Speaker Briggs on "War and its Effects on Children and Gender

"Every tragedy," according to Jimmie Briggs, "deserves its own recognition." Each person has a story to tell. Briggs interviewed women in the Republic of Congo who had been raped and learned of the use of children in war-tactics. The women, Briggs reported, looked as if all the hope had been taken away from them. He recalls seeing the look of fear in the young girls' eyes as he sat and talked with them.Jimmie Briggs, a former journalist, visited Assumption College on January 25, to present his views on war and its effects on children and gender. Jimmie Briggs also spent much time shedding light on a new campaign he is beginning at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa this summer.

Man Up is the name of the movement. Briggs' goals for the campaign are to use arts, music, sports and technology to change the vision of women and children. For the past year and a half, Briggs has been fundraising and talking to celebrities who want in on the what will hopefully be a new trend. He is very optimistic about the effect that this campaign will have on people.

Beginning his college career headed down the Pre-med road of life, Briggs didn't see himself getting into journalism. He graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in philosophy. He began his career by writing in the Art and Culture Section of the Washington Post. He related Malcolm X's and his views to the present-day hip-hop music.

From there, Briggs went on to write about concert events, met many artists, interviewed them and reported on them. After about a year and a half, Briggs began to write in New York City for Life Magazine. Here Briggs wrote about politics and gang life in the Bronx. This can be seen as the turning point in Briggs' career, where he decided to go down a more graphic and hard-hitting road of journalism.

What fueled his interest was the fact that walking down the street Briggs would see many teenagers in wheel chairs. To get a good story on gang life in the Bronx, Briggs interviewed drug dealers and mothers who lost sons to gun fights. He felt that these issues "called to him."

After his time writing on gang life in New York, about 10 years ago, Briggs went to Central Africa, specifically the Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire. Here he documented the war that was taking place. The war-tactics of the people living here included using young children, or child soldiers and the use of women and young girls as weapons.

Children as young as eight were exposed to drugs known as "brown brown" and extreme forms of violence in order to fight effectively. This drug, "brown brown," was a mix of heroine and gunpowder. The ways in which these drugs were put into the body were graphic and its effects enhance the children's already invincible mentality. It led children to believe they were unstoppable, to be immune to feeling and have days' worth of energy. "Violence," commented Briggs "is the biggest obstacle in any society." In the Republic of Congo, girl soldiers were used as sexual servants to their commanders. The society was so off color that neighbors turned on each other, teachers killed their students and priests turned on their parishoners.

Briggs presented a video with vivid images of young children walking around carrying dangerous weapons and desecrating human bodies. The torture of women and the way children were treated in war compelled Briggs to plan out his Man Up movement. "If you see enough, hear enough, experience enough, you cannot any longer be ignorant. Most men don't stand up, or man up. Most look the other way." By having a staff of approximately four people in California, Briggs intends to spread a better response to the treatment of women. He does this in part for his love for his own daughter.

Earlier that day, Briggs spoke to a class of students. He remarked at the event Monday night about a question a student asked him earlier that day. A student posed the question as to "why do you do what you do?" referencing his many visits to war-torn areas. After much thought Jimmie replied that he, ".has to. It is a calling, addiction, obsession." His reports on the effects of war on children, he said, were, "a responsibility and response to the gifts he was given and to use them."

Assumption College's Peace Studies professor, Dr. David Siddle coordinated the event. He met Briggs five years ago at a peace conference. He remarked that Briggs, ".has a wonderful way of dealing with students and people." Dr. Siddle commented that the event went very well and that the student reaction to Briggs' appearance was equally as impressive. In response to the Man Up campaign Briggs is running, Assumption is planning on supporting him. In the late spring, Dr. Siddle is planning to have an update meeting on the progress of Man Up. He is, "very excited [for the campaign, which has] great potential." Present at the event was Assumption senior, Hannah Brencher, who remarked that, "We need more people in the world like Mr. Briggs, more people who are willing to step out and be the change and people who are not complacent with just caring about their own lives but care for the masses that are overlooked every single day.