Aside from providing an amazing comment on the conditioning of today's young people - not only from the mass media's constant focus on "celebrities lacking in integrity" but societies failure in "showing the kids that they matter" - the lyrics to The 1975 's Loving Someone contains a poignant message on the current refugee crisis.
"WE SHOULDN'T HAVE PEOPLE AFLOAT"
As the civil war in Syria continues, so does the racist rhetoric. The Sun's explicit scepticism around the age of the refugee children (which they actually put in inverted commas) for me, simply highlights how bizarre mindsets can be in regards to a person fleeing danger; I find it insane that people are more concerned about how we are going to scientifically prove their ages, than they are with how we are going to help them. So what if someone is over 18? How are we so in-sensitive as a society that we are more than happy to refuse someone asking for our help? Turning them away? As the 4th richest country in the world it should be our duty to provide aid and safety to anyone who needs it, welcoming them with open arms and not a dental check up.
It seems that the only time we can muster a degree of sympathy to these people is when we put ourselves in their shoes. This idea of only caring when it directly affects is thrown around time and time again, from being told to imagine Donald Trump "grabbing" the vagina of our own wives or children in order to spark a reaction, Save The Children's short film on how it would look if London were a war torn country also urges us to look at the crisis as though it were us in their position - if you can't see suffering if you're not the victim, then something is wrong here. We need a radical change to how we view others; regardless of country borders, nationalities, cultures, religions - regardless of ANYTHING - we are all just people who happen to be born in different places and into different ways of doing things, it doesn't mean have different emotions or fears.
Although the right wing media might hate to hear you realise it, in-equality is created.
It will never fail to amaze me that those trying to change the widespread opinion on refugees are labelled as activists, emphasising just how rare it has become to show love and compassion; The 1975's lyrics underlining how trying to escape conflict isn't a choice that you wake up one morning and stumble upon. You aren't midway through picking your breakfast cereal when an idea pops into your head that "hey, it might be a nice day to travel thousands of miles by boat". These are doctors, nurses, teachers, mothers, fathers, rich and poor making a choice on which option they feel gives them the best odds on life - the difference between living and dying. Staying or seeking refuge.
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