I thought about posting this on Facebook, I actually had most of it written out and then I realised that (apart from the fact that this blog and my Facebook have a similar readership of about 4) a Facebook seems to have something flippant about it.
It's similar to an off the cuff tweet, sort of impulsive and emotional and something you do without thinking and I want there to be no doubt that this is an issue I think about. A lot.
It's an issue I cry over. A lot. An issue that raises so many moral questions about my life that it could be considered obtrusive.
The overall issue is that of living in a world so divided by Nationalism and the overwhelming need to succeed in capitalist society that we happily throw each other under the metaphorical bus every day for the sole purpose of 'furthering' ourselves in the bizarre system we've created.
In this context though it's very specific: the crisis facing millions of refugees as the attempt to safely enter Europe.
I should point out right now that I fully understand the millions of displaced people do not come from Syria alone. There are many other nations that have suffered and where it is no longer safe for these people to continue there lives, such as Afghanistan and Eritrea, but for the purpose of this rant, and in keeping with the tabloid obsession with forcing everyone into a 'National' box based on their first country of residence I may end up saying 'Syrian' more than I'd like. Just a heads up that it's not me being ignorant, it's just purely the way the data and legislation is presented.
This whole rant came about when I seen a link to what I assumed was a parody article entitled "Syrian child refugees 'to be deported at 18'" (1). Surely this was some kind of joke, possible one at the expense of the policy making geniuses over at Britain First? Maybe a Daily Mail parody?
Sadly not. It's a legitimate article from today's Independent about a policy that Britain as a country genuinely seems to support. Not only that, the policy isn't even some ridiculous kneejerk reaction put in place in line with Cameron begrudgingly allowing a tiny amount of refugees through the UK it's am existing policy (2).
The wording is set up to allow a modicum of discretion but in the age of endless cut backs and austerity the message to local authorities is clear: once these children turn 18 they're not your problem. And that really just seems to emphasise the way we think about people and in particular people who had the misfortune to be born in an oil laden part of the world requiring American authorised 'freedom'.
When an unknown amount of people died attempting to cross into the UK from Calais (3) as a country we sat and watched.
Some of us watched horrified.
Some couldn't watch anymore and started putting together plans to help
But the overwhelming majority just sat and watched.
Not to mention the intolerably hateful people who not only watched but actively objected.
Actively wished ill on fellow human beings for having the sheer audacity to strive towards a safe life for themselves and their families.
When photos of a handful of children showed up on Facebook. Children in nappies and pigtails washed up on an unnamed beach.
Those of us who seen them were horrified.
But for the vast majority those haunting photo's passed them by and they went about as normal.
Then Aylan Kurdi's short, tragic life ended. It ended in an unspeakably terrifying way, in a situation no-one should ever be in. And, in what is bizarrely imperative to the British public, it ended in a way which was able to be widely circulated in social and traditional media.
I feel like right here is where I need to point out how devastating those photos are, seeing that small child cradled on the beach is heart wrenching and I don't want to in anyway seem to be belittling the tragedy. My point isn't about that individual tragedy. It's about the wider attitude Britain seems to have towards refugees.
When we saw those photos there was an immediate response, people wanted action and demanded refugees be allowed to safely enter and it was absolutely amazing. The strength of emotion and outpouring of support for those trying to make it to safety was incredible.
But then, as usual, nationalist thinking prevailed.
Because as a society we don't want to see children hurt, our instincts tell us they must be protected and cherished and the majority of the time we will do all we can to ensure that happens.
Once they're not children though? Well that's a different story.
It would seem that we live in a country that will happily welcome children, show them the peace and safety of life in the UK and then send them to the very country they originally fled from once they're old enough to fully partake in the society they've spent their childhoods immersed in.
It's hard not to draw a parallel with the 'Pro-life' movement of the US. It's the same basic principle, invest as much time and effort as possible in making sure the focus of your concern (in their case fetus', in this case children) is safe from any possible harm and then once your limited period of concern has expired, leave them with nothing.
Helping children escape from the horrifying conditions of war and terror is without a doubt something we need to focus as much of our effort and resources as possible on but it cant just stop there.
Parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, friends, regardless of age deserve the same.
The idea that being born in a specific part of the world, through nothing other than sheer fluke luck, entitles any of us to a greater quality of life than the refugees currently stranded in Calais, Kos, and Hungary (among others) is toxic.
Before we can congratulate ourselves for having the basic human compassion to be upset by the suffering of others we need to prevent so many conditions being imposed on that compassion.
We need to stop demanding the best for our 'Country' and start demanding the best for our world.
We need to hold the lives of all children to the standards we expect for our own.
We need to ensure the same basic rights we expect for ourselves are expected for all people.
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