rest of deer season.