The refugee crisis

Such an emotive and upsetting topic. Highly political, which is terrible when we’re talking about real people with real emotions and real issues. This is not a vote winner or loser. This is real life.

Migrants and refugeesWhen did we become so desensitised at pictures of dead people who have drowned in a desperate bid to get to safety?

When did we lose our compassion?

When did we become so inhuman?

I saw a post on Facebook today which resonated with me and would, I’m sure, with a lot of people. The crux from the person posting was that she had her life’s necessities and some life luxuries and that she wanted to donate the “spare” money that she had to help those in need. She also acknowledged that these thoughts will pass, as they do, because we’re not living and breathing the situation.

How many of us look at a photograph and it pulls our heartstrings, but 5 minutes later we’re bemoaning how long it is until lunchtime or that it’s raining outside? I know I’m guilty.

We’ve been indoctrinated for so long against immigrants and their loose morals and their job stealing, benefit scrounging ways that we no longer see people as people. They’re just an enemy who will be a drain on our resources. They’re just pictures in the press. They’re just statistics that increase in numbers and displease the government because they’ve missed a target.

They’re none of those things. They’re human beings.

If you would like to help, Dawn O’Porter is raising money and accepting donations via an Amazon wishlist which she is helping to co-ordinate and send to the refugee camps in Calais. You can read more about it and find links to donate here

As Dawn says: “We don’t believe that any human beings should have to live that way, so we want to help them. No matter where you sit politically, we believe that we have an obligation to at least keep other people dry and fed.”