Elephants take care of their children. Dolphins do. Wolves do. Crows do. In many species, children are cared for, are protected, are loved, not just by their biological parents, but by their entire communities. Why is that not true of our species?
If humans actually cared for children –—all children, not just our own — we would protect them from harm, wherever they are. We would not allow them to be bombed, maimed, orphaned, displaced, starved or traumatized in any way.
Children, innocent kids, right now at this moment as these words are read, are suffering on every continent because of selfishness, stupidity and bigotry that some in our species are poisoned by, and the rest of us do little to nothing about it.
All of us should be furious at the suffering experienced by children, near and far, furious enough to act, to demand that whatever laws or practices or superstitions or ancient hatreds that cause the suffering be stopped. We should be angry.
Every person I know who would see a suffering child on the street of Vancouver would stop, to help, to comfort, to hug. There are kids elsewhere who we do not see, who also need the help, the comfort, the hug.
