By, Hipolito Navarrete, Managing Editor/Publisher
Aleppo is not just a place far away where children and their families are being murdered; it is a place in our soul that is being seared away by our inability or unwillingness to do anything. As we sit in the comfort of our offices, homes or coffee shops and the newsfeed continues to update us on a tragedy happening at this very moment, we are having to or choosing to ignore the video or photographs of children who do look like ours and mercilessly slaughtered because ideologies are at war with each other. We are learning that we are vulnerable and it’s paralyzing.
When we walk down the street and see a homeless person, there is a certain comfort in our minds that may be there are other options for them to find, social services, religious organizations or other things that we may just not know about. We have a certain amount of comfort that as we keep running to make sure our daily lives are sorted out, these folks will eventually get some support and their lives will turn for the better.
However, we have no apparent control about anything that is happening to those families. The violent intrusive appearance of ISIS among them, the relentless dictatorship that has been a constant presence in their lives, the West’s unwillingness to do anymore because of all the lives already sacrificed, what do we do? And if we decide to do something, how do we do it? We have great intentions and we are willing to give a dollar easily from our pocket, but would it do anything to help those suffering by this human created catastrophe? Who can we trust for that raindrop to fill a bucket of hope for these families? We are stuck, we are not heartless, and we are truly stunted. If there is a good reason for us abandoning the greatest commandment, it will be interesting to hear it when we are being judged.
As we move into what could be a very difficult period for those that believe that we are responsible for each other and those that would use government as a system to include all citizens and support their growth, we need transparency we need to be truly honest with each other, including about our prejudices. So if you can, send a Merry Christmas note to the people from Aleppo, and remind them that others are enjoying the experiences that they won’t have.
