Discovering Syria

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I was going to write this blog post about U.S. humanitarian aid.  Coming into this discussion, my views were resolute and cynical, and I was insistent that U.S. aid, from both governmental and not for profit agencies, was something that did more harm than good.

In doing research on aid, however, I discovered the Syrian crisis.  

By “discovered” I do not mean to say that I was unaware that something was happening in a place called Syria.  I knew that that was so, but that was all that I knew.  Through subsequent research, I was repeatedly beaten down by my ignorance.  At the risk of sounding melodramatic, that is actually what it felt like: a mental beating in which the weapon of choice was my own (national and ethnic) privilege.  Before “discovering” Syria, I would have said that the U.S. needs to dramatically change or reduce its aid efforts.  Now, however, I realize that that view reflects my ability to disconnect myself from others' problems. 

I once heard that when people are confronted by their privilege, they go through something analogous to the seven stages of grief.  The first four stages apply to my understanding of Syria:

1.     Shock and Denial

In my other course this semester, I learned about the war in Bosnia for the first time.  My professor mentioned Syria a few times and cited some of the figures about what is currently happening, but I did nothing to learn more.  Syria was in the periphery. 

2. Pain and Guilt

Then, this week, I actually took the time to read a few news articles about the crisis.  I learned that over 90,000 people have been killed and almost two million have been displaced; about half of the population of Syria is currently in need of aid.  I was so frustrated by the fact that although I pride myself on being someone who is aware of what is happening in the world, I allowed myself to be completely ignorant of immense suffering.  I did not educate myself, and I took no action.  I realize just how small and comfortable my “world” really is. 

3.     Anger and Bargaining

Then I got angry at the United States, the source of my privilege and ignorance.  First, I was angry that the system is set up in such a way that if I do not have access to information or choose to ignore it, that I can be so unaware of something that is so immensely critical and could lead to yet another regional war – one that the U.S. would almost certainly be involved with.  Additionally, this week, the U.S. government pledged 300 million additional dollars to Syria and neighboring countries, bringing the total U.S. government assistance to the Syrian humanitarian crisis to over 814 million dollars.  I am angry that I do not know how much the government is spending and where it is going, which speaks to greater issues beyond just this crisis and spending on aid.  Second, I am angry at the U.S. government and national media for what seems to be biased and sensationalist information.  

4.     Depression, Reflection, and Loneliness

Really, I was ashamed of myself and my lack of knowledge.  The U.S. has been at war in the Middle East for more than half of my lifetime; yet, until yesterday, I would not have been able to point out Syria on a map.  I was unaware of the cause or reasoning behind all of the killing and displacement.  Bashar al-Assad who?  Subsequently, I also did not know that Syria was part of the Arab Spring; in fact, I would not have been able to (and still cannot) name the countries involved in the Arab Spring or what that even means exactly.  Additionally, I am worried, because if I am so unaware of these things, then there are probably many, many more young Americans who are in the same position, or worse.  Actually, like I said in class, if it weren’t for Facebook and my CNN app, I would know absolutely nothing about this situation or other uprisings in places like Turkey or Brazil.  That is so frustrating to me, but I don’t know what other actions to take other than to lock myself away in the library for the rest of the summer to catch up with world events.  Even then, where would that leave me?

I don’t know what to make of Syria, or even humanitarian aid for that matter, but I do know that global unrest is only going to get worse, and our generation will be the ones to deal with it.  We can no longer allow ourselves to be ignorant of things like the Syrian crisis.

**In the roughly three and a half minutes it took to read this post, almost fifty-five people were displaced or became a new refugee somewhere in the world.