Refugees

Over the past couple of months, there has been an amazing flood of refugees literally walking across the Mideast and into Europe from ports of call such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan; compelled to escape the internal strife, Islamic terrorism, hunger, and destitution present in their own countries.

Some have drowned in their attempt to flee their homelands, some such as that unfortunate Syrian 3 year old, Aylan Kurdi, whose post-mortem photograph was featured on television and in newspapers recently; lying on a lonely beach, having joined his brother, Galip, and dear mother, Rehan, in the arms of the angels. (All of whom I have memorialized on a popular online memorial site. (www.findagrave.com)

Thousands upon multiplied thousands. They come. Some dying, like Aylan, their surviving parents returning their bodies to the land of their birth, and abrogating any hope of escape. Others pausing along the way, and choosing to "set up shop" short of their original destination.  Most continuing a long and arduous journey towards Hungary, Austria, Germany and "parts beyond." Hunger, thirst, derision, barbed wire, and tear gas accompanying them on their quest; in pursuit of something more than they had ever had, or had ever known.

A coalition of nations altogether unprepared for the overwhelming rush of humanity; each with a divergent national mindset, agenda and ability, (or lack thereof) to cater to the whelming flood of human flesh.

Met in some places with apathy, at best, and premeditated rage, at worst. Suffering the heat of the day, and the frigidity of the night. Struggling to maintain a semblance of dignity; tears flowing freely down their cheeks. And as their journey neared its uncertain end, given all they had endured, met with the most unexpected response among any response which they had thus far experienced; applause, embraces, provision.

WELCOME.

Hundreds of thousands continue that same arduous trek where hundreds of thousands before have stirred up the dust, have trod through the mud; have left their footprints in desert, tundra, forest and shore.

How they will ultimately be accepted or rejected by the populace to which they now plead their cause is still unknown, and yet untold. How the premiers, prime ministers and presidents of a dozen and more nations will find a way to amalgamate so many so quickly, and blend them into their proverbial melting pot, and off the breast of a welfare state, represents a challenge not experienced by any group of governments since the displacements and migrations of WWII.

And whether, among the well-meaning, freedom-seeking, security-needing refugees may be discovered a nucleus of Islamic radicalism, or anarchists of other shades, or should the influx of the "foreign hordes" result in unemployment, inadequate wages, or recession, which will tend to turn their heretofore human saviors against them in their entirety, will only be plain

...when it is past.


By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 6