10.11.2007

stick em up


looking through today's "day in pictures" on the BBC site, i came across this photo. the caption underneath read "five-year-old Emmanuel Macasucao picks up broken plates a day after a tornado hit his family's home in northern Philippines." ... that's all you have to say??
so little Emmanuel is out in the street playing with broken glass. take a closer look. little Emmanuel is out in the street playing with his life.
ok, so it's most likely a fake, maybe... but who cares. he's five years old holding what looks like a pretty real firearm in a country known for its "Paltiks" who manufactor operable replicas of anything from simple revolvers to M-16s and AK-47s.
with a gazillion of these floating around and everyone and their dog purchasing these things, from politicians and military, to the Japanese yakuza, civilians, and "private armies", and everyone and their cats thinking they're real and defending themselves accordingly, couldn't you give him a lego set or something. so what if his isn't operable. who's gonna know?!... until...

moot or hooey?
the Philippine authorities and the military turn a blind eye to the production of these weapons even though they're obviously illegal, and are known to jam and explode, because they are unable to provide an alternative livelihood option. surprised there aren't more jobs available in funeral services

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