Due to the past events in Brussels this week, my heart is full of sadness. The extremist group ISIS has taken responsibility for a suicide bombing at an airport and subway station that has killed more than 30 people and injured several more. It is a sobering to realize that the world we live in has people who are willing to go to such extremes of violence and to attack innocent people in order to garner attention for their cause.
The recent events in Brussels are terrifying and heartbreaking and my heart goes out to all who are being affected. However, it made me realize that many other countries have also been terrorized by ISIS and have not received as much media attention.
My heart goes out to the people of Yemen, Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Beirut and all of the other countries who are suffering with no acknowledgement. American media seems to have turned its camera only to Europe when there are thousands of other people who have been devastated by ISIS on a more frequent basis.
It is incredibly disheartening that there are so many other countries suffering, but a lot of people cannot see that. I have heard friends say ”Well nothing serious has happened” and they are completely wrong. In November 2015, in Tunisia, a bomb was thrown at bus which had members of the Tunisian presidential guard. Twelve people were killed. In December 2105 in Yemen, a car bomb explosion killed the mayor of the city and six bodyguards.
People are not recognizing that what happened in Brussels has been happening in the Middle East for more than a year. We do not see the footage of gunmen attacking mosques (Bangladesh) or bombing of shopping districts (Lebanon) or the downing of jets (Egypt). The sad truth is American media is not highlighting all of these tragedies equally, which leaves most of us clueless to the struggles going on anywhere else.
No tragedy is greater than any other. When any country is attacked like in Brussels, it is sombering and reminds me how vulnerable we all are. My thoughts are with Belgium, but I will not forget or ignore the other countries that are being affected by the trials of terrorism. I will stand in solidarity not only with Brussels but with all countries suffering at the hands of terrorism.
