The world is on fire. It’s burning under terror, sweltering within war and gasping after death. Millions of Syrians are fleeing their homeland in search of safety and only a few countries are offering aid.

In this world of goodness where do we stand? Morality seems to have disappeared from the windswept words of humanity. While children are dying, we are sitting at our desks, sipping coffee and debating whether we call these people refugees or migrants.   

The Syrian Refugee Crisis began earlier in 2011 after the country broke out in civil war. Political instability created a bloodbath between the two fighting sectors and the price of that was innocent civilian lives.

For the past four years, Syrians have fled to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and are now trying to flee to Europe. European countries have been thrown into chaos due to limited resources and a large influx of Syrian refugees. Germany, France and the United Kingdom have received many requests for asylum, however each nation is only allocating a fixed number of people. This is has put pressure on western countries such as Canada and the United States in terms of aid and asylum. Currently, the United States has provided settlements for 1,500 people and, according to CNN, it will increase that number in the next five years.

The large extent of this crisis has sparked a controversy within political and professional sectors. While offering asylum, it is important to acknowledge if these countries have enough resources or not. That’s a question that has plagued the political machines of the aiding countries. Financially and economically, it will be tumultuous to help the number of incoming Syrians. What should we do? Help them with the resources we have or let them figure it out on their own?

What is even more absurd are the gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait which refused to allow any refugees claiming that they already contribute by funding. What is that money going to do in the face of death? As human beings it is our job to help other people. How can we value our comfort over another’s life?

Recently an image of a drowned Syrian toddler on Turkey’s soil shook the world. For me it was hard to see the life of a young boy taken away in flight for safety. Just imagine how many countless people are currently dying. Each night, hundreds of people die trying to escape their war-torn homes. They are either burned under the explosives or engulfed beneath cold seas. Not a single Syrian life can claim that they are safe.

So in the face of such adversity where is humanity? Where is the morality that we are supposed to live by? As students, we should be aware of what is going on. We may live in a sheltered world, but others our age do not. Kids in Syria, who should be going to high school, are instead trying to find refuge somewhere. Boys are defending their countries and girls are trying to make sure their family doesn’t starve to death.