On the Killing of Children

“Blessed the one who seizes your children and smashes them against the rock.” — Psalm 137:9

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'” — Matthew 19:14

Below is a list of children killed by weaponized violence.  Some were killed last Friday in a Connecticut grade school by a man with  unknown motives.  Others were killed in homes in Iraq, Pakistan, or Afghanistan by members of the United States military.

Charlotte Bacon, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Safia Abbas, age 5, Baghdad, killed by a missile that hit her while she was sleeping (March, 2003)

Daniel Barden, age 7, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Mohammad Ahmed, age 4, Baghdad, killed by shrapnel from a missile that hit his home. (April, 2003)

Olivia Engel, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Maria Hassad, age 7, Baghdad, killed by a missile that hit her home (April, 2003)

Josephine Gay, age 7, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Little sister of 7 year old Mujib, Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, killed by two 2,000 lb bombs (March, 2007)

Ana M. Marquez-Greene, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Lamiya Ali, age 6, Baghdad, killed by cluster bomb.

Dylan Hockley, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Agah Lalai’s sister, age 8, killed by aerial bombardment of her village (May, 2007)

Madeline F. Hsu, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Faizullah, age 9, son of Mohamed Wazir, shot by a US Army Staff Sergeant

Catherine V. Hubbard, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Fatima, age 10, killed by drone missile in a house in North Waziristan Pakistan (May, 2010)

Chase Kowalski, age 7, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Wajid, son of Noor, age 9, killed by drone missile in North Wazirstan, Pakistan (January, 2010)

Jesse Lewis, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Ayeesha, age 3, killed by shrapnel from a drone missile strike in North Waziristan, Pakistan (Jan, 2010)

James Mattioli, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Shera Deen’s nephew, age 10, killed by drone strike during Ramadan prayers in North Waziristan (Aug, 2010)

Grace McDonnell, age 7, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Naeem Ullah, age 10, killed by shrapnel from a drone missile that hit his neighbor’s house (N. Waziristan Oct, 2010)

Emilie Parker, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Ghani Jan, son of Abdul Hakeen, age 7, killed by airstrike in Azizabad, Herat Province, Afghanistan

Jack Pinto, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Rahima, daughter of Abdul Hakeen, age 3, killed by airstrike in Azizabad, Herat Province, Afghanistan

Noah Pozner, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Shafia, son of Abdul Hakeem, age 4 months, killed by airstrike in Azizabad, Herat Province, Afghanistan

Caroline Previdi, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Aisha, daughter of Faiz Hratt Khalef and Sumay’ya Abdul Razzaq Khuther, age 3, handcuffed and shot execution style by US troops in her home in Balad, Iraq (April, 2006)

Jessica Rekos, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Asma’a Yousif Ma’arouf, neice of Faiz Hratt Khalef, age 5, handcuffed and shot execution style by US troops in her uncle’s home in Balad, Iraq (April, 2006).

Avielle Richman, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Zainab Younis Salim, daughter of Younis Salim Khafif and Aida Yasin Ahmed, age 5, shot at close range by US marines in her home in Hadtha, Iraq.

Benjamin Wheeler, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Maezol Khan, age 3, killed by a drone strike in South Waziristan, Pakistan (January, 2007)

Allison N. Wyatt, age 6, killed by gunfire in a Connecticut grade school

Syed Wali Shah, age 7, killed by drone strike in North Waziristan, Pakistan