World Peace and a Pony, Part 4.

Dear Santa,

Hello. My name is Monique and I live in Alsace-Lorraine, France. Last year, I asked for a bicycle, and while I am glad that I received one, I have decided that this year, I can't accept any gifts. Santa, I was reading the newspaper and I saw something terribly sad. In some places in my country, there are riots in the streets because people have different opinions about religion, and skin color, and things like that. What I don't understand is why people have to fight like this. I have talked to my priest about these riots, and all he said is that some people don't accept other people's faiths because they think that theirs is the correct one. I don't understand this! How is it so hard for people to accept others, no matter what they look like, or what they believe, or anything like that? Santa, my parents tell me that there's nothing to do about this crisis, but I don't think they're right. Can you help people understand that these fights are silly and they only hurt people, they don't do anything good for anyone?

Adieu,
Monique La Grange, Alsace-Lorraine, France



Dear Santa,

My parents immigrated to England from Sudan before I was born. I was spared the awful violence, but I am constantly reminded of the pain and suffering that goes on in the country of my heritage. Twice now relatives of mine have tried to obtain permission to live with us, but the government has been quite dodgy about the subject, and I'm afraid that their pleas are falling on deaf ears. If the government will not allow them into the country, then they will have to live their lives in constant fear and pain. I want more than anything else right now for my family in Darfur to have a life free of fear, at least for their own lives. I feel safer here in Manchester, but I am constantly worried that my family will stop writing, at which point my mother, father, and I all know to assume the worst. I just wish more than anything else I will get a letter from them saying how everything is better since the genocide has stopped. I wish more than anything else for there to be a stop to the madness that I see all over the world. I can hardly turn on the television without seeing news of some more deaths in some part of the world as a result of petty and unfounded hate.

A Million Thanks,
Stephen James, Manchester, UK



Dear Santa,

I learned about war at school today. My second-grade teacher, Mr. Whitman, taught us about the Revolutionary War. Why do people have to hurt other people? It's wrong. My mommy always tells me that when you hurt others, you hurt yourself more. Why would people do that? I asked my friend why people fight wars, and he said that war is awesome, but I think he's wrong. He plays a lot of video games, but I don't like his games, they're all too scary. They're all about guns and fighting. I don't like them. And I don't like war, and I think war should be stopped. That's what I want for Christmas. My mommy says that this is better than a pony anyways.

From,
Sara Johnson, New Jersey, USA