I was sitting one night with my house to myself after having the privilege of tucking my kids into bed while my wife enjoyed a well-deserved night out to see Janet Jackson.
However, all I can think about is what that father of Alan Kurdi is going through. Losing his two children and wife while trying to find safety for his family. I’m thinking about how lucky we are to live in such an amazing country like Canada and how awful things must be for the refugees seeking asylum.
Consider how bad things must be if your best option is to try and traverse a rough body of water, in an unsafe boat, in the pitch black where odds of survival are minimal. This was his best option.
Tonight, when tucking in your kids or loved ones, take a minute to reflect on how truly lucky we are to be Canadian. Consider how lucky we are to be able to be safe in our country, how lucky we are that we don’t need to fear extremists or our own government.
The photo of Alan Kurdi is simply heartbreaking, but if there is anything to take from it, it is just how lucky we are to be here today, in this great nation. Now, I don't want to turn this into a political post, but while you might not like or agree with the direction of our current government, federal leader, past PM or whatever, using terms like dictatorship, dictator, tyrant, etc. is just ignorant.
You have no idea what it is like to live under rule of a tyrant or live in a real dictatorship. Before using those terms, maybe reflect on real problems like those faced by Alan Kurdi and his family. You have no idea how hard life can be and what it is like to live in constant fear and, thankfully, neither do I.
We as citizens, and as a country, simply need to do more to help those in need. We need to remember what it means to be Canadian and help out fellow global citizens in need.
Dana Popadynetz, St. Albert
