That’s where we differ. It’s our cold indifference, or our insufferable need to justify or define our world, that drives us to conclude that, “sure, the picture is sad, but what if this photo is staged to garner sympathy for terrorists.” To me, I don’t have to believe anything about the context to know how distraught I’d be as a parent in that situation. I don’t need to know if it is or isn’t doctored to gain support, be it for the state of Israel or Hamas.
I see a man, could be a father, could be a stock photo (it matters not), holding a child (or large sweet potato for all I know) wrapped in cloth, and I’m moved to tears because I can put myself in that place, in that moment, in that grief. I can acknowledge that the photo I’m seeing may not be legitimate, but that doesn’t make it less likely to represent real fathers mourning the loss of their child and how I would feel in that moment; how absolutely devastated I would be; how I wish for all of it to end.
That’s empathy, my friend. It doesn’t see sides. It doesn’t push agendas. I can feel that empathy strongly, mourn with that man intensely, and grieve with the very real fathers who have had to bury their innocence, whether this photo is real or not.
I want you to know, I did not down-vote your comment(s). I understand that this whole conflict, situation, and world sucks. All I can do is hope for a peaceful resolution while I hold my child for all the fathers who no longer can.
That’s where we differ. It’s our cold indifference, or our insufferable need to justify or define our world, that drives us to conclude that, “sure, the picture is sad, but what if this photo is staged to garner sympathy for terrorists.” To me, I don’t have to believe anything about the context to know how distraught I’d be as a parent in that situation. I don’t need to know if it is or isn’t doctored to gain support, be it for the state of Israel or Hamas.
I see a man, could be a father, could be a stock photo (it matters not), holding a child (or large sweet potato for all I know) wrapped in cloth, and I’m moved to tears because I can put myself in that place, in that moment, in that grief. I can acknowledge that the photo I’m seeing may not be legitimate, but that doesn’t make it less likely to represent real fathers mourning the loss of their child and how I would feel in that moment; how absolutely devastated I would be; how I wish for all of it to end.
That’s empathy, my friend. It doesn’t see sides. It doesn’t push agendas. I can feel that empathy strongly, mourn with that man intensely, and grieve with the very real fathers who have had to bury their innocence, whether this photo is real or not.
I want you to know, I did not down-vote your comment(s). I understand that this whole conflict, situation, and world sucks. All I can do is hope for a peaceful resolution while I hold my child for all the fathers who no longer can.