Although my trip to Xinjiang (新疆) was a good few months ago, i’ve never found time to blog about it. Going through my pictures, one thing I am reminded of: a large number of boys playing with toy guns.
Sure we all did at some point, but nowhere before has it been so noticeable and prevalent to me. Should I be worried? In this day and age where talk is about muslim extremism and terrorism, it’s somewhat disconcerting to see so many boys running around with plastic pistols. That was particularly noticeable in Kashgar (喀什), where easily half of the kids I encountered were playing with toy guns, probably purchased and paid for by their parents.
If these are the values being instilled upon these young lads, it’s no surprise if one or two of them eventually move on to practicing real violence. Of course, giving a toy gun doesn’t imply they will; for that matter owning a real gun doesn’t mean you’ll use it. But as something I noticed quite obviously within minutes of walking around town – it does make you wonder.
