By Lauren Miller
Managing Editor of Opinions
We live in a large, complex world. In an age where busy-ness abounds, it can be easy to forget that we are a part of a bigger system than ourselves.
I’m willing to bet that many of you do not know about Aleppo, the city that has been described as the epicenter of Syria’s humanitarian crisis. I admit to not knowing much about it either until very recently, when I discovered presidential candidate Gary Johnson blatant ignorance concerning the issue.
After Johnson admitted that he was unaware of the horrors proliferating there, this and subsequent blunders of his have become known as “Aleppo Moments”. Sure, his Libertarian views promote a non-interventionist approach, but this does not excuse his ignorance of global catastrophes, particularly as he hopes to become the nation’s new leader. And as global citizens, it is our responsibility to know about what is happening in our world, as well.
So, what is going on in Aleppo? The city is essentially crumbling under siege as supplies are beginning to run short and people are being killed by airstrikes and bombs daily. According to the New York Times, there are 35 doctors for every 7,143 people in East Aleppo. Students are not going to school and people are unable to work. It has been almost six years since the Syrian Civil War started, and it doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. Attacks on Aleppo have been continuous, the results disastrous.
The Guardian was able to utilize Skype and WhatsApp to contact people currently living inside the city. One of these contacts was Afraa Hashem, who worked as a teacher before the war.
She explains that “the children remember their friends who have left or died, their relatives who are abroad, [and] they make models of them from paper and talk to them as if they are still here. I listen to my boys telling them stories about their lives.” This is just one of many tragic voices. Yet, despite the awful circumstances, Hashem describes how, despite the suffering and isolation, she is happy knowing that she is fighting for her and her children’s freedom.
There may be little we can do individually to solve this human rights crisis, but we all must take the step of putting ourselves into the context of the world we live in. Millennials in particular need to be aware of what is going on both inside and outside of our country because one day we are going to be the ones to help solve crises like this one.
Aleppo may well be a city of the past very soon. It is incredible to think about how there are devastations like this going on daily, when there are days that go by that I’m just focused on getting my homework done and going to bed.
As a call to millennials and beyond, be aware. Gary Johnson may be infamous for his Aleppo moments, but we don’t have to be.
