#271 / In Focus

The Atlantic's "In Focus" feature is almost always powerful. Pictures can oftentimes say more than words. 

On September 20th, the "In Focus" feature was titled, "Non-Chemical Warfare: Violence Continues in Syria." The pictures are definitely powerful. Click this link to see for yourself. 

In high school, I was at one point assigned to read Cry The Beloved Country, by Alan Paton. Paton's book is about South Africa, but that phrase, which Paton used as a title, comes to mind as I look at these photos of Syria. 

When we consider that the human places we inhabit are our unique human creation, and that our human civilizations are something that we build together, over generations, it follows that the preservation and protection of that human world should be a source of pride for us, and an imperative command. Similarly, the preservation and protection of the Natural World should be a compelling mandate, too, since our own lives, and all our works, are ultimately dependent on it.

But somehow, as these pictures show so dramatically, we have the capacity to ignore our obligations not only to the Natural World, but to our own.

These pictures of Syria should make us all cry for the frenzy of destruction that we sometimes allow ourselves to impose upon the great achievements of our civilization. 

Who are we, as humans, that we can do this to ourselves, and to the world that we ourselves have created?

And for what reason do we do this? For what cause?

Cry for the beloved worlds that we are teaching our children to destroy.

Image Credit:
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/09/non-chemical-warfare-violence-continues-in-syria/100595/