When Compassion Dies

Once their houses were bombed, where did they have to go? Once their neighbors and families were slaughtered, raped, burned, beheaded, what could they do? Once they saw their lives and homes become only memories, how could they continue on? These people, true humans, are barred, deemed outcasts, hated. What did they do to deserve this? Were they born in the wrong place? Were they born with the wrong skin color? Were they born into the wrong culture or language? These people don’t want to live in new places. Their old life, only a memory, is sweet with nostalgia, but it is the only sweet part of their lives. They don’t want to be billionaires, celebrities, public figures. They want to live without the fear of death. They want to escape the looming thought of burning buildings, the sound of jets making runs across towns, the painful screams of agony and terror. Their lives will be forever haunted by the memories of their childhood, first love, and normal lives because these memories will be forever overshadowed by the smell of smoke and the sight of blood making the roads slick.

They don’t deserve to have their lives destroyed by munitions of hate-mongers; however, the looks of disgust, the jeers, the trembling hands, the looks of fear in their children’s eyes, the tears, and the uncertainty also plague these people’s lives. They move, and they move, and they move. No place easier than the last. They exchange looks of fear and uncertainty daily; they sleep in airports; they cover their faces in shame and fear. They feel inadequate and hesitant, for white men in blue coats tell them they are not members of society. They are labeled warmongers, undercover terrorists, killers as they hold their young close to their chests, praying that they will be accepted, spared, loved. People tell them to “go back home.” Why? So that when these people “go back home” they are slaughtered like cattle, are pushed into the muck of the blood and corpses, are forced to call to their God, asking for mercy and protection? Why are they not accepted? The reason is, simply, that they are the products of blind fear killing compassion.