Human nature can be depicted as being inherently connected and communal. This means that although most of the occurrences are deemed inhumane, usually the level of depiction of love is still greater. Human beings throughout history have influenced and participated in events that could be looked at as inhumane. Wars, torture, and acts of violence amongst differing groups are some of the occurrences that depict the dark and selfish side of human being. The general perspective of most scholars depicts human beings as destructive creatures.
Often, people are of the mentality that disasters and catastrophes tend to bring out selfishness and brutal competition for survival. This has, however, been refuted time and again not through arguments, but through acts of kindness and services. The focus of this essay is to expound on the remark by Anne Frank, regarding the quote "In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart" by using the Syrian War and refugee crisis as an example. The war in Syria has been going on for the last five years. The impact has been the death of hundreds of thousands of people, loss of property, loss of livelihoods, and most of all loss of dignity.
Millions of people have been reduced to begging for aid when they had previously been able to fend for themselves. Millions have fled their homes in search of peaceful places around the world, with most of them ending up in Europe. Refugees have been represented as one of the most challenging crises of the twenty-first century. They have thronged in their thousands to flee from the vicious and violent attacks. For Europe and other neighboring continents such as the Americas, the Syrian war has given rise to one of the largest crises in human history.
Militants under the guise of Islamic fundamentalism have wreaked havoc on the Middle Eastern country resulting in a collapsing order. Almost every system has collapsed within the government, and this has crippled the country profoundly. The health, education, and security systems, for instance, have come to a standstill within the nation. Remaining in such a country has become unbearable, and most of its citizens have opted to leave in such of help and hospitable environments (Inspiring Acts of Kindness and Support towards Refugees par 2). The result has been an upsurge of individuals traveling across continents to seek refugee status.
The nature of the journey results in the loss of lives, and constant exposure to danger. Crossing the open seas on overcrowded small boats and paying smugglers to cross borders underpin some of the dangers of migrating as refugees. Images of drowned children and persons washed up on the beaches have been depicted within the media circles. Men and women waiting in endless queues to gain entry into various countries have also been passed around. It has been on the backdrop of such suffering and challenges that the goodness of human beings has been allowed to arise (Toronto Welcoming Syrian Refugees with Acts of Kindness par 4).
Thousands of volunteers have offered to ensure the health of refugees is protected, by offering free medical assessment in various areas that camps have been developed. The nature of the journey, including the lack of shelter and food, increases the degree of health complications. For children, malnutrition, starvation, and respiratory-related diseases form he greatest threat. Volunteering doctors and nurses have given up their positions and time, to offer help to such vulnerable groups with a goal of enhancing refugees’ quality of life. While many countries struggle with the idea of taking refugees, a great deal has offered to readily accept them into their nations.
The increased number of refugees being accepted into various European countries has been made possible by the families that are ready to take up refugees. European families have volunteered to host and accommodate refugees for as long as they need help. This has resulted in huge numbers of refugees settling in such countries. Germany, on the other hand, has pledged to take up to five hundred thousand refugees for a couple of years until the Syrian government stabilizes. It is the first European country to take in the largest numbers of refugees without complaining about their burden.
Sweden is another country from Europe that has been instrumental in developing refugee camps, which take in arriving groups from Syria and other war torn countries. Recent media activity and political rhetoric have been stacked against the refugees. They have been depicted as Islamists who will spread their ideologies to the west. In as much as the political ideology of the day discourages efforts of accepting and resettling refugees, the public opinion has been instrumental in shaping the refugee efforts of nations by voicing their opinions. Protests from around the world have been organized against government refusal to accept refugees (Inspiring Acts of Kindness and Support towards Refugees par 5). Thousands of people went to the streets to voice their support for the Syrian refugees.
A significant number of the refugee populations are children. They are the most vulnerable considering the nature of refugee status. In Germany, for example, the first wave of refugees was welcomed by groups of people lining the streets with gifts. A group of Germans was waiting for them at the train stations with food, clothes, and other necessities. Teddy bears and other toys were given to children who made up part of the refugee population. Countries such as Hungary have not been forthcoming in welcoming refugees. However, while thousands of Syrian refugees were held at Hungarian borders, Austrian volunteers crossed the border to distribute aid and help.
A fleet of cars from Austria with supplies of food, clothing, and medicines left the Austrian nation to offer help to the thousands of refugees crossing the Western Europe. There has been an increase in campaigns and protests, with the aim of addressing the challenges and problems faced by refugees. For most governments, the economics and legal aspects of hosting refugees are the major limiting factors. This has influenced their capacity to take in refugees including the numbers that they can accommodate.
The help from the government has thus been limited to the acceptable and legal standards. For the public, however, their support continues to grow. Residents in Iceland have been involved in the establishment of initiatives that are aimed at lobbying their governments to take in more refugees. The initiatives are not limited to Europe, as a significant number of efforts have been inspired in America as well. Activists seek to create awareness regarding the plight of refugees and gunner support from the public as well as the government.
The United States has been one of the nations with the lowest intake of refugees, and such initiatives seek to initiate political discussions and policy changes for the benefit of refugees. Looking at France, a country that has been hit innumerable in the recent past with terrorism, the willingness of the French people to accept and host refugees highlights the inherent goodness in people. In an effort to comfortably resettle the homeless refugees, French citizens have developed schemes, which help in placing the refugees with French families that are ready to accommodate them (Inspiring Acts of Kindness and Support towards Refugees par 7).
A significant population in France has expressed their concern and interest in providing accommodation to refugees. In Germany, couples, and willing families have gone to the extent of creating websites dedicated to matching refugee with native families as a way of welcoming refugees in a more humane way. The individual and group efforts that have been exhibited go a long way in reinventing the helping nature in human beings. In the situations and conditions that have seen governments fail to help the refugees, it has been the initiative and efforts of the public that has seen the mobilization of resources and services for the refugees.
People offering their homes to strangers, risking their resources and time to help settle and accommodate refugees are, but the simple and day to day experiences that play the role of restoring the goodness and faith of the human population. The smiles of joy and the warmth of various acts of kindness that often arise in times of destruction and anguish restore the faith in the inherent goodness in humankind. The kindness and services that are being offered to the refugees indicate the nature of human beings to help others in time of need. Disasters and catastrophes in the past have demonstrated the ability of human beings to work together for the greater good. In times when governments, leaders, and regions have failed to address societal challenges, people have stepped up to the occasion. The idea of a constant competitive approach to life to ensure survival may be expressed from time to time, but it is the action of kindness that underlines being human.
Work Cited
"Inspiring Acts of Kindness and Support towards Refugees." Huck Magazine. N.p., 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.huckmagazine.com/perspectives/activism-2/refugees-welcome/>.
"Toronto Welcoming Syrian Refugees with Acts of Kindness | Metro News." Metronews.ca. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2015/11/23/toronto-welcoming-syrian-refugees-with-acts-of-kindness.html>.
