So yesterday people were screaming about Trump's decision to withdrawal from the Paris Accord... meanwhile, 90 people were killed when a car bomb was exploded in a busy market in Kabul and a terrorist took over a hotel in Manila, Philippines killing 36. It got me thinking about what our mindsets in America and the West.
First, let me say that I am not debating whether Trump is a good president, whether climate control is a real issue or not, or any other political issue. My intent, as someone who is concerned for the plight of humans across the world, is to ask some hard questions. We don't often think about the root of our indifference.
I digress... The terrorist attack in Manchester, England recently had many changing their Facebook profile pictures to include the Union Jack. Hashtags about "we are Manchester" and "I stand with Manchester" and "Praying for Manchester" could be found trending. It shocked the world that such a tragedy could happen. But why is the Manchester tragedy shocking, but an attack that killed more than 3 times as many people barely gets news coverage? Why is an English speaking gunman who kills over 30 people in a Manila hotel less shocking? Why don't we seem to care as much?
I often wonder if maybe the reason is that we "expect" those attacks to happen in those places. After all, Afghanistan is a Muslim country. It's expected in a Muslim country. That's just how it is. What if we looked into the eyes of someone who lives in that nation and told them that? Does that make the pain and terror any less than it is in England? The Philippines is all the way on the other side of the planet so it doesn't really hit "close to home." Our silence suggests that those lives don't matter near as much as when it happens in a Western country. It's far far away from our suburban homes, Starbuck's coffee shops and comfortable lives.
And let's not forget about Syria. There are no benefit concerts being held to send aid to the families in any of these places. What I do hear are people screaming about what they feel is right or wrong about a government official making a decision. But that's the only time we care. Travel ban?! That's terrible!! Meanwhile, if there were no travel ban would these same people be given a second thought? Do we realize that the number of people trying to get into America is far less than those that are still living there trying to survive every hour of every single day? Again, I am not debating whether a travel ban is right or wrong. My point is to draw attention to the ones we put as out of sight, out of mind. I actually think that many people put too much power in the hands of the government and look to the government to do things for them. After all, it's easier to spout your opinions on Facebook and maybe go to a voting booth once every 2-4 years than it is to actually be hands and feet for the issues we with which we hold such strong opinions.
Maybe that's another problem. We have too many opinions and too little convictions. Opinions can change. Convictions are things you are willing to die for. Opinions are easy. They require nothing but a person to hear them or a platform to shout them from. Often opinions don't even require that because, as shocking as it is to some, they can be kept to yourself. Convictions are hard. They actually require something of you. Opinions will often lead you to arguments and debates. Convictions call you to action. And often those actions cause you to do more than just rail against the latest politician you don't like.
As I ponder these things in my heart you'll have to forgive me if a climate change treaty doesn't seem to be the biggest issue going on in the world today. Climate change is debated by both sides of the aisle. How serious is it? How true is it? Scientists debate it amongst themselves. Politicians debate it and put it as part of their platform campaigns. But what cannot be debated is the number of innocent lives lost yesterday. Innocent lives that didn't seem to matter quite as much as the ones lost in Manchester. Did you know that one of the lives lost in Kabul was a teenager who begged her mother to take her to an ice cream shop. She was standing in line to get ice cream. What if that were your child? What if that were the threat you faced every time to left your house? What if that were the threat you faced everyday regardless of whether you left your house or not?
These events grab my attention far more than a climate change treaty. Maybe it's because I have been closer to terrorists attacks than most American's will ever be (within a quarter mile of a shooting and caught a bus less than 2 miles away from where another bus had an explosion). Maybe because I've seen how a society has to deal with the daily threat of terrorist attacks.
All of this is something to ponder... for me anyway. What do you think are the reasons terrorist attacks in the Middle East and further don't get the attention in the West?
