Aleppo

We failed.

I don't even know how or when or to what level. And that's the gravest failure there is.

I feel completely helpless, hopeless, dumb.

The video of the teacher who is resigned to his fate, shooting a video to document the event but even he has no idea what to say or talk about. The fear and shock are so vibrant on his face- it breaks me.

I failed. I sent a small donation once to the refugee service. I felt good about it. I don't feel good now.

I don't understand. It happened in front of us. It was not a secret. There was no hiding the scores of refugees or the bombs and video of children's hospitals blowing up. We could see it all.

We are in a time when we no longer have the security of claiming ignorance. Our new and old excuse is that we thought "they" were taking care of it. We are they.

One day, history will cycle, and we will be them. The world will watch us burn and feel bad. From a distance. They will wonder what happened, how their donation didn't stretch, how they could have let it happen.

again

again

again
again
and again

We fail.