World Crisis

An email to a relative in New Zealnd

So pleased that you share the same views as I do. I wish my parents could see it the same way. It is horrifying to see the anger and calls for revenge especially when the US is governed by the son of a cowboy. Who knows what junior is about to do? The USA has never won a war, except against the Japanese - and we know how that ended.

I feel immense sorrow for those people trying to flee Afghanistan and other oppressive regimes and am therefore also saddened by the way our Australian government is (mis)handling the refugee "crisis".

Australia, amongst many nations in the world, is rapidly losing its humanity. Almost 75% of Australians currently support our conservative government in ignoring the needs of genuine refugees.

Meanwhile, Muslim women are being harassed on our streets and a Muslim mosque was fire bombed in the last week. This is a sickening reaction to a dreadful and delicate situation.

It pains me to see my Muslim friends in fear while at the same time joining with 99.9% of other citizens of Earth in condemning the events that shattered New York and Washington.

Two weeks ago I arrived home from a night at the movies and caught an announcement on the radio about the attacks. For the next few hours I watched the events unfurl "live" on the television, thinking to myself that I was watching some bizarre "reality TV" show and that the credits would roll any minute.

I didn't sleep that night or the next day, instead staying glued to the TV and switching emotions as often as the channels. Anger, shock, sadness, fear, panic, and even joy when the few survivors were rescued.

I've spent a lot of time since that day contemplating, writing and talking with other people. One of the most helpful exercises for me was to put pen to paper and I'd like to share some of that effort with you.

Take care of yourself and each other. Give my love to everyone. It is moments like this that I really notice how isolated we are from the rest of the family.

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