That is just what happens in War

“That is just what happens in War—people die.”

The statement in itself is true. People do die when wars are waged. It is expected that there will be casualties, that there will be loss of life on both sides. However, the loss of life that has occurred is not just reserved for those that are fighting with guns and missiles. A huge number of casualties are innocent people that have nothing to do with the war that is being fought in their neighborhood other than being unfortunate enough to have it in their neighborhood. These are people that are trying to live their lives despite the constant fear of death. These are people that are trying to raise their children, hoping that their beautiful babies do not become a statistic by being caught in the middle of someone else’s battle.

Humans can sometimes be a shortsighted species. We tend to care most about the people that We are related to and have a desire to make sure that the ones that We love are well taken care of physically and emotionally. We care most about issues that directly affect Us. We want the towns that We live in to be free of crime, to be safe for Our children. We don’t want Our water and air to be polluted. We want Our children to grow up and to be successful. These are truths that are widespread, that are evident in all cultures and societies. We all want the world around Us to be as near perfect as is possible.

But what happens when thousands of miles separate Us from Them? How do We react when We hear that several thousand people are now dead, will never reach adulthood, will never see their children grow up (if they survive)? Do We respond with despair for these lost people? There are many that do feel a pain in knowing that such a horrible tragedy has occurred in the modern world where warfare is supposed to be more 'civilized' by having the capability of targeting true enemies.

However, there are a great many people who say, “That is just what happens in War—people die.” The callousness of those words cut right into those that look beyond their own little worlds. To consider innocent loss of life as NOTHING is abominable. It is tragic to hear that ONE innocent person died due to a bomb, inadequate healthcare because the fighting is outside, or not enough medication to treat injured people. But to amplify that number by several thousand is heart wrenching. It cannot be overlooked. It cannot be excused away by simply stating that War causes death. To do so means to have that shortsightedness of only caring about yourself. There is no excuse for any human to pretend that others are not valuable, that the lives of people that we will never know do not have a worth to someone else.

We all feel that our own lives are valuable and would be hurt if we were ever put through the same tribulations as those that live in war torn areas. When people that we care about are ill or pass away, our whole world stops as we care for them or grieve our loss. When sickness comes, we expect treatment to be given. We expect to be treated humanely. We expect that our lives are worth enough to someone else to care about us.

One thing that is evident when people make those callous responses is that they view their own lives as worth more than someone they do not know. It is justifiable that they die since they live in a military zone and it is expected that they will die anyway but it is not okay for anyone to cause me harm. It is okay for them to be denied the opportunity to grow up because…that is just the way the world works.

It is also evident that those callous people are seeking a justification to the loss of innocent lives. War makes it okay for people to die. But where is the justification for a war that kills innocent people? What is to be gained by children dying? I can find no justification for that. The 'reasons' behind loss of innocent lives are deplorable, no matter the situation. No one should die because of where they live, because of lack of medical attention, because of stray bombs, because they tried to go to work, school, or the market.

Without making a stand on paper about the War (because it does not matter what I think to those who wage Wars), I wish to make a stand for the mourning of these innocent people that I will never know. I understand the loss of life and I am full of sorrow for those who no longer are fortunate to have their lost loved one(s) in their lives. I hope that there are more people out there who agree with me than disagree. I would like to think that all Humanity is not lost because of War.