Something that really creeps me out about the republic (and the Jedi) is how they treat children like adults. Ashoka is given the title of commander despite the fact that she's a teenager and the court was willing to consider the death penalty when she was being framed. We also saw Boba Fett in prison with a bunch of adults when obi-wan went undercover as a bounty hunter. that's messed up
Same here. Although I think it’s more of a Jedi problem than aRepublic one. I mean, I do think the Republic is to blame too but inthose cases the Jedi ideology is at the heart of the problem.
The Jedi do not raise children, they raise Jedi. Younglings arenot treated as children, they are treated as less prepared Jedi.There’s no real childhood for them. From the moment they are arriveat the temple the preparation begins for them to become Jedi. Thereare lessons, life-threating adventures, physical training, fighting,pressure to chosen by a masters etc. There’s no evidence of games, nospace for self-discovery or no room for mistakes.
Having a padawan is less like raising a teenager and more liketraining someone for a job. The Jedi know how to handle “tiny Jedi”and not children. That’s probably why they were all so ill-equippedto deal with Anakin (a real child/teenager, not a Jedi). And that’swhy they had no problem with sending teenagers to the war zone,because – in their eyes – they are not teenagers. They are Jediapprentices and nothing more.
The Jedi inability to recognize a child (and its needs) blindedthem to all children, specially young clones. The fact they workedwell with clones doesn’t change the fact they saw them as property ofthe Republic. So in their mind, like any other clone, Boba Fett notonly wasn’t a “real” child, he was also originally property ofthe Republic. Plus, the Jedi had control of the clone army andprisoners, and if you add that to the fact Bobba had a vendettaagainst the Jedi it’s no wonder they had no trouble putting him withthe adults. I doubt they would even understand why it was so wrong.
Let’s be honest, the Jedi were okay with sending a nine years oldback to slavery. They were okay with sending the same nine years oldto a war zone. They were okay letting a 14 years old queen lead anbattle to reclaim her planet without offering any extra help. Theywere okay with their children being hunted for sport, okay executinga teenager, etc. The council was so self-absorved they had no longercared who they sacrificed for the sake of the Jedi Order.
