A precocious ten year old asked me yesterday what I plan
to do to help the Syrian refugee children. An only child, she wishes to “adopt”
at least one child. Her question shook me deeply. As Hungary struggles with an
overwhelming influx of refugees fleeing the war in Syria-- many who will never reach the Euro Zone but instead die at the hands of ruthless traffickers by
suffocation in vans, or drowning, as 3 year old Ilan Kurdi did, as they attempt
to make their way from Turkey to Greece-- one German reporter characterized
Hungary’s change of heart to bus refugees to the Austrian border as “not finding
a clear line” and ”a confused policy” to explain the doubt of frightened refugees for Hungarian authorities’ intentions. Volunteers along the lengthy march through
Hungary to Austria hand out food and water and offer a place to sleep.
Pundits are asked “Who is responsible?” and I am reminded
that ‘Few are guilty, all are responsible’ [Heschel]. Yes, the world-- not solely the USA,
who did create a power vacuum for so called ISIS in Iraq-- has insufficiently
turned its attention to the tragedy that is destroying Syria. My ten year old patient said to me hopefully, “When
I adopt a child, you can talk to her like you talk to me.”
2 comments:
What is going on in Europe is a tragedy. However, it did not just start. We have a similar tragedy in the U.S. with immigration. The issue of ISIS or ISIL is a growing concern. We can look back earlier in the year when there were beheadings of Christians in Egypt and Europe, as well as killing Muslims that did not follow ISIL’s radical beliefs. The tragedies that ISIL has beset on the world are not and will not be limited to the Middle East. The U.S. has done virtually nothing to help protect our allies and interests in the world. In fact Obama did not even stop his gulf game. In the past, now distant past, the U.S. would act as a leader in the world. It is understandable that the U.S. does not want to get involved in every skirmish in the world, yet ISIL has a goal to annihilate Christians and others in an ultimate goal of ethnic cleansing. Iran has also said that it wants to destroy Israel and the U.S., yet our president has voted to relieve sanctions on Iran and Iran will get billions of dollars. Some say up to $100 billion. This agreement is up for ratification in U.S. Congress even as Iran is denouncing part of the agreements.
We are very much involved in the Middle East. By our actions and lack of actions we have imprinted our foot print of leadership in that area. We can say that it is not the U.S that is to blame, and it is not our fight. Yet there are Christians and other religions in the U.S too! We have already had beheadings and killings in the U.S. by Muslim extremists, ISIL. Yet we do nothing. Our leaders remain mostly silent on the dangers that are imminent. We may look back to a quote that came out of WW11.
“In Germany, the Nazis came for the Communists and I didn’t speak up because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn’t speak up because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I was a protestant so I didn’t speak up. Then they came for me..,By that time there was no one to speak up for anyone.” Martin Niemoller.
Your client has the right idea of helping others in need, even at her understanding. That should be a goal that permeates to our government. The world would benefit from involvement against bullying, terrorism, and evil, even as one person, a 10 year old, leads in that endeavor.
Richard Nikla, MA, LMHC, CAP
What is going on in Europe is a tragedy. However, it did not just start. We have a similar tragedy in the U.S. with immigration. The issue of ISIS or ISIL is a growing concern. We can look back earlier in the year when there were beheadings of Christians in Egypt and Europe, as well as killing Muslims that did not follow ISIL’s radical beliefs. The tragedies that ISIL has beset on the world are not and will not be limited to the Middle East. The U.S. has done virtually nothing to help protect our allies and interests in the world. In fact Obama did not even stop his gulf game. In the past, now distant past, the U.S. would act as a leader in the world. It is understandable that the U.S. does not want to get involved in every skirmish in the world, yet ISIL has a goal to annihilate Christians and others in an ultimate goal of ethnic cleansing. Iran has also said that it wants to destroy Israel and the U.S., yet our president has voted to relieve sanctions on Iran and Iran will get billions of dollars. Some say up to $100 billion. This agreement is up for ratification in U.S. Congress even as Iran is denouncing part of the agreements.
We are very much involved in the Middle East. By our actions and lack of actions we have imprinted our foot print of leadership in that area. We can say that it is not the U.S that is to blame, and it is not our fight. Yet there are Christians and other religions in the U.S too! We have already had beheadings and killings in the U.S. by Muslim extremists, ISIL. Yet we do nothing. Our leaders remain mostly silent on the dangers that are imminent. We may look back to a quote that came out of WW11.
“In Germany, the Nazis came for the Communists and I didn’t speak up because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn’t speak up because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I was a protestant so I didn’t speak up. Then they came for me..,By that time there was no one to speak up for anyone.” Martin Niemoller.
Your client has the right idea of helping others in need, even at her understanding. That should be a goal that permeates to our government. The world would benefit from involvement against bullying, terrorism, and evil, even as one person, a 10 year old, leads in that endeavor.
Richard Nikla, MA, LMHC, CAP
Post a Comment