Humanity is 'the quality of being humane; kindness; benevolence'.
This week saw Australia put an orphaned 9 year old child who has been through more trauma than most of us can imagine, back into detention for wanting refugee status. This is a child who lost both his parents when the asylum seeker boat he was travelling in broke up off Christmas Island killing up to 50 people. He goes to the gate every time a bus bringing a new group of refugees turns up at the detention centre, looking for his parents because he can't believe they are gone. I cried my eyes out when I saw the news and I just cannot believe that Australia put him back into detention after he was united with some family members who reside in Sydney at the funeral for his father (his mother's body was never found).
This was a week that also saw our opposition question taxpayer funding of funeral transportation for the orphan and relatives of those who died in the Christmas Island tragedy.
I am so angry with our politicians, both sides - and also with people who support such unjust and inhumane treatment. I don't believe anyone sets out in life to be evil and mean spirited but xenophobia it seems is unperishable and I just don't know what anyone can do to change that.
It brings such heartache to think about what the people in detention have endured in their lives to bring them to this condition - and what they continue to endure as they await 'processing'.
What is the point of being human if we cannot act with humanity?
http://www.news.com.au/national/christmas-island-orphan-to-be-released/story-e6frfkvr-1226007792693
http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/party-games-not-our-finest-hour/story-fn6cc53j-1226007831515
