Amidst the unfolding horrors from Ukraine, please do not forget – or allow the world to forget – the equally terrible horrors still being perpetrated in Syria, in Yemen, in Ethiopia, in Afghanistan, and the human rights abuses taking place across the globe in too many places to mention.
Show compassion and voice anger about the Russian actions in Ukraine, but save also some compassion and anger for these other countries, and do what you can to bring aid to their peoples. Petition your government and contribute towards humanitarian aid.
They are equally deserving of justice.
Mick Canning 
Every day there are issues foreign and domestic that need to be solved. Prayers to all
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There are indeed.
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The people I feel bad for are the Ukrainian and Russian citizens. I don’t like what Putin has done, but all the analysis I read points to one thing: the US and NATO are culpable and largely responsible for this crisis. I don’t like the racist comments I hear from European journalists, nor what I read about the discrimination against Africans and Indians. Ukrainian guards and European nations are guilty.
Note: I don’t refer to us as ‘people of colour’. White people are also people of colour. White is a colour!
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I realise that ‘people of colour’ is disapproved of by many, now. I’m slightly unsure of which phrases to use.
Yes, it’s the citizens (as always) who are caught in the middle, through no fault of their own. There is never an excuse for attacking civilians. Never. Certainly, NATO contributed to the crisis by expanding their membership, but I disagree they are largely responsible – it was Putin, after all, who launched the war, Putin who is claiming it is a ‘Nazi’ state.
As for the racism displayed, it is deplorable and inexcusable and a battle we seem no nearer to winning now than we were twenty, thirty, or fifty years ago.
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Oh yes. Putin started the war, and this is inexcusable. But, I am speaking of US-NATO actions over 20 years. And i have read almost 10 articles from various magazines (not Indian ones) which state this
But, it’s always people like you and me who have to care for our wounded friends and relatives, and go looking for tbe dead ones.
For me, this is the shitty part of war. Politicians will always find a way to move on
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I don’t have any respect for our politicians here in UK, certainly not the corrupt lot we have in at the moment. I can’t speak for the others, because I don’t know enough about them, although there’re plenty I instinctively dislike.
But every part of war is shitty.
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Well, I don’t like our politicians either!
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Unfortunately you’re right – it isn’t just Ukraine.
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You’re right, we tend to focus on one crisis at a time….but there are always more than one. Far too many, in fact.
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I don’t think it’s just that. The reaction in the west to this crisis dwarfs our reaction to similar – and no less awful – ones elsewhere. Sadly, if Syria, for example, was in a different part of the globe – Europe, perhaps – the West would have reacted far more strongly to what is going on there.
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Well said, my friend. The war in Ukraine, the devastation, occupies more of our time and space because it may quite possibly turn into another “World War” involving at the very least, Poland and Germany. But to your point, yes there are people suffering under abusive regimes all over the globe, particularly in the Middle East. Thanks for the timely reminder, Mick!
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On that point, Jill, if the West had reacted to what is happening in Syria as it has reacted to what is happening in Ukraine, that same threat would would have arisen. But we didn’t.
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Sigh … so very true. My friends next door moved here from Syria way back when, for their very lives were in danger. So … what’s the difference? Why didn’t the West react more forcefully then? Oh wait … I know … because of their skin colour and religion. Sigh. Even my friends have come under some discrimination here that has led Maha to stop wearing her hijab because she was threatened. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
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And we’re beginning to hear more and more about people being refused entry from Ukraine to bordering countries because of their skin colour, and those that do make it being discriminated against.
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After thousands of years, humans still have not learned what’s important vs what’s irrelevant, have we?
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Clearly not.
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The South Africans in Ukraine were refused entry into surrounding countries because they didn’t have visas for other countries. South Africa sent a plane for our people so the media do dramatise and frankly mislead about certain issues.
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I didn’t hear about that one, but I’ve heard some very specific cases of (especially) black refugees being refused passage across the border both by Ukrainians and the receiving countries. And a lot of hassle from right wingers in Poland, for example.
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I didn’t hear about this. But the SA story obviously make our local news.
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Sadly, I think we’ve lost our collective minds, Mick.
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It feels that way, yes. I just don’t get what it is that happens to some people as soon as they see a person of a different colour to them – or anyone they just perceive as somehow ‘different’.
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I don’t know 🤷♀️ either, Mick. 😞
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VERY well said, Mike.
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Reblogged this on lovehappinessandpeace and commented:
Very useful thoughts.
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Thanks, Swami.
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Thank You, brother.
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Thanks for this reminder, Mick, what you say is true.
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This is true, Mick. Thank you for mentioning it. We are so focused on current events that we forget the countries ravaged by the after-effects of war. Palestine should be included in the above list of nations.
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I would definitely include Palestine. As I said, there are many others.
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Yes, you did. I was thinking of Palestine because of a comic book by Joe Sacco, that I read recently. It’s ironical that they’ve been living with bombs falling around them and people being killed, since 1948!
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I know. And still refugees in their own land.
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Yes, that’s what makes it worse.
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